MasterChef SA’s top 15 contestants cook for the apple of their eye

At the end of the first nerve-wracking episode of MasterChef South Africa Season 5, fifteen diverse home cooks received their MasterChef aprons after a gruelling final audition cook-off, which sent five aspiring Masterchefs home.

Now, it’s truly game on! If the Top 15 want to scoop up the coveted title of MasterChef, they will have to impress the picky judges – Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo – week after week with mouthwatering dishes plated for a king.

While the contestants come from various backgrounds and have different food dreams, which winning MasterChef South Africa will unlock, they all share one ingredient – an incredible passion for food.

In episode 2 of MasterChef South Africa Season 5, now in its new home on SABC, they will have the chance to express their culinary love language and how they cook from the heart. The judges will challenge them to prepare an elegant dish for the “apple of their eye”, in other words, the person or people they love the most in the world. And, yes, they must use freshly stocked apples from the Pick n Pay pantry.

As these MasterChef South Africa contestants prepare their “edible love letter”, we will learn much about the memories this particular dish evokes for them and their own culinary love stories.

Meanwhile, here’s more information about the Top 15 MasterChef Season 5 contenders:

Jhb chef finds joy in cooking for sister with epilepsy

25-year-old Amogelang Maluleka from Johannesburg’s love for cooking was inspired by his sister, who lives with epilepsy. Creating scrumptious dishes became Amo’s way of bringing joy and comfort to his family, especially his sister. “Seeing her smile after tasting my food means everything to me,” Amo shares.

At the start of his culinary journey, Amo experimented with pasta, mild flavours, and fresh ingredients, but as his skills developed, he turned more adventurous, blending styles and recipes that required more time, love, and care.

Binge-watching cooking shows, especially Neill Anthony’s Private Chef, further guided Amo to expand his creativity in the kitchen.

These days, Amo sees food as a vehicle to create memorable moments. His girlfriend can attest to that. She much prefers enjoying Amo’s meals to eating out at restaurants. His mother, who lives nearby, also often pops in to grab a plate.

Amo, who grew up in Pretoria, enjoys soccer, fast cars and fashion when he is not cooking up a storm. He is also a commercial photographer with a corporate communications background. He dreams of opening a food truck and becoming a travelling food critic, sharing his culinary journey and the joy of food with others.

MasterChef’s youngest contestant dreams of sustainable culinary innovations

Culinary dynamo Bridget Mangwandi is the youngest contestant on MasterChef South Africa Season 5. The 20-year-old from Bloemfontein juggles creating mouthwatering recipes for branding agencies and creating meal plans for students while studying consumer science in food biochemistry at the University of the Free State.

Her dream? Launching a cutting-edge food business focused on sustainability and teaming up with local artisans and farmers. Judging by Bridget’s endeavours to date, this might just become a reality. In 2021, she launched her catering service called Bei.Cuisine.

As expected, Bridget’s passion for all things food started when she was just a little girl – at the age of seven, driven by her desire to help her mom, who worked multiple jobs. Thereafter, she drew inspiration from television shows, cookbooks and online platforms. “I was especially inspired by local chef Siba Mtongana’s innovative cooking techniques and dedication to her craft,” Bridget explains.

Bridget puts a high premium on adaptability, creativity, palate development, organisation and time management in the kitchen, and she continuously tries to improve her ability to create visually stunning dishes.

Outside the kitchen, Bridget is an adrenaline junkie who enjoys quad biking. She also plays the piano and often spends time on the golf course.

From lockdown hobbyist to Instagram food sensation

Calm and composed 34-year-old Chanel Brink’s love language is food – whether she spoils her colleagues with unique treats, conjures up delectable meals for her husband and family or shares classic recipes with a distinct South African twist on social media. 

During Lockdown, Chanel, born in Durban and now residing in Greenstone Hills, Johannesburg, became an online foodie content creator. Little did she know how her easy-to-make comfort food and simple techniques would hit a sweet spot on Instagram. Cookingwithchanel_sa now has over 180,000 followers!

Chanel’s food flair and culinary prowess are part of her DNA. This magic-making, self-taught cook comes from a generation of food fanatics. Her father is a qualified chef, and her mother worked at a deli. As a preschooler, she found her mom’s weekly baking more entertaining than watching cartoons. Soon, little Chanel would mix the ingredients and break the eggs. “Even just adding in the sugar gave me such joy,” Chanel recalls, “not to forget the thrill of seeing my first bran muffins coming out of the oven at the age of nine.” 

Her ability to perform under pressure, instilled by her day job, working as an Internal Sales consultant at a construction company, and her ability to multitask might stand Chanel in good stead in the MasterChef South Africa Season 5 kitchen.

