Los Angeles – Electus, an operating business of IAC, announced a partnership with Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere’s company Flavor Unit Entertainment and Principato-Young Entertainment to adapt the Singaporean hit series, The Kitchen Musical for the U.S. market. John Pollak, President of Electus International, initiated and negotiated the U.S. format rights deal with Tim Crescenti, president of Small World IFT, which most recently brought the hit series Better Late than Never to NBC.
The format acquisition builds on Electus’ reputation as a proven leader in sourcing and adapting the top formats from around the globe, including, No Tomorrow, adapted from the Brazilian series Como Aproveitar o Fim do Mundo, which launched on The CW; World’s End, based on Icelandic dramedy Heimsendir and currently in production with TBS; Killer Women, adapted from the Argentine crime drama Mujeres Asesinas, which aired on ABC; and the Golden Globe-nominated and Peabody-winning Jane The Virgin, based on the Venezuelan telenovela, Juana La Virgen.
The Kitchen Musical tells the story of a young woman named Maddie who becomes the new sous chef of her father’s famous restaurant, The Avilon. Maddie challenges the restaurant to reinvent itself and sparks her own journey of self-discovery in this innovative musical series packed with hit songs and vibrant choreography, set in the cutthroat world of the culinary arts.
Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere will executive produce for Flavor Unit Entertainment, Peter Principato, Paul Young, and Randi Michel will executive produce for Principato-Young Entertainment, and Chris Grant and John Pollak will executive produce for Electus. CAA, which represents Queen Latifah and Flavor Unit, will be the packaging agent for the series.