Episode 10 of MasterChef South Africa aired last week and of course I have to share my views. Having been part of the fourth season of MasterChef, I can’t help but compare while watching the show. 

Fun fact - my lighting company LLSA supplied all the lights in the pantry and around the studio, and we are mentioned as a sponsor in the credits. 

Spoiler Alert

If you are behind, I recommend you stop reading now!
Click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants, or read the summaries from the previous MasterChef episodes if you’re trying to catch up.

Want to Watch MasterChef South Africa?

MasterChef South Africa Season premiered on Saturday July 13 at 7:30 pm on S3, and new episodes are aired every Saturday.
If you miss it an episode, it will be rebroadcast every Sunday on S2 at 6:30 pm and on Wednesdays on S3 at 6:00 pm.

Looking back - What happened on the previous MasterChef episodes?

Click here to jump straight to episode 9 and skip the summaries of the previous episodes.

In the first episode, contestants had to make a chicken dish with a sauce or a broth, but for it to be at MasterChef-worthy standard. They were given 90 minutes and their dish needed to include a mirepoix (a mixture of diced vegetables cooked on a low heat in oil or butter) and it needed to include a Bouquet Garni, which is a bundle of herbs. In traditional French cuisine this includes parsley, bay leaves and thyme but other herbs can be added too. 

What was most shocking about this first episode, is that the contestants went down from 20 to 15 in one go. The contestants who were eliminated in the first episode were Lucas, Lesego, Robyn, Andrew and Ella. 

In the second episode, contestants had to use the single humble ingredient of an apple, and think of the apple of their eye in their life when cooking. The contestants were allowed to make something sweet or savoury.  No contestants were eliminated and Naledi won the mystery box challenge.

In the third episode, Naledi was up in the gantry as a reward for winning the mystery box challenge in the previous episode. The remaining contestants were challenged by guest judge Chef Nokx Majozi in a pressure test to recreate her signature Pepper Steak Pie. Tina, Bridget and Amo had made the best pepper steak pies, and Tina won the elimination challenge. Nash, Lona and Melanie found themselves in the bottom three and Melanie was eliminated. 

In the fourth episode, the contestants were asked to pay tribute to and draw inspiration from the judges’ star signs when creating their dishes in this challenge. They couldn’t choose which judge’s star sign they were going to base their dish on, but it was an elimination based on chance as they had to choose a card in order to determine which protein they would be cooking. Chanel, Shreya and Zak found themselves in the bottom three. Zakariyya Ibrahim (Zak) went home as his curry failed to deliver. According to Judge Katlego, the lack of seasoning was his downfall and both the rice and carrots were overcooked, and the dish was not balanced.

In the fifth episode, guest judge Jackie Burger challenged the contestants to use fashion models and their incredible outfits to make their own creative interpretation of the outfits. Nabela, Ketsia and Tebogo were in the top 3 and Amogelang Maluleke (Amo), Tzu Ting Long (Tina) and Penny in the bottom, with Tina from Home Bao going home in the end.

In the sixth episode, MasterChef contestants competed in their first team challenge. The episode took place at Durbanville Hills wine estate. Contestants were welcomed to the award-winning Tangram restaurant by cellar master Pieter-Niel Rossouw and Head Chef Tamzyn Ehlers. Tebogo was Team Captain for the Blue Team (made up of Naledi, Chanel, Amo, Shreya and Nabila) and Nash headed up the Red Team which also included Penny, Ketsia, Nash, Bridget, Lona and Refe. Contestants needed to create a ‘Buffet of New Beginnings’ which was basically an interactive buffet table re-inventing old-style buffet combinations and pairing creations with wine from the Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve range. Ultimately, the blue team took home the victory.

The seventh episode saw Penny, Ketsia, Nash, Bridget, Lona, Refe and Nash battling it out against each other in a elimination challenge. They were given an hour to showcase their creativity by whipping up a gourmet meal from the judges’ typical month-end leftovers and were only allowed to use 20 classic frugal South African staples. Ultimately Ketsia’s flatbread and tuna salad dish did not meet the mark and she was eliminated from the competition.