From fast food to gourmet South African delights

Ketsia Malela (31) from Kyalami in Johannesburg is an online content creator who turns what is usually perceived as American fast food into gourmet meals with a distinctly South African twist.

Her one-of-a-kind double-smash cheeseburger and wizardry with French fries have earned her the nickname “chef” among friends and family. If Ketsia adds the word “master” to that, she will open a unique guilty-pleasure comfort food eatery. Think super-flavourful Nashville-style fried chicken burgers and tenders and various indulgent sauces.

All of that will be enhanced by Ketsia’s superpower in the kitchen – seasoning. “I’ve learnt from my travels how powerful seasoning can be. While certain flavours give you a sense of the Caribbean, others teleport you to Mexico,” Ketsia says.

Ketsia, a first-generation South African with Congolese parents, spread her culinary wings during her early twenties when she lived just outside Washington, D.C., for two years. “My knowledge of food grew while there because I was exposed to so many varieties of produce and cuisines,” Ketsia explains. While savouring traditional Jamaican food with her host family in the States, she also encountered Mexican food, which she loves, and those originating in other parts of the world. As such, Ketsia developed a diverse palate, which made her more adventurous in the kitchen.

Still, Ketsia’s food making skills are not limited to how her creations taste. Being a content creator, the visual aspect is equally important.

Celebrating Xhosa heritage through culinary creations

Big-hearted brand developer Lona Rode (35) comes from Tsolo in the Eastern Cape and brings a deep love for cooking rooted in his Xhosa heritage. For Lorna, cooking is much more than just preparing food; it’s a spiritual journey that connects him with his ancestors and the rich traditions of his culture.

Growing up, Lona’s playground was the kitchen, where his family encouraged him to explore and build his own food creations. Watching his grandma make his favourite meals, he often imitated her and still treasures lighting a fire and cooking with three-legged cast iron pots. 

Although Lona’s heart still lies in traditional Xhosa dishes, he is no stranger to whipping up various gourmet dishes comprising southern comfort, Italian and Mediterranean influences.

Besides having his family asking for seconds, Lona is often invited through word of mouth to cook as a “private chef” at other people’s homes. “The joy shared during these gatherings is priceless,” Lona says. “People think I’m joking when I tell them I’ve never had culinary training.”

Beyond the kitchen, Lona enjoys photography, interior design, and organising events. His dream is to open his own gourmet restaurant, where he can share the healing power of food and the rich culinary traditions of the Eastern Cape with a broader audience.

Stellenbosch entrepreneur balances baking, culinary Creativity, and family life

39-year-old Stellenbosch entrepreneur Melanie van der Merwe is an avid baker whose delicious cakes fly off the shelves at coffee shops or are enjoyed at all kinds of celebratory events. But she also loves conjuring up Asian, Middle Eastern and imaginative fusion food for friends and family.

When she’s not cooking or baking, Melanie runs an Airbnb, assists her land artist husband with his creative projects and raises her two beautiful daughters. 

Melanie’s passion for food started at a young age. She helped her mom, who used her exceptional baking skills as an additional income stream. “My mom made pure magic in the kitchen with her fancy cakes and delicious meals,” Melanie says about her culinary role model. Later, in high school, when her mom was bedridden after back surgery, Melanie completely took over the kitchen, feeding everyone who came to their table, just as her mom did.

These days, Melanie’s love for travel inspires her to take international recipes and then elevate them with a distinctly South African flavour. If she wins MasterChef South Africa, she would like to take her adventurous side and own food wizardry to the next level, creating her own food travel television show.

Fusion food enthusiast blends Afrikaans and Arabic culinary traditions

Nabila Beulah Shamshum (23), a school secretary and part-time educator from Johannesburg, is a colourful home cook with a flair for creating fusion food. 

She grew up in a mixed Afrikaans and Arabic household, where food greatly affected relationships. “Whether it was processing fresh ingredients or preparing and serving meals, food has always been the catalyst to expressing appreciation for one another,” Nabila explains.

Her Afrikaans mother, who Nabila sees as the most significant influence in appreciating the art of cooking, would take her to spice shops, Asian markets, and Middle Eastern stores, teaching her how to blend diverse ingredients into delicious meals. Her father’s Arabic heritage further shaped her culinary passion and well-developed palate.

Add to this Nabila’s artistic talents, which include traditional and digital painting, and it makes sense that she dreams of owning a cosy, unique bistro – one where she can

where she can serve fusion dishes and host art workshops, complete with a weekly rotation of freshly baked goods.

Among Nabila’s pastimes are woodworking and sewing, as well as hosting a podcast called The Table of Perspective. That’s when this soft-spoken “Jill-of-all-trades” is not playing soccer or volleyball, hiking or attending church.

