The highlight of my recent trip to Louisiana was filming at the Dew Drop Social and Benevolent Hall in what is now Old Mandeville.

This place is famous! It is believed to be the world's oldest unaltered rural jazz hall. Early greats Buddy Petit, Kid Ory and a young Louis Armstrong played there.

I was thrilled to film with Grammy award winning New Orleans musician, actor and author Chris Thomas King.

He's said to be "one of the worlds greatest blues guitar players." Chris also was in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? and played a character named Tommy Johnson who describes selling his soul to the devil to play guitar.

I also learned so much from Andrea Fulton who is part of the Friends of the Dew Drop organization.

You'll be able to hear Chris' music and learn all about the rich history of the Dew Drop in my new travel documentary series Brandy Yanchyk Sees the World. It will be airing on public TV stations in the USA including PBS.

#BrandyYanchykSeestheWorld #VisitTheNorthshore #arcteryx

Holy smokes! January was so busy I’m just catching my breath.

One of the exciting things I did was go to New York City to do 24 speed pitches at TravMedia’s International Media Marketplace. It was an incredible networking experience.

I was there promoting my new travel documentary series Brandy Yanchyk Sees the World.

I can’t wait to share it all with you.

“TravMedia's International Media Marketplace (IMM) is the leading global networking event connecting the travel industry with editors, journalists, broadcasters, and influencers.”

#IMMNYC #IMM2024

Happy New Year.
I have some exciting plans in the works for 2024 and Brandy Y Productions!

Firstly, I am thrilled to announce that seven episodes of my travel documentary series "Seeing the USA with Brandy Yanchyk" are now available to watch on your smart TV on the PBS Passport video streaming App.
Just download the PBS App and search for the title "Seeing the USA".

You can also watch season one of my other travel series "Seeing Canada" on the PBS Passport App and all four seasons will be available soon.

About the PBSPassport App:
Currently, Passport is available through web browsers on your desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile devices. It is also available through the PBS video App for users on the below devices:
• Roku
• Apple TV 4
• Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire Tablet
• Android TV
• Android mobile devices
• Apple iPhone and iPad

What an incredible evening.

Thank you so much Vancouver Food Runners and Food Stash Foundation for organizing a wonderful screening and event in Vancouver on Tuesday, December 5th at Food Stash.
Tammara Soma Ph.D. and I were thrilled to share our new documentary "Food is my Teacher" with such an engaged audience.

We have tremendous gratitude to the following organizations and individuals for their support:
Event venue & planning support: Food Stash Foundation
Financial partners: Vancity and Fresh Prep
Panelists: Dr. Tammara Soma, Brandy Yanchyk, and Christina Lee (hua foundation)
Food & beverage donation partners: TJ Conwi and Reroot , purebread, Greenhouse, Legacy Liquor Store, Whole Foods Market
Reusable cups & containers: ShareWares
Chairs: Vancouver Food Networks (Kitsilano Neighbourhood House)

If you missed the screening you can watch the documentary on CBC Gem.

Monday night’s screening of “Food is my Teacher” in Banff was a wonderful success. Around 70 people came to the community potluck, screening and panel.

The food was excellent and it felt so great to share Dr. Tammara Soma and my documentary with everyone.

El Torro Restaurant donated so much food and it was delicious! Thank you.

A big shout out to the Bow Valley Food Alliance and the Filipino Organization in the Rocky Mountains who attended the event and are also in the film.

You can watch it now on CBC Gem!

Thank you Rocky Mountain Outlook for promoting the event in this article.

We can't wait to share our new documentary ""Food is my Teacher" with those living near Banff, Alberta!

Come and join us for a screening & potluck.

Dr. Tammara Soma and I will be there as part of a discussion panel after the documentary.

Register for the potluck and screening here.

You can watch it now on CBC GEM.

#FoodismyTeacher

I am thrilled to announce that my episode Seeing Canada - "Black History in South Western Ontario" has won FIRST PLACE in the Virtual storytelling category in the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) 7th Annual Canadian Chapter Awards.

The judge said "This was an interesting episode sharing meaningful stories that we as Canadians should be familiar with. This is a sort of journalistic storytelling that I'd like to see more often, travel media stories that turn the camera outwards, shining a spotlight on the local people and their stories as shared by them. I learned a lot from this and enjoyed Brandy as a host, particularly when she was connecting with her subjects in a more relaxed and human way. Congratulations, everyone.”

You can watch the episode "Seeing Canada" - BLACK HISTORY IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO online on CPAC-TV.

Here is the description:

Canadian journalist Brandy Yanchyk explores Southwestern Ontario where she learns about the Underground Railroad and the history of the Freedom Seekers who came to Canada and helped build a large, vibrant Black community in the country.

Brandy visits The Amherstburg Freedom Museum, the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum and Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site now called the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History.

Brandy also meets with Teajai Travis, a Descendant of Underground Railroad Travellers, and with Educator, Irene Moore Davis, at the Tower of Freedom in Windsor.

This Sunday join host Brandy Yanchyk when she travels to British Columbia's Cariboo Chilcotin Coast in her travel series "Seeing Canada" season four.

You can catch this new episode on CPAC-TV (Cable Public Affairs Channel) at 9:30 pm ET and then it will be online. The series will also be airing on PBS and Create TV soon.

Here is a description of episode 404:

Exploring British Columbia’s Cariboo Chilcotin Region.

Canadian journalist Brandy Yanchyk travels to the Cariboo Chilcotin Region in British Columbia where she learns how to make cinnabon buns at The Historic Chilcotin Lodge in Riske Creek.

Then Brandy learns how to trim a horse's hooves at the Terra Nostra Guest Ranch in Kleena Kleene.

In Clinton, Brandy meets David Arlen Park, a Musician and Owner of The Junction Cafe, who teaches her how to be a barista.

I am thrilled to announce that the first new episode of my travel series Seeing Canada season four will air this Sunday on CPAC-TV at 9:30 pm ET.

There are eight new episodes in total and they will air each Sunday for the next eight weeks on CPAC-TV.

Season four will also air on PBS stations and Create TV in the future.

Thank you to everyone who was part of "Seeing Canada" season four!

Here is a description of Seeing Canada episode 401:

Indigenous Tourism and Art in South Eastern Ontario

Canadian journalist Brandy Yanchyk meets the rare and endangered Ojibwe Spirit Horses and makes a corn husk doll at the Madahoki Farm in Ottawa’s Greenbelt. Then Brandy travels to Akwesasne where she makes traditional Mohawk cornbread. In Kingston she learns to paint with artist Francisco Corbett at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

For a more in depth description of the new Seeing Canada season four series click here: https://vimeo.com/855173823?share=copy

You can stream the new documentary Food is my Teacher here on CBC GEM.

Lots of great articles have been coming in for Dr. Tammara Soma and Brandy Yanchyk’s new documentary Food is my Teacher.

Read them here:

Article by the Edmonton Journal “Local award-winning filmmaker's latest Food is my Teacher premieres Friday

Brandy Yanchyk's new documentary follows food systems expert Dr. Tammara Soma as she explores the human connection with food”.

Article by Edify “The Best Teacher of All”.

Article by AlbertaPrimeTimes.com “Food as teacher and healer, the focus of new documentary”.

Article by SFU NEWS “SFU’s Tammara Soma explores the healing power of food in new documentary.”

Article by CBC “Professor, filmmaker travel across B.C., Alberta to explore the healing power of food”.

CBC Edmonton AM interview “Food as a healer and educator”.