Great news for foodies, “MasterChef South Africa” makes a welcome comeback for season 5 on S3.
The popular cooking reality show previously ran on M-Net for four seasons, including a celebrity edition, from 2012 to 2022.
The winners were as follows: Deena Naidoo (season 1), Kamini Pather (season 2), Roxi Wardman (season 3), Chris Forest (the celebrity edition) and Shawn Godfrey, better known as The Roasted Dad on social media(season 2).
While some of the winners faded from the spotlight, season 3 runner-up, Siphokazi Mdlankomo, had Mzansi rooting for her throughout the show.
The domestic worker was a fan favourite as he proved her prowess in the kitchen.
She went on to establish herself in the culinary space by releasing her cookbooks, “My Little Black Recipe Book” (2016) and “Hearty Home Food with Sipho” (2021), and bagged her own cooking show, “Let's Eat With Siphokazi”.
Primedia Studios secured the rights for the new season of the show, which is represented by international production and distribution company, Banijay.
Fans of the franchise can rest assured of the production value as the new season will be helmed by Homebrew Films, who created the previous season, with Pick n Pay returning as the headline sponsor, too.
For free-to-air viewers unfamiliar with the format, “MasterChef” centres on a group of amateur chefs who throw their hat in the ring for the culinary title.
Throughout the show, the hopefuls are put through their paces with various challenges. They are then judged by a panel of three celebrity judges, who rate them on presentation, taste and skillset.
The winner walks away with a life-changing cast prize of R1 million.
Primedia Studios’ President, Jan du Plessis, said: “‘MasterChef’ has been a winning television recipe across the globe and a local media sensation.
“The new South African season will have all the ingredients this blue-chip show has become famous for, but the menu will also be spiced up to cater for a broader audience alongside existing fans.”
Meanwhile, Lala Tuku, Head of Local Content at SABC, said: “We’re thrilled to add ‘MasterChef South Africa’ to S3’s 2024 schedule. ‘Deal or No Deal South Africa’ and ‘The Masked Singer South Africa’ proved that SABC audiences have a huge appetite for high-quality, exhilarating local versions of top-notch international formats.
“Besides providing on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment, ‘MasterChef South Africa’ will shine the spotlight on the country’s rich, diverse culture and cuisine whilst transforming the lives of contestants with culinary dreams.”
While the judges will be announced in due course, the entry requirements for aspiring contestants will be made available by the end of January.
∎ “MasterChef South Africa” season 5 will debut on S3 in June.