Drag Brunch Saved My Life is a Canadian drag makeover reality television series which follows Canadian drag queen Priyanka as she goes to different restaurants in Ontario and gives them a makeover culminating in a drag brunch performance. The series premiered on Crave on May 2, 2025.J. Kelly Nestruck, "Drag Brunch Saved My Life host Priyanka brings design and drag to the brunch crowd" . The Globe and Mail, May 9, 2025.
Production
The series was officially announced in June 2024 by Bell Media as part of their 2024-2025 slate of original programming.
The series was co-created by Priyanka and Daniel Birnbaum. The series is produced by Sphere Media in association with Bell Media. Casting for the series concluded in July 2024.
The series premiered on May 2, 2025, with three episodes released that day and one episode released per week for the next five weeks.Irelyne Lavery, "Toronto drag superstar Priyanka taken out of her comfort zone on the new show she created" . Toronto.com, May 28, 2025.
Cast and locations Priyanka serves as the host of the series, with support from interior designer Crystal Westland, chef Mitchell Bright, and drag performers Lemon, Tynomi Banks, and Xtacy Love.Stephan Petar, "Watch The Trailer For Priyanka’s ‘Drag Brunch Saved My Life’" . In Magazine, April 30, 2025. Westland is the owner of Toronto home decor shop Avenue Daughter,Odessa Paloma Parker, "For forgotten corners or even the head of your bed, room screens are the height of form meeting function". The Globe and Mail, May 10, 2024. and Bright is a chef, food stylist and food content creator on social media platforms.
Lemon and Tynomi Banks appear in one episode each, with Xtacy Love, Priyanka's drag mother, appearing in the other six.
Locations featured in the series include:
Cosmo's Diner in Thorold, ON Town & Country Steakhouse in Barrie, ONBrett Glover, "Pair of Barrie restaurants featured in upcoming Crave show all about drag brunch hosted by Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka" . Barrie Advance, May 2, 2025. Bloom Bistro in Barrie, ON YOU Made it Cafe in London, ON The Smokin’ 116 Bistro in Belleville, ON Deja Vu Diner in Orangeville, ON The Alpine in Toronto, ON The Library Bar in Paris, ON
Cosmo's Diner was forced to close around the time of the episode airing, due to owner Karen Brookes having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.Bernard Lansbergen, "Drag brunch TV show gives Cosmo’s Diner a heartfelt farewell". Thorold Today, May 19, 2025. However, Brookes praised the experience of filming the show as a wonderful and emotionally healing experience, which did give her a period of increased local business in the months between the event in August 2024 and her diagnosis.
Three of the local drag performers who appeared in the auditions — Dulce, Karamilk and Star Doll — subsequently appeared in the sixth season of Canada's Drag Race.
Format Priyanka first visits the restaurant on her own to meet the restaurant's owner and staff and taste a sample of the restaurant menu. She then returns the following day with the "P-Team", designer Crystal Westland and chef Mitchell Bright, for a more thorough observation of the restaurant's clientele and food preparation and service processes; they subsequently return to present their initial plans, with Westland presenting two design options for the restaurateurs to choose from, and Bright presenting a simplified brunch menu of four or five dishes from which the restaurateurs can choose one "signature" dish for him to elevate further with a special new recipe.
Priyanka then returns with the guest drag queen, working with the restaurateurs to audition local drag performers for the brunch; Priyanka and the guest queen offer feedback and input based on their drag experience, but the choice of performers is also ultimately left up to the restaurateurs. Both drag queens and drag kings are eligible to audition in this phase.
In most episodes, the P-Team also identify operational issues, such as suboptimal staff communication processes or unresolved emotions around business or personal struggles, that may be interfering with the restaurant's success, and provide advice to the owners on how to improve their operations in the future.
The final preparations to set up the brunch are then depicted, following which the brunch is staged. Priyanka also performs as a special guest at each brunch.
Episodes
Awards AssociationYearCategoryRecipientResultRef. Canadian Cinema Editors Awards 2026 Best Editing in Lifestyle Peter Topalovic & Ken Yan, "Bloom Bistro, Barrie ON" Canadian Screen Awards 2026 Best Lifestyle Program or Series Mark "Priyanka" Suknanan, Daniel Birnbaum, Justin Stockman, Bruno Dubé, Marlo Miazga, Kim Bondi, Corinna Lehr "Drag queens reign at Canadian Screen Awards reality TV gala". Nanaimo News, May 29, 2026. Best Host in a Lifestyle Program or Series Priyanka Best Production Design/Art Direction in a Non-Fiction Program or Series Crystal Westland, Andy Roskaft
References