Johannesburg – Season 3 of the popular amateur chef show MasterChef SA is cooking on M-Net.
With the selection of the Top 12 the competition is heating up and the pressure is on to perform.
We had the opportunity to get to know each of them better and spent the day with them at The HTA School of Culinary Art in Johannesburg.
Refilwe Tselanyane
Food inspiration
Refilwe started cooking at a very young age. Her food inspiration stems from her childhood when her mom would always try to cook something different, in fact they would never have the same dish every week.
Signature dish
Her signature dish is a banana muffin. The recipe is a guarded family secret.
Claire Allen
Food inspiration
Food has always been a part of Claire’s life as she comes from a family of cooks. She loves feeding people and feels happy when she feeds others.
Signature dish
A dish called 40 cloves of garlic; 40 cloves of garlic, chicken and wine. Bake in the oven for an hour and a half until the chicken falls off the bone. Serve it with mash potatoes and sweet carrots. This is the dish her mom says you get a ring after.
Siphokazi Mdlankomo
Food inspiration
Sipho says she is surrounded by every single cookbook and foodie magazine. She draws her inspiration from recipes and cooking shows.
Signature dish
Her new signature dish is potato gