TORONTO (May 29, 2018) – CTV announced today the upcoming exclusive MASTERCHEF CANADA and SPLENDA^® Stevia Sweetener takeover of Claudio Aprile’s downtown Toronto restaurant, Copetin Restaurant and Bar on Saturday, June 2, following Season 5’s MASTERCHEF CANADA Restaurant Takeover episode (May 29 on CTV).

Recipes developed by Aprile using SPLENDA® Stevia Sweeteners will be featured throughout the takeover. The public is invited to attend on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Guests will be treated to a menu featuring a combination of dishes from the recently launched MASTERCHEF CANADA digital series, CTV.ca’s THE NEXT BITE, along with custom creations made for the event.

“This partnership with SPLENDA® Stevia Sweetener and the pop-up restaurant event gives MASTERCHEF CANADA fans a special opportunity to get an intimate look (and taste!) of Claudio’s restaurant,” said Laird White, Director, Brand Partnerships. “It will be a dynamic event that will drive awareness for all three brands involved.”

“Partnering with MasterChef Canada and Claudio Aprile has been tremendously exciting,” says Kimberly Holdsworth, VP of Marketing at Heartland. “With the dishes he’s developed for our tasting at Copetin, Chef Aprile  has definitely showed that reducing sugar is as easy as using our great tasting SPLENDA® Stevia Sweetener!”

“I’m excited to host this event that brings MASTERCHEF CANADA and SPLENDA® Stevia Sweetener together to celebrate a delicious menu at Copetin,” said Claudio Aprile. “We welcome all fans of the series and foodies who are in Toronto to come out and be part of this memorable experience.”

MASTERCHEF CANADA’s all-new digital series THE NEXT BITE features esteemed judge Chef Claudio Aprile as he creates unique recipes using SPLENDA® Stevia Sweetener, inspired by MASTERCHEF CANADA episodes throughout the season. THE NEXT BITE segments are available now, distributed via MASTERCHEF CANADA’s Facebook page and at CTV.ca/MASTERCHEFCANADA.

On Tuesday, May 29, the MASTERCHEF CANADA remaining home cooks face off for a unique Restaurant Takeover challenge at Copetin. Divided into two teams, the home cooks will be tasked with preparing and serving elevated dishes representative of Copetin’s menu to restaurant guests. The guests will then provide valuable feedback to help inform the judges’ final decision of the winner of the challenge.