It is that time of year again! Recently, this year’s Food&Home Awards judges were announced, and it is about time I introduce them to you. These judges have both the privilege and the responsibility to taste South Africa’s leading brands’ food and drink products and determine which are the best of the best. The annual Food&Home Awards will be announced in the Summer issue.

What are the Food & Home awards?

Various brands enter their products and the judges test and give their verdict of the cream of the crop among the various categories. Products are scored based on taste and appearance.

What products are part of the Food & Home awards?

The products are delivered to the judges' homes and they are asked to try each product over about two months. The number of products that are entered definitely requires a bit of time! Winners and runners-up will be featured in the Summer print issue.

Who are the Food & Home Judges in 2024?

Six judges have been asked to try the different products that entered into the Food & Home awards. The judges that are part of the awards this year, are Dominique Fuchs (@Kosvraat), Jezza-Rae Larsen  (@foodwithjezza), Thilivhali Mash Mugwena (@meals_with_mash_), Lufuno Sinthumule (@cookingwithfuni), Bianca Muller (@biancamuller97) and Shawn Godfrey (@theroasteddad). Let me introduce them to you so you can get to know them a bit better:

Dominique Fuchs

Dominique Fuchs works as copywriter and translator, but also shares her recipes and reviews on @kosvraat, which she started whilst at university when she was studying journalism. Other than running her Instagram account -which has 12.8k followers- and was recently nominated as a finalist in the ‘Kos met VIA’ Smaakmaker-toekennings on Netwerk24, alongside Herman Lensing (well-known from MasterChef - he even featured in MasterChef season 5 episode 8).

The background to her Instagram handle? “I have always been obsessed with food, and when I was young, my family always called me a ‘vraat’, because I adored food and never wanted to share it”.

On being asked to be a judge: “It’s such a big honour, and it’s a delight to try the products and enjoy the variety of tastes. It really is a foodie’s dream come true!”. 

Thilivhali Mash Mugwena

After working in Finance, Thilivhali Mash Mugwena decided to follow her calling and studied at Capsicum Culinary Studio to become a certified chef. She currently works as content producer at Food & Home SA. Her instagram account (@meals_with_mash_) has 280k followers, and she recently posted about PicknPay’s premium MasterChef knife collection, where you can shop, collect stickers and then collect your free MasterChef knife! 

Jezza-Rae Larsen 

Jezza-Rae Larsen (@foodwithjezza) is a recipe developer and food stylist. “I get to combine my love for cooking with creativity. I love the opportunity to tell a story through food.” 

On being asked to be a judge: “It’s so exciting to get the chance to appreciate all the hard work and creativity that each brand has put into their products and businesses.” 

Lufuno Sinthumule

Lufuno Sinthumule is known for his South-African inspired cuisine, which he promotes on his YouTube channel Cooking with Funi. He recently featured as a contestant on the South African cooking show Ready Steady Cook, and he certainly is no stranger to cooking - he’s a certified chef and has lectured on food and hospitality at colleges and universities. 

On Instagram, Lufuno shares recipes under his Instagram handle @cookingwithfuni (159k followers). “As a devoted food enthusiast I delight in exploring the world of cuisine and sharing my discoveries with others. 

On being asked to be a judge: “This experience not only fulfils me, but also allows me to contribute to the growth and development of South Africa’s culinary industry”. 

Bianca Muller

Bianca Muller (@biancamuller97) studied at Stellenbosch University, completing a BA in Humanistic Studies and Honours in Translation and Editing. She is the Brand Editor at Food&Home.

On being asked to be a judge: “The Food&Home Awards are always a highlight for me. It’s a privilege to discover the inducible local brands our country has to offer”. 

Shawn Godfrey

And then there was me! I am an entrepreneur and CEO of LED Lighting SA. When the pandemic meant my businesses were in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep me sane. To keep track of my recipes,I started my instagram account The Roasted Dad. My claim-to-fame however, is when I entered MasterChef South Africa on a whim. It was 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 I got selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, I decided to go all in and low-and-behold, the competition ended five gruelling weeks later with me winning the trophy.

What happened after that, you can read in the blog post that I wrote a year after winning MasterChef, but the truth is - it’s still happening - see the events page or the blog posts and join me on the wild rollercoaster ride that has now led me to being a judge with above-mentioned South Africa foodies in the Food&Home Annual Awards.

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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