In the eight episode contestants were asked to embrace the air fryer revolution and use it as their main cooking method to reinvent a classic potato dish to a modern bistro-worthy delight. Nash, Chanel and Lona cooked the top 3 dishes and Bridget, Tebogo and Naledi found themselves in the bottom three. Chanel won the challenge with her potato dauphinoise with chorizo caramelised crisp and a little bit of lemon and she was given the opportunity to win an Immunity Pin. She did need to beat Herman Lensing at his game - Herman has published several cookbooks and three with air fryer recipes specifically so he is South Africa’s leading expert on cooking with air fryers. This is when mysterious guest rode in on a Pick ‘n Pay asap! scooter… me!

I took two paper bags out my Pick ‘n Pay asap! scooter, one with a “Land” and one with a “Sky” sticker on them. With that, the judges left to the back and I was left to be the referee for the challenge. Chanel chose “Sky” and needed to cook with duck, whilst Herman Lensing was given lamb.

With the ninth episode we reached the halfway mark of the competition. The top 10 walked in in white aprons and were challenged with making a plant-based dish using the humble cabbage as the hero ingredient. Amo, Nabila and Shreya found themselves in the bottom three, but were safe from elimination due to it being a non-elimination challenge. Refe, Chanel and Lona were in the Top 3 and Lona won 50,000 rand to the best dish.

MasterChef South Africa Episode 10

In episode 10 the top 10 contestants walked into the MasterChef studio wearing black aprons after a non-elimination challenge last week. The studio is covered with “pasta curtains,” tomatoes, tomato purées, basil plants and other pasta-making ingredients.

But before the challenge is explained, Zola makes the shocking announcement that one of the contestants has decided to not to continue the MasterChef kitchen: Shreya’s anxiety got the better of her, and after receiving “some unfortunate news” from her family, she decided to leave the competition, calling it “an act of self-love and an act of self-care.” After exchanging hugs with her fellow contestants, Shreya walks out the kitchen and the competition continues:

This episode is all about a fusion of two of my favourite cuisines as contestants will be asked to combine the culinary traditions of Italy and South Africa. The MasterChef contestants welcomed none other than celebrity chef Alessandro Khojane, also known as “The Sotho Italian” and owner of Gemelli in Bryanston.

The Guest Judge - Chef Alessandro Khojane

Chef Alessandro Khojane is also known as “The Sotho Italian.” He is the owner of Gemelli (the Italian word for twin) in Bryanston. He was born in Bloemfontein but spent his childhood in Italy. His style of cooking is family-friendly. Alex explains that his story started as a waiter at the age of nineteen. After a few years he decided to open his own restaurant.

Challenge

One of Alessandro Khojane’s menu items at Gemelli is an oxtail ragu, and this is what the contestants are shown as an example (Alex even demonstrates how to eat pasta - rolled up on a spoon). Justine explains that in South Africa, we have a great affinity with Italian food and the recipes, traditions and techniques are passed down. The contestants are tasked to combine the culinary traditions of Italy and South Africa, like a ‘cross-pollinated dish’. The pantry is stocked with heritage ingredients from both countries (from Italian pasta and tomatoes to South African biltong). Whilst Justine explains that contestants don’t have to make pasta, if they do - it must be made from scratch. Nabila admits that she’s only cooked pasta from scratch once before “and it took the entire day,” and Chanel has never made fresh pasta before. Alex explains that he expects a wholesome, filling meal and expects their heart in the dish. Bridget is in better positioned ahead of this challenge, having made pasta many times before.

Zola explains that the person who makes the best dish will sit out the next challenge and watch from the gantry, whereas the contestant that has made the worst dish, will be eliminated. Contestants are given two hours to complete the challenge.

The MasterChef Contestants’ Dishes

Several contestants are inspired by Chef Alex’ oxtail dish, taking a risk as his is cooked for twenty-four hours and they only have two hours for the challenge. Many dishes also include ravioli, interestingly.