From industrial psychology graduate to passionate family chef

Naledi Matshitse (43) from Muldersdrift is a stay-at-home mom who juggles various jobs: homemaker, family chef, family medic, family driver, sports coach and cheerleader. Despite her BAdmin Honours degree in Industrial psychology, Naledi prefers not to miss a moment of her kids growing up. As a bonus, they can have fun together in her favourite room in the house – the kitchen!   

Naledi has an insatiable passion for cooking. It all started when she became her mother’s sous chef when she was ten years old. As the firstborn, she would prep dinner before her mom arrived from work, and during Easter and Christmas, they would tackle elaborate dishes from a pile of cut-out recipes. 

These days, amateur chef Naledi recreates gourmet food that impresses her at restaurants or on television cooking shows. 

However, Naledi remains proud of her African heritage, and her MasterChef wardrobe will showcase that. She packed quite a few garments in her supersized suitcase because she’s adamant about reaching the final episode.  

Naledi tenaciously wants to taste victory again on a reality show, as she did on Season 8 of Ultimate Braaimaster. “It was one of the most adventurous, fun things I have ever done,” she says about the show. “But Master Chef South Africa is my gourmet dream come true. I am so excited to tap into my fine dining persona finally.”

Charismatic home chef inspired by culinary icons

Tinashe “Nash” Zambila (39) from Jozi’s affluent northern suburbs is bound to win viewers’ hearts with his inimitable dry sense of humour and charismatic personality. The devoted dad of an 8-year-old boy fell in love with food by watching celebrity chefs like Rick Stein and Ainsley Harriott strutting their culinary stuff on television. However, his all-time small-screen hero is the late Anthony Bourdain, whose travelogues introduced Nash to the cultures and cuisines of people across the globe.

Nash recalls a light-bulb moment when it dawned on him that he might never be able to visit the exotic destinations in Anthony’s shows, but that experimenting in the kitchen could still be the passport granting him access to foreign palates. “So, I would start playing around with ingredients, making a royal mess,” Nash quips.”

Through his private home-cooking adventures, Nash can now whip up bespoke sauces – his self-proclaimed speciality. His other food fortes are Asian dishes and stylish, refined steakhouse food.

As expected from someone from the advertising world, Nash is a big thinker who continues brainstorming ideas about possible new ventures after winning MasterChef South Africa. On his vision board are a chicken wing bar, a cooking channel, bespoke pop-ups showcasing up-and-coming chefs, a chilli farm where he bottles his own chilli sauce and sustainable feeding scheme initiatives.

Veteran chef brings decades of culinary mastery to the kitchen

Namibian-born Penelope “Penny” Rider (65) from Houghton, Johannesburg, brings decades of culinary experience to the MasterChef kitchen. Describing herself as an eclectic cook, Penny enjoys the art of cooking over an open fire and has a vast knowledge of recipes from cookbooks around the world.

Penny’s love for cooking began in her teenage years and really took off in her 20s, giving her over 45 years of experience. Her fondest memories are watching her father measure out spices for his fabulous curries and create unique dishes for dinner parties. Her mother handled the everyday meals and whipped up spectacular desserts, sparking Penny’s passion for cooking and baking.

Though self-taught, Penny’s talents have taken her far. Penny made it to the Top 4 in Ultimate Braai Master twice and was the fourth contestant to be eliminated in 2016’s edition of The Great South African Bake Off. Now, Penny is excited to pit her diverse skills against other home cooks in the local version of the world’s biggest cooking competition.

And if she wins the competition? “My house was built in 1910 and has a beautiful ‘old bones’ look about it, so I think a section of it would make a stunning (but small) pop-up restaurant,” Penny says.

When she’s not cooking, Penny enjoys silversmith work and jewellery design.

Small-town chef brings grandmother’s legacy to MasterChef SA

Refe Dimbaza is a smart, bubbly, thirty-something “small-town girl” from Thaba ’Nchu with an Honours Degree in Accounting from the University of the Free State who’s living in Centurion these days. Her two graduation ceremonies count among the most significant moments in her life – all because of a person very close to her heart witnessing these milestone events. The proud supporter in the auditorium was her beloved late grandmother. 

This gogo also infused Refe with a passion for food. Early on Sunday mornings, Refe would be at her side grafting to ensure fresh baked goods were on the table to enjoy with their tea when they returned from church. Refe decided to enter MasterChef South Africa to honour her granny’s legacy and take her own food-making skills to the next level. What makes becoming a MasterChef contestant even more special for Refe is remembering how they used to enjoy watching the show together. 

Although Refe doesn’t want to reveal all the kitchen secrets, she hopes they will land her the title of MasterChef and the six-figure sum of money that comes with it. However, she’s willing to whet our appetite with these words: “My cooking style is ‘traditional with an unexpected modern twist’, and load-shedding has taught me a few surprising fast tricks.”   

