Mary Berg

Early Life and Education

Mary Berg was born in Pickering, Ontario. When she was four years old, she was involved in a car accident that resulted in the death of her father, while her mother and brother survived with injuries. Berg herself emerged from the accident relatively unscathed. Her early interest in cooking began around age seven when she helped prepare family meals, and by age thirteen she was regularly cooking dinner for her family on her own. She attended Pine Ridge Secondary School in her hometown of Pickering. For her post-secondary education, Berg earned a bachelor's degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, where she double majored in history and English. She later pursued a master's degree in information science at the University of Toronto, a field distinct from her eventual culinary career but which provided a foundation in research and organization.

Career Beginnings and MasterChef Canada Victory

After completing her education, Mary Berg initially worked as an insurance broker. In 2016, she left that career to compete in the third season of the culinary competition series MasterChef Canada. Berg emerged as the season's winner, becoming the first female winner in the show's history. This victory served as her major breakthrough into Canadian food and television. Following her win, she began making regular appearances as a food expert on national television programs such as Your Morning and The Marilyn Denis Show. In 2017, she starred in her first dedicated cooking series, an eight-episode show on Gusto called Mary's Big Kitchen Party. That same year, she served as a culinary consultant for the episode "Vaulting Ambition" on the television series Star Trek: Discovery, applying her cooking knowledge to a science fiction setting.

Television Host and Producer

Mary Berg's television career expanded significantly with the launch of Mary's Kitchen Crush on CTV in April 2019. She became the first MasterChef Canada winner to host her own cooking show. The series was an immediate success, winning the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lifestyle Series at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020, where Berg also won for Best Lifestyle Host. The show and host repeated these wins at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021. In 2021, Berg premiered a second series, Mary Makes It Easy, on CTV Life Channel, focused on simple recipes for novice cooks. This show also found award success, winning the Canadian Screen Award for Lifestyle Program or Series in 2022, with Berg winning for Host, Lifestyle. The series expanded its reach by premiering on the Food Network in the United States in February 2022. Berg's role as a producer grew with Mary Makes It Easy, on which she served as a co-executive producer.

At the 11th Canadian Screen Awards in 2023, she hosted the ceremony for the Lifestyle and Reality Television categories, and Mary Makes It Easy won three awards including Best Lifestyle Program or Series, Best Direction, and Best Photography. In June 2023, CTV announced Berg would host a new daily talk and lifestyle series, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, replacing The Marilyn Denis Show in the network's weekday 10 a.m. Eastern Time slot. The show's name originated from a quote Berg included in her first cookbook from the film Ratatouille. She also served as co-host for the CTV baking competition Cross Country Cake Off, which premiered in December 2022. In 2025, Berg returned to her roots, announced as a judge for the eighth season of MasterChef Canada alongside chefs Craig Wong and Hugh Acheson. Beyond her series, Berg has been a consistent presence at industry events like the Bell Media Upfronts, where her new judging role was announced in June 2025.

Selected Television Series

• Mary's Kitchen Crush (CTV, 2019-)
• Mary Makes It Easy (CTV Life Channel/Food Network, 2021-)
• The Good Stuff with Mary Berg (CTV, 2023-)
• Cross Country Cake Off (CTV, 2022-)
• MasterChef Canada (Judge, Season 8, 2025-)

Cookbooks and Publishing

Mary Berg is the author of four bestselling cookbooks, all published by Appetite by Random House. Her first book, Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion, was released in September 2019. Her second cookbook, Well Seasoned: A Year's Worth of Delicious Recipes, followed in 2021 and won the gold medal in the General Cookbooks category at the 2022 Taste Canada Awards. Her third book, In Mary’s Kitchen: Stress-Free Recipes for Every Home Cook, was published in October 2023 and also won a Taste Canada Award in the General Cookbooks category in 2024. Berg's fourth cookbook, Mary's Comfort Classics: Food to Fill Your Plate, was released in 2026. The book is organized into thematic chapters focusing on comfort food, from breakfast and snacks to pasta and desserts, and features multiple variations on core recipes like macaroni and cheese. The structure of Mary's Comfort Classics includes chapters such as First Things First for breakfast, A Toast to Soup, Snack Town, Starch City, Veggin' Out, Pasta Please, Gone Fishin', Meaty Morsels, and Li'l Sweeties.