The Top Three and the Winner of the Challenge

Zola asked Naledi, Penny and Lona to step forward and announced that they were in the top three. Naledi’s Chicken Roulade stuffed with sun dried tomato and ricotta cheese, carrot top & pumpkin seed pesto & mielie meal was a firm favourite with the judges, as it was “well thought out, beautifully flavoured and well executed.” Penny’s “Mama’s Meatballs” was a hit as well, as the meatballs were “soft, lush and delicious,” whilst the smoked pumpkin & potato gnocchi was light and airy, and the vegetable tomato sauce brought it all together. Lona convinced Justine during the cook that he was going the wrong way, but his “lamb and pap lasagna” was inspiring.

Naledi won the challenge with her chicken roulade - “Hands down the most delicious thing we have tasted in ages” and wins a spot on the gantry during the next challenge.

The Bottom Three

Up next, the contestants who cooked the Bottom Three dishes were called forward by Katlego: Chanel, Nash, Refe

Chanel’s Ricotta Ravioli with morogo filling & ushatini, buchu brown butter & sambals was criticised as the relationship wbetween Italy and South Africa wasn’t that strong. Nash’ Oxtail with sweet potato bake, parmesan cheese, kale chip, tomato based gravy and salsa also did not meet the mark. The oxtail was underdone and under seasoned. Refe’s Meatballs and Pappardelle was conflicting. Although she had made some “mighty fine” meatballs, and the tomato based sauce with bone marrow, green peppers, basil oil & roasted garlic was good too, as the main component of the dish was the pappardelle, which was undercooked and too thick, her dish still landed her in the bottom three.

Refe is sent home for her undercooked pappardelle. The winner of the challenge, Naledi is visibly struggling with the judges’ decision and seeing her fellow contestant being eliminated. It is an emotional farewell and Refe leaves the kitchen.

MasterChef South Africa episode 11

Looking ahead, the preview of the eleventh episode of MasterChef South Africa gave us a hint of what the next episode will be about: the contestants will be making their own sasusages from scratch! This is bound to be a good episode as we can already see them struggle in the preview.

Who will win MasterChef South Africa season 5? Time will tell…

MasterChef Season 5 Episode Summaries

Click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants, or read the summary from the previous MasterChef episodes if you’re trying to catch up:

• Episode 1 - Twenty MasterChef contestants cook a chicken dish, but only 15 remain

• Episode 2 - The MasterChef contestants cook for the the Apple of their Eye in a mystery box challenge

• Episode 3 - Chef Nokx Majozi Signature Pepper Steak Pie

• Episode 4 - Paying tribute to the Judges’ Star Signs

• Episode 5 - Translating Fashion into Food with guest judge Jackie Burger

• Episode 6 - Buffet of New Beginnings at Durbanville Hills wine estate

• Episode 7 - Leftovers and South African staples

• Episode 8 - Potatoes, Air Fryers, an Immunity Pin and two Special Guests

• Episode 9 - Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage!

• Episode 10 - A fusion of South African and Italian (this page)

• Episode 11 - Heritage Trinity: Wors, Skilpadjies on the Hibachi and a Starch

Want to Watch MasterChef South Africa?

MasterChef South Africa Season premiered on Saturday July 13 at 7:30 pm on S3, and new episodes are aired every Saturday.
If you miss it an episode, it will be rebroadcast every Sunday on S2 at 6:30 pm and on Wednesdays on S3 at 6:00 pm.

Or click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants.

About Shawn Godfrey

Shawn Godfrey is an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw his business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep him sane. To keep track of his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join him, he starts his instagram account The Roasted Dad.

Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim Shawn (encouraged by his wife Lianne) enters MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when Shawn gets selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, he decides to go all in. Leaving his 7-month-pregnant wife to look after their then three and one-year-old children, he battles it out and comes back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in his pocket.

It all started with an Instagram account, but The Roasted Dad is so much more now. Shawn has stayed his entrepreneurial self and whilst he hosts Private Dinner Parties and Cook-with-Me Demos, does Restaurant Take-Overs, he still runs the lighting company and several other businesses.

On his blog, Shawn shares Restaurant Reviews and Accommodation Reviews, and gives an insight into the wild and wonderful life he leads together with his wife Lianne, and their three children Aiden (6), Olivia (4) and Harvey (2).

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