Sweet and quirky chef brings culinary passion to the table

22-year-old Shreya Beekum from Ballito is ready to sprinkle her sweet and quirky charm on MasterChef South Africa. 

Shreya, a recent graduate with a B.Consumer Sciences Hospitality degree from the University of Pretoria, was nudged by a former classmate to enter MasterChef South Africa. Shreya agreed it was an ideal opportunity to pursue her dreams of impacting the world through food.

Her food journey started at a young age, joining her grandmother in the kitchen. Shreya learned how to bake cakes, roll rotis, and fold samosas. Watching simple ingredients transform into delicious dishes sparked her love for cooking and exploring a range of cooking styles, from Italian to Indian and Asian, but always adding her personal touch.

Living with ADHD and anxiety, Shreya has learned to channel her energy into her culinary creations. “I love how food makes me feel — happy, comforted and able to take on the world. I enjoy making any kind of food if it means I’m making someone feel that way too,” Shreya says.

If she manages to touch the hearts of the MasterChef judges with her food creations, Shreya will pursue her dreams of becoming a chef, opening her restaurant, and tackling food safety, insecurity, and hunger in the country.

From Hillbrow to Hillbrewed Café – An inspirational journey of resilience and success

If 29-year-old Tebogo looks familiar, you probably recognise this handsome professional model with the speckle-sprinkled face from various advertising campaigns for superbrands. However, life hasn’t always been on the glitzy side for this inspirational go-getter. Tebogo, or Tebz as he is often called, was raised in Hillbrow by a single-parent mother, and when times were tough, living in shelters was their last resort.

Instead of allowing his difficult upbringing to define his future or getting sucked into the wrong crowd, Tebz determinedly decided to rise above his circumstances. As an intern at an inner-city NGO, the joy of a cup of coffee inspired him to become a barista. One of his many achievements was opening a bustling coffee shop called Hillbrewed Café at the age of 23.

The disciplined MasterChef South AfricaSeason 5 contestant is also a martial arts champion. He was the middleweight South African Kickboxing Association titleholder in 2016 and 2017.

“I can chop pretty fast and accurately,” Tebz describes his superpower in the kitchen, “and can taste a dish before starting it.” Now, he is, of course, “tasting” the R1m prize money the winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 5 winner will scoop up. If he goes to the top, he plans to use the winnings towards owning a restaurant. 

From Afrikaans roots to Asian fusion – Cape Town’s dumpling innovator

Tzu Ting Long, or ‘Tina’, as everyone calls her, is a 41-year-old culinary powerhouse from Cape Town. As the founder of Home Bao, a factory producing frozen, raw dumplings, Tina combines her South African and Taiwanese heritage to create healthy, nutritious food. Furthermore, her background as a dietitian with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition helps her ensure every dish is as wholesome as it is delicious.

Although Tina is of Asian descent, her first food memories are deeply rooted in local Afrikaans cuisine. Her cooking journey began at age eight whilst watching her South African mother work magic in the kitchen, always starting with the fragrant aroma of frying onions. These early experiences inspired her to blend different culinary traditions, which later led to the creation of Home Bao.

“Cooking is my way of connecting with my heritage and sharing a piece of my heart,” Tina says. Hence, her food dream is to open a dumpling and dim sum school in Cape Town for kids who can’t afford culinary school, sharing her love for cooking and food knowledge with the next generation.

When this mom of two is not whipping up delicious dumplings, she enjoys running and binge-watching cooking shows.

From retail to rustic flavors with The Virgin Cook by Zak

“Durban-born Zakariyya Ebrahim, known as Zak, transitioned from working in retail to starting his small business, which he built on his passion for food.” “The Virgin Cook by Zak”, established in April, is a catering company that conjures up menus rooted in rustic flavours for any occasion.

“Since I’m not a professional chef, self-employment in the food industry was a big risk,” the 46-year-old resident of Northriding, Johannesburg, says. “But I believe the discipline and drive to succeed required to run a business will give me the edge in the pressure-cooker MasterChef environment.”

While Zak’s signature dish is salmon and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes are part of his repertoire, he particularly enjoys the theatrical and entertaining nature of over-the-fire cooking.

At the same time, Zak can’t stand a messy cooking environment. If tools and utensils are not in the right place or ingredients are not lined up properly, his OCD activates. Zak describes this as his “weakness in the kitchen.” Perhaps he is mistaken. When the clock ticks during MasterChef challenges, being organised can work to your advantage and impress the highly critical judges.

Premiere: Saturday, 20 July at 19:30 on S3 (formerly SABC 3)
Rebroadcasts: Sunday, 21 July at 18:30 on SABC2 and Wednesday, 24 July at 18:00

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