Born and bred in Alberton, Corne (known by all as Borries) Bornman (46) has been involved with food since the age of 14.
He entered his first potjie competition in Grade 12 and won a holiday. This win sealed his passion for outdoor cooking and carried through from his culinary studies at Wits Hotel School to hosting, participating and winning outdoor cooking competitions.
The business side
Besides being an expert on cooking with fire, Bornman is part of Borisimo’s Guesthouse, established in 2006. He has been a part of the family business for 18 years. The guesthouse is a B&B, and they recently started serving breakfast and dinner to outside guests as well.
Outdoor cooking journey
“I’ve always been involved with food, especially outdoor cooking. Cooking with fire is something I found interesting during my time at tertiary, but I grew fonder of this style of cooking over the last 10 years,” said Bornman.
He participated in a TV cooking show 10 years ago. From there, he travelled to America and, for four years, headed up teams to compete in BBQ-smoking competitions. He also participated in Ultimate Braai Master and won season six in 2018. He also competed in Bring en Braai.
“Cooking shows and competitions have been a part of my outdoor cooking journey. I always admired the show Kokkedoor Vuur en Vlam and entered when the opportunity presented itself.
“The auditions took place in Cape Town, where I showcased my fire experience, including reasons why I wanted to be on the show, and presented a menu to the judging panel. The contestant-choosing process was rigorous, and I was lucky enough to be chosen,” explained Bornman.
His favourite meat to cook is steak.
“I enjoy cooking steak, but I believe in exploring different flavours and ways of cooking all food, especially meat,” said Bornman.
All things hot in Kokkedoor Vuur en Vlam
Kokkedoor Vuur en Vlam has 20 contestants in 10 teams of two. There are two categories – the Onthoubraaiers – best suited for individuals enthusiastic about outdoor cooking, and the Kinkelbraaiers – best suited for individuals who are chefs or who worked in fine dining.
He is a participant in the Kinkelbraaiers category.
“The competition is a combination of luck, faith and skill,” said Bornman.
“It is a tough competition, but it is important to manage your time well, ensure you have a strategy and think on your feet when things go wrong.”
His A-team
“My team and I at the guesthouse can be described as a band. We all do as well as we can, and that keeps us going,” the fire cooking expert emphasised.
With the help of his team, Bornman can go out to experiment in the world of outdoor cooking and live his passion.
The first episode of Kokkedoor Vuur en Vlam aired on July 27 at 20:00 on kykNET; that is where you can keep track of Borries and his team’s progress.
