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 his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join me, he 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 their 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 (7), Olivia (4) and Harvey (2).

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

How-to Recipes

Salad Recipes

Steak Recipes

Chicken Recipes

Pork Recipes

Lamb Recipes

Duck Recipes

Turkey Recipes

Seafood Recipes

Vegetarian Recipes

South African Recipes

Italian Recipes

French Recipes

Asian Recipes

Mexican Recipes

Sweet Recipes

Savoury Recipes

Easter Recipes

Breakfast Recipes

Side Dishes

Dinner Recipes

Lunch Recipes

Christmas Recipes

Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Pizza
italian, pizza, pork Shawn Godfrey italian, pizza, pork Shawn Godfrey

Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Pizza

If you love pizza, you’ should really make it from scratch. For this recipe, I used regular bread dough bought in-store, but you can also make your own to feel like a real Italian! As toppings I added pancetta, grilled peach and fresh mozzarella. A delicious combination!

Read More
Pork Banger & Kale Stew
main Shawn Godfrey main Shawn Godfrey

Pork Banger & Kale Stew

I love a good stew in winter. There is something comforting about a steaming bowl of stew on a chilly evening. This Pork Banger and Kale Stew combines the savoury flavours of sausages with the earthiness of kale, in a rich, flavourful broth.
It’s a simple, rustic dish and as it is quick to prepare it is perfect for a weeknight meal!

Read More
Pork Sausage Shakshuka
breakfast, brunch Shawn Godfrey breakfast, brunch Shawn Godfrey

Pork Sausage Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a popular dish throughout North Africa and the Middle East. It is one of my favourite brunch dishes.
You can easily make a larger portion with a larger pot and increasing the ingredients, which is why this is my go-to breakfast or brunch dish when we travel with a group.

Read More
Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Calzone
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Calzone

If you love pizza, you’ll love a Calzone! It is made with regular bread dough and folded in half once the toppings are added. For this recipe I used pancetta, grilled peach and fresh mozzarella.

Read More
Ostrich Fillet Kebabs with Nectarine and Rosemary
main Shawn Godfrey main Shawn Godfrey

Ostrich Fillet Kebabs with Nectarine and Rosemary

Many people are not confident enough to cook ostrich. And for good reason; when not cooked well, ostrich can be tough and dry. With the tips in this recipe though, you will be able to cook delicious, tender ostrich fillet kebabs on the braai.

Read More
Smoked Snoek on the Braai with Plum Jam and Grilled Peaches
main Shawn Godfrey main Shawn Godfrey

Smoked Snoek on the Braai with Plum Jam and Grilled Peaches

Because snoek is quite an oily and salty fish, it is often paired with apricot jam as the salty/sweet combination goes well together. To change it up a bit, I made a plum jam and served my snoek with grilled peaches and it was delicious. Try it for yourself, and let me know what you think.

Read More
Traditional South African Pancakes
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Traditional South African Pancakes

Delicious with cinnamon and sugar, some friend banana, strawberry jam, golden syrop or another topping, this pancake recipe is always a win.

Read More
Top Tips to Make a Crispy Pork Belly
dinner Shawn Godfrey dinner Shawn Godfrey

Top Tips to Make a Crispy Pork Belly

Pork belly dishes have always been my favourite to cook. I have smoked pork belly, oven baked, braised, pressure potted and put it in the Weber. But ultimately I have found the best pork belly is done in an oven where consistency and accurate temperature control can be kept. After tons of trials I formulated my favourite recipe for pork belly.

Read More
Boerewors & Seafood Paella Recipe
dinner, seafood Shawn Godfrey dinner, seafood Shawn Godfrey

Boerewors & Seafood Paella Recipe

This Boerewors & Seafood Paella Recipe is a crowd-pleaser. If you have friends coming around for a braai, why not make this instead? Everyone can contribute a few ingredients, and it’s easy enough to prepare while catching up. Instead of chorizo, I added boerewors to this paella, and with some Cape Malay spices, it became a true South African-inspired dish!

Read More
Hedgehog or hasselback potatoes in the Airfryer
side Shawn Godfrey side Shawn Godfrey

Hedgehog or hasselback potatoes in the Airfryer

I have childhood memories of using a fork to make krimpvarkie aartappels (Afrikaans for hedgehog potatoes), which in mainstream English are called hasselback potatoes, named after a Swedish restaurant by the same name that made this way of preparing potatoes famous. Making these potatoes in the air fryer saves time, and crisps them up without needing to use too much olive oil.

Read More
Make Bacon Jam from Scratch - a step-by-step Recipe
snack Shawn Godfrey snack Shawn Godfrey

Make Bacon Jam from Scratch - a step-by-step Recipe

I always have a jar of bacon jam in the fridge. It’s a great addition to a toasted sandwich or braai broodjie, or you can serve it with a blue cheese on a harvest board. I recently spread some bacon jam on ready-made Pick n Pay mini sliders for a Valentine’s Day-inspired picnic. Whatever you do, you can’t go wrong when it comes to bacon jam.

Read More
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.

Read More
No Bake Easy Marie Biscuit Chocolate Squares
snack Shawn Godfrey snack Shawn Godfrey

No Bake Easy Marie Biscuit Chocolate Squares

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.

Read More
The Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2024
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

The Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2024

I have spent a lot more time on writing up and publishing my recipes on this website this year, and you seem to enjoy it! Traffic to the website has increased significantly month-on-month, and these were the most popular recipes this year.

Read More