The Roasted Dad’s Recipes

I am an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw my business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep me sane. To keep track of my recipes, and encourage friends and families to join me, I started my instagram account The Roasted Dad.

Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim I (encouraged by my wife) enter 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 I get selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, I decide to go all in. Leaving my 7-month-pregnant wife to look after our then three and one-year-old children, I battled it out and came back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in my pocket.

It all started with an Instagram account, and then entering -and winning- MasterChef. But The Roasted Dad is so much more now. I now host Private Dinner Parties, Restaurant Take-Overs and Pop-Ups and Cook-with-Me Demos, and am a Key Note Speaker at events. I share recipes on my website and regularly post accommodation and restaurant reviews too. This is a glimpse into the wild and wonderful life I lead with my wife Lianne, and our three children Aiden (8), Olivia (6) and Harvey (4).

After winning MasterChef South Africa, I started sharing recipes on this blog. They are easy to produce at home, using basic cooking techniques with ingredients found at your local grocery store.

Recipe Index

Poultry Recipes

Red Meat Recipes

Seafood Recipes

Vegetarian Recipes

Salad Recipes

Dessert Recipes

Outdoor cooking

Hot Cross Bun S’mores
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Hot Cross Bun S’mores

For South Africans, hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter. But once the packet has been left open, they quickly get stale. But why not make a Hot Cross Bun S’mores? It is truly delicious. If you are looking for a yummy dessert to end your Easter celebrations, this is it.

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Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

For South Africans, hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter. But once the packet has been left open, they quickly get stale. But why not make a Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding? It is truly delicious. If you are looking for a yummy dessert to end your Easter celebrations, this is it.

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Juicy Delicious Recipes with Stone Fruit
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Juicy Delicious Recipes with Stone Fruit

Stone fruit is grown in South Africa and we have some of the best peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries in the world. If you think about it, stone fruit is generally well-integrated into South African cuisine, from our aunties making jams to chutneys served with bobotie, curries and other Cape Malay dishes. 

Juicy Delicious asked me to create several recipes integrating stone fruit  into the cooking that South Africans really love: the braai.

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Easy but Delicious Chocolate Torte
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Easy but Delicious Chocolate Torte

This Rich Chocolate Torte is easy to make. I made it with a mix of flour and ground almonds, but you could easily make it gluten-free and use only ground almonds. I have also provided a dairy-free option.

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No-egg recipe for Marie Biscuit Chocolate Fudge
snack Shawn Godfrey snack Shawn Godfrey

No-egg recipe for Marie Biscuit Chocolate Fudge

The recipe lasts for about a week in an air-tight container in the fridge, but in my household they usually don’t last that long! The kids love them as a lunch box treat and as the recipe is quick and easy to make, it is a great one to get your children involved in the preparation too.

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