Specific recipes highlighted from the 2026 book include Bananas Foster Pancakes, Seared Mushroom Ricotta Toast, Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings, Focaccia 4 Ways, Shorty Carbonara, Roasted Salmon 4 Ways, Pork Ragu, and PB&J Bars. To promote her books, Berg undertakes national tours and public appearances. In late 2026, her schedule included events in Ottawa, Ancaster, Port Elgin, Kitchener, Calgary, Vancouver, Langley, and Grimsby. She also launched a podcast titled Mary's Reservation for Two in July 2023. Her work as an author extends beyond cookbooks, as she was featured as a '12 x 12 Featured Author' in June 2026, where she shared insights on the writing and revision process, drawing from her experience crafting picture books. Her debut picture book, Enough to Share, was published by Tielmour Press in spring 2026 after a significant revision from a fictional narrative to lyrical nonfiction, and a second picture book, A River Is, was scheduled for publication later in 2026 by Bushel & Peck.

Cookbook Bibliography

• Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion (Appetite by Random House, 2019)
• Well Seasoned: A Year's Worth of Delicious Recipes (Appetite by Random House, 2021)
• In Mary’s Kitchen: Stress-Free Recipes for Every Home Cook (Appetite by Random House, 2023)
• Mary's Comfort Classics: Food to Fill Your Plate (Appetite by Random House, 2026)

Awards and Recognition

Mary Berg has received widespread recognition for her work in television and publishing, primarily through the Canadian Screen Awards and Taste Canada Awards. Her consistent wins in the lifestyle category highlight her impact on Canadian television. At the 13th Canadian Screen Awards in May 2025, she won two awards: Best Lifestyle Program or Series and Best Host, Lifestyle for Mary Makes It Easy. The Good Stuff with Mary Berg also won Best Talk or Entertainment News Series at the same ceremony, and Berg received a nomination for Best Host, Talk Show or Entertainment News. Her earlier Canadian Screen Award wins span from 2020 to 2023 for both hosting and her series. In publishing, her cookbooks Well Seasoned and In Mary's Kitchen have both earned Taste Canada Awards. These awards reflect both critical and popular approval of her programming, which combines practical cooking instruction with engaging entertainment.

Personal Life

Mary Berg met her husband, Aaron Mariash, in 2009 while they were both students at Wilfrid Laurier University. The couple married in October 2016 at Le Select Bistro in Toronto, Ontario. Berg has been a pescatarian for over fifteen years, meaning she does not eat meat but does eat fish and seafood. Notably, she continues to cook meat dishes on her television shows. The couple resides in Toronto. In January 2024, Berg was the target of a cryptocurrency scam involving falsified advertisements on social media that claimed she had been arrested. Her show, The Good Stuff, addressed the scam directly on its X account on 5 January 2024, writing that they were aware of the fake ads and encouraged followers to report suspicious content. The ads were later determined to be part of a cryptocurrency scam operation.

Public Engagement and Media Presence

Beyond her scheduled television appearances and book tours, Mary Berg maintains an active connection with her audience through various platforms. She engages with followers on Instagram under the handle @mary_berg3, where she shares culinary content and updates about her work, including promotions for her 2026 cookbook Mary's Comfort Classics. Her podcast, Mary's Reservation for Two, launched in July 2023, offers another medium for conversation. Berg is a frequent guest and host at cultural events, such as the Wordfest festival in Calgary, where she participated in conversations and book signings for her 2026 cookbook release alongside pastry chef Saïd M'Dahoma. She also uses her platform to discuss broader topics, having interviewed authors like Benjamin Stevenson about their creative processes on The Good Stuff. Her approachable style and focus on comfort food have made her a relatable and trusted figure for Canadian home cooks.

Berg's promotional tours are extensive, with a typical schedule including bookstore appearances at Indigo locations in Ottawa, Ancaster, and Vancouver, cooking studio events in Kitchener, and festival appearances in Calgary and Grimsby. These tours often include audience question and answer sessions and book signings, allowing for direct interaction with her readers and viewers. Her work as a featured author for the 12 x 12 writing community in June 2026 also shows her engagement with the broader author community, where she discussed the revision process for her picture books. In that post, she detailed how her debut picture book, Enough to Share, went through approximately fifty drafts and a major revision from fiction to nonfiction before finding a publisher.

Future Projects and Ongoing Work

As of 2026, Mary Berg continues to host The Good Stuff with Mary Berg on CTV, a daily talk show that features recipes, lifestyle trends, and interviews. She remains a judge on the eighth season of MasterChef Canada, which began airing in the fall of 2025. Her production company continues to develop content for her established series Mary Makes It Easy and Mary's Kitchen Crush. With the release of her fourth cookbook, Mary's Comfort Classics, in 2026, she began a national book tour spanning from October to November 2026, with events scheduled across Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Her foray into children's literature continues with the publication of her picture books Enough to Share and A River Is in 2026. These projects demonstrate her expanding reach from culinary television into broader publishing and lifestyle content, maintaining a consistent brand centred on approachability, comfort, and shared enjoyment of food.

Questions about Mary Berg

What television shows does Mary Berg host?

Mary Berg is the host of several television series. She hosts the weekday talk and lifestyle show The Good Stuff with Mary Berg on CTV. She also hosts the cooking shows Mary's Kitchen Crush and Mary Makes It Easy. She serves as a judge on Season 8 of MasterChef Canada, which premiered in 2025.

What awards has Mary Berg won?

Mary Berg has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards. She won Best Lifestyle Host and her show Mary's Kitchen Crush won Best Lifestyle Series at the 8th and 9th Canadian Screen Awards. In 2025, she won two more Canadian Screen Awards for Mary Makes It Easy, and The Good Stuff with Mary Berg won Best Talk or Entertainment News Series. Her cookbooks have also earned Taste Canada Awards.

Is Mary Berg a judge on MasterChef Canada?

Yes, Mary Berg is a judge on MasterChef Canada. It was announced in June 2025 that she would be a judge for the show's upcoming eighth season. She judges alongside Toronto chef Craig Wong and chef Hugh Acheson. Berg is a former winner of the show's third season.

How did Mary Berg become famous?

Mary Berg became famous by winning the third season of MasterChef Canada in 2016, making her the show's first ever female winner. This victory launched her television career. After winning, she left her previous job as an insurance broker to pursue cooking full time. She has since become a prominent television host, author and judge. Her success on MasterChef Canada led to her hosting multiple cooking shows and authoring several bestselling cookbooks.

How many cookbooks has Mary Berg written?

Mary Berg has written four cookbooks. Her first three published cookbooks are Kitchen Party (2019), Well Seasoned (2021), and In Mary's Kitchen (2023). Her fourth cookbook, released in 2026, is titled Mary's Comfort Classics: Food to Fill Your Plate. Her cookbooks Well Seasoned and In Mary's Kitchen have both won Taste Canada Awards, with Well Seasoned winning a gold medal in 2022 and In Mary's Kitchen winning in 2024.

What is Mary Berg's personal dietary preference?

Mary Berg has been a pescatarian for more than fifteen years, meaning she abstains from eating meat but does consume fish and seafood. This is a personal lifestyle choice she has maintained for a significant period. Interestingly, despite her own dietary preferences, she cooks meat on her television shows for her viewers. This demonstrates her professional versatility as a cook and host catering to a broad audience.

Sources and further reading

• Mary Berg (Wikipedia)
• Mary Helen Berg - 12 x 12 Featured Author June 2026 (12x12challenge.com)
• Wordfest presents Mary Berg (wordfest.com)
• In Conversation: Mary Berg, Sep 24 - Nov 13, 2026 (ticketscene.ca)
• Mary Berg (penguinrandomhouseretail.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.