When Sabrina Davidson graduated university in 2016, she wanted to leave Saint John. She moved to Taiwan to work as an English teacher and explore global cuisine.

“I was like, no, I have to leave,” she told CBC News. “There is so much to explore. I want to try the food around the world.”

From Taiwan to New Brunswick

Living in Taiwan exposed Davidson to unfamiliar ingredients and spices. She started filming short videos to share her experiences with family members who had never traveled.

Her small YouTube channel caught the attention of Taiwanese locals and government officials. They asked her to create videos featuring temples and street food markets. This side project quickly grew into a full time job.

Rediscovering Local Flavors

The pandemic forced her content creation to pause and brought her back to Saint John. Returning home gave her a fresh perspective on the local food industry.

“Once I moved back to Saint John, I realized that we had the same stories to tell that I was so desperate to get away from,” Davidson said. “We have farmers that produce our ingredients like potatoes, and we have fishermen that work so hard to get lobster to our table, we have all these interesting stories to tell.”

Sabrina Eats Saint John

You can watch her culinary journey unfold in a new television show called Sabrina Eats Saint John. Directed by Gorjan Veletic, the show premieres this January. The series follows Davidson as she tastes three New Brunswick ingredients transformed into unique dishes by local chef Jakob Lutes.

The show features a variety of mushrooms foraged on the Moss Glen Nature Trail. Lutes uses these to create a savory mushroom sourdough toast. Davidson also visits Mackay Apple Orchard to harvest apples for a traditional mince pie.

One episode highlights the large black hog from Belding Hills Farm. Heritage Livestock Canada lists this swine breed as endangered. Davidson eats the pork in a traditional Acadian rappie pie. She notes that eating the meat actually helps protect the breed because farmers only raise these animals when a market exists for them.

A New Appreciation for Food

Davidson holds degrees in biology and psychology and never planned to become a food content creator. She originally viewed teaching simply as a way to travel.

Before her travels, she watched food reviews online and wondered if the meals were truly that delicious. Exploring new flavor profiles in Taiwan changed her mind completely.

“Now I understand what I was watching back in the day and I am like, yes, the food actually can be that good and even better,” she said.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Sabrina Eats Saint John premiere?

The new television show premieres in January.

Who is the chef featured in the show?

Local chef Jakob Lutes prepares the dishes using New Brunswick ingredients.

Why does the show feature an endangered hog breed?

Creating a consumer market for the large black hog encourages farmers to continue raising them. This practice helps protect the heritage breed from extinction.