CBC Archives

You must sign in to leave a comment on this clip.

'Plumb tasteless!'

Broadcast Date: July 16, 1957

Canadian food has no outstanding characteristic, none whatsoever, says Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. The colonel tells CBC's Joe Taylor that there wasn't one dish he particularly enjoyed on his trips across Canada, describing Canadian fare as "plumb tasteless!"

CBC commentator James Bannerman shares the colonel's opinions. Bannerman goes further saying the food is bland all across Canada and the only distinguishing character is that there isn't one at all.

'Plumb tasteless!'

• In A Century of Home Cooking 1900 through the '90s, the authors define "Canadian cuisine" as eating what was put in front of you. That meant whatever the pioneers could hunt, fish, forage or grow.
• The history of Canadian food can be traced back to our native people. They gave us food such as corn, beans, pumpkins, bison, caribou and dried salmon.

• Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, was born on Sept. 9, 1890, in Indiana.
• In 1930, Sanders opened a small roadside lunchroom in Corbin, Ky. It was there he perfected his famous secret fried chicken recipe. The lunchroom was a modest success until a highway rerouting took away customers.

• In 1952, Colonel Sanders began to franchise, driving from restaurant to restaurant cooking his famous chicken. If the response was favourable, the colonel would enter into a handshake agreement stipulating a payment of a nickel to him for each chicken sold.
• Governor Ruby Laffoon made Harland Sanders a Kentucky colonel in 1935 in recognition of his contributions to the state's cuisine.

• KFC is now one of the biggest fast food franchises in the world with outlets in more than 80 countries. Sanders remained KFC's corporate spokesman until his death in December 1980. There are approximately 12,300 KFC restaurants in 88 countries and territories. There are currently 739 KFC restaurants in Canada (2004).

'Plumb tasteless!'

Medium: Radio

Program: Assignment

Broadcast Date: July 16, 1957

Guest(s): Harland Sanders

Commentator: James Bannerman
Host: Bill McNeil
Reporter: Joe Taylor

Duration: 6:09

Last updated:
June 30, 2004