Melanie van der Merwe from Stellenbosch presents her pie, still in the baking tin. Picture: MasterChef South Africa
In the high-stakes world of the MasterChef South Africa kitchen, where culinary dreams collide with pressure and precision, the top 15 contestants faced their first intense challenge: impressing a world-renowned Mzansi-born pie-maker visiting from London.
Chef Nokuthula “Nokx” Majozi, tasked the local home cooks with replicating her signature dish: a next-level pepper steak pie. Picture tender chunks of steak, flaky pastry, mushy peas, pickled cauliflower, and a rich red wine jus. It was a mouthwatering challenge that left no room for error.
Melanie van der Merwe, an avid baker from Stellenbosch, found herself in the spotlight. Unfortunately, the pressure got the best of her. Attempting to duplicate the masterpiece presented by the chef from the famous Pie Room, Melanie crumbled. Her deviation from Nokx’s recipe (adding extra wine to the jus) raised eyebrows among the judges, who advised her to stay focused on the details.
Meanwhile, Tina Long, Cape Town’s “boa queen,” had never made a pie before. Yet, she followed Nokx’s recipe to the letter and emerged victorious. Sometimes, sticking to a recipe pays off—even if Tina admitted she usually finds it nearly impossible to do so.
As the clock ticked during the three-hour cook, chaos ensued. Rookie mistakes, missing pickles (dubbed the “Picklegate” scandal), and even a medical emergency (Shreya’s finger vs. the supersharp knife) kept everyone on their toes.
Tebogo’s math didn’t quite add up, Lona’s pie collapsed, and Nash struggled to extract his pie from the tin. Amidst the frenzy, Melanie’s pie remained trapped, leaving her no choice but to present it to the judges as-is.
In the show’s tasting room, judges Zola Nene, Justine Drake, Katlego Mlambo, and guest judge Nokx deliberated. Who would rise like the perfect pastry?
Amo, previously at the bottom of the pack, staged an impressive comeback. His pie had a delicious filling, impeccable colour, and a short, crisp pastry. Katlego gave a nod of approval.
Justine was poetic in her praise for Bridget’s creation: “A seascape of loveliness.” The jus (that magical sauce) was nothing short of a triumph.
Tina, a pastry novice, surprised everyone. Her components were seasoned to perfection, and her deep understanding of flavour shone through. Zola couldn’t stop raving about her talent.
The fate of Lona, Nash, and Melanie hung in the balance. Nash and Lona’s pies wobbled like jelly, but the judges were forgiving. Nash’s first-ever pie had a lovely, crumbly pastry, and Lona’s jus was pure bliss.
Melanie, alas, stumbled. Her jus—once promising—turned into “just water with a sprinkle of wine.” Zola suspected she left the pie in the tin, resulting in raw edges. But hey, her mushy peas were a silver lining.
As Melanie bid adieu, Nokx shed a tear. “Keep chasing your dreams,” she whispered. And so, Melanie left the kitchen, her culinary journey still unfolding.
*MasterChef South Africa Season 5 premieres on S3 (formerly SABC 3) on Saturdays at 19:30, with a rebroadcast on SABC 2 on Sundays at 18:30. S3 viewers can also watch it on Wednesdays at 18:00. The episodes are available on the SABC streaming app.
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