THE international popularity of cooking shows such as MasterChef, The Chopping Block and Hell's Kitchen has ensured the longevity of similar palatable concepts.

The good people at The Group Entertainment (TGE) have not only leveraged this craze, but also dished up another winning idea: a television musical with a restaurant setting – in short, an amalgamation of food and music.

Aptly named The Kitchen Musical, this new series was rolled out to foodies and fans of musicals in mid October this year on AXN, across 19 countries in Asia and Europe.

Formally established in April 2011, TGE creates, sources and produces fresh concepts that appeal to a global audience. Its ideas are expressed across a variety of platforms such as television, stage, film and digital media – also known as "transmedia storytelling".

A Great Brainwave
The Kitchen Musical is the brainchild of Ms Nelia Molato-Sutrisno, TGE's Chief Executive Officer, and CheeK, the company's Creative Director.

Ms Molato-Sutrisno shares: "I was discussing the latest trends in television worldwide with CheeK about a year and a half ago, and two terms kept surfacing – 'musical' and 'food and beverage'. Then CheeK exclaimed: 'A television musical in a restaurant! The Kitchen Musical!' And so the idea was born. Isn't it great how creativity works?"

A Sensory Delight
The Kitchen Musical revolves around Maddie Avilon (played by Filipino singer-actress Karylle Tatlonghari), a rich young Le Cordon Blue graduate who decides to work in her father's well-known restaurant – where she encounters other colourful characters.

It's a premise that sounds exciting and delicious, and one that Ms Molato-Sutrisno is certain will resonate with audiences.

She says: "The Kitchen Musical is a major milestone for us. It's a one-of-a-kind series with a never-been-done-before setting. It's about drama, music and food. I believe this combination makes up its appeal."

Boasting an international cast with Filipino stars Tatlonghari and Christian Bautista and English-Malay actor Stephen Rahman-Hughes, the drama comprises 13 one-hour-long episodes that are likely to send viewers' senses into overdrive.

That's because every episode is laden with delectable dishes and desserts. Of course, there's also excellent entertainment in the form of rearranged, re-recorded popular hit songs jazzed up with energetic dance sequences.

Ms Molato-Sutrisno reveals that the casting was helmed by CheeK, and the cast members were required to "be able to sing, dance and act equally well and reflect the international feel of the project."

Notching Up More Milestones
Ms Molato-Sutrisno notes that the company has come far in a relatively short span of time. She says: "The cast, crew and main executive group of TGE – we have all grown together. The chemistry we have is amazing."

Yet, the journey has not always been easy – despite the impressive credentials of Ms Molato-Sutrisno and CheeK.

A co-founder of TGE, Ms Molato-Sutrisno says the company has been "aggressively investing in creative concepts with the neXt factor" since its inception. She has decades of managerial experience – having spent 20 years in the consumer goods industry and another 10 years in the Asian media sector, including at MTV Indonesia.

Creative Director CheeK has a similar story. He has also clocked 20 years of creative and senior management experience in big companies like the former Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, MTV Asia, MTV Japan and STAR TV, before joining TGE. Since then, Ms Molato-Sutrisno and CheeK have weathered many storms together.

Ms Molato-Sutrisno reflects: "The most challenging part was the initial stage of getting potential sponsors and broadcasters to believe in the project. Because the concept was, and still is, very new to many people, we had to spend a lot of time and effort explaining what we were trying to achieve through The Kitchen Musical. This was unlike our previous roles in MTV, where most of our work was already self-explanatory."

But it's all paid off – the series has been picked up by the US-based Electus, which is known for successfully adapting shows like Ugly Betty and The Office for the American market. TGE will be co-producing a US version of The Kitchen Musical.

Ms Molato-Sutrisno also confirms that the Group is "now getting queries from potential clients, broadcasters and even talent agencies" on collaborative opportunities – thanks to the buzz received for The Kitchen Musical.

The Media Development Authority of Singapore has been "very supportive of TGE, especially at MIPCOM", shares Ms Molato-Sutrisno.

MIPCOM is a yearly television and entertainment industry market held in October in Cannes.

More Recipes Ahead
The Kitchen Musical may have raised TGE's public profile, but this milestone only marked the beginning of more to come.

"We're developing a feature film that explores the nuances of first love called Forget Not, which will have its own TV series spinoff soon. There's also Happy Find, a new series about a twenty-something celebrity who turns to the internet to find happiness. It's the first series to be produced by our trademarked format of 'guided reality', which combines the power of the internet with the accessibility of television," says Ms Molato-Sutrisno.