Savoured Here documentary series premieres Nov. 22 on YouTube and TELUS Optik TV

A six-part food documentary about Southern Vancouver Island debuts Nov. 22 on YouTube and TELUS Optik TV. The series spotlights the farmers, fishers, winemakers and chefs behind the island’s food economy, while teeing up plans for more episodes and new partnerships.

Why it matters: - Savoured Here puts a regional food economy on screen, showing how island food culture depends on small producers, working kitchens and coastal harvests. - The series also doubles as a showcase for Vancouver production company Alpenglow Media, which is using the project to expand conversations with tourism, hospitality and food organizations.

What happened: - Savoured Here, a six-part documentary series from Alpenglow Media, premieres on YouTube on November 22, 2026. - The series will also stream on TELUS Optik TV through TELUS STORYHIVE. - Director Saman Rezapour, founder and creative director of Alpenglow Media Inc., co-created the series with chef Colton Armstrong-Ashley, who hosts. - The project focuses on Southern Vancouver Island’s food culture.

The details: - Each episode follows the people who shape how Vancouver Island eats, including farmers, fishers, foragers, winemakers and chefs. - The season moves from commercial fishing boats and coastal foraging to Saanich Peninsula vineyards, restaurant kitchens and family farms. - Featured guests include Matt Cusano and Brian Tesolin of Cafe Brio, Rich McBride of Finest at Sea, and John and Lorraine Buchanan of Parry Bay Sheep Farm. - The series also examines what it takes to keep small, independent food businesses running on an island. - The crew filmed for five months, from Metchosin to the Saanich Peninsula. - The production used an observational style with no scripts or staged scenes. - Filming included early mornings on the water, harvest days and kitchens during dinner service. - The trailer and episode guide are available on the Savoured Here documentary series site.

Between the lines: - Rezapour said Vancouver Island has one of the richest food cultures in Canada, but much of it happens out of sight. - The series is built to make that hidden work visible by centering the people behind the food. - Season one was produced with support from Volkswagen, Blundstone, Weber and BC Dairy. - Alpenglow Media says it has since opened partnership talks with tourism, hospitality and food organizations in British Columbia and abroad. - The company’s broader business is documentary-style brand films and commercial photography for clients in tourism, hospitality, food and agriculture, technology, science, conservation and aviation. - Recent projects include video for the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, launch coverage for the Malahat SkyWalk and a campaign video for the City of Burnaby.

What's next: - Rezapour is developing a second season that would apply the same approach to more communities and producers along the coast. - Organizations that want similar storytelling can start a project with Alpenglow Media.

The bottom line: - Savoured Here aims to turn Vancouver Island’s food system into a human-centered documentary series, and it arrives as Alpenglow Media pushes that storytelling model beyond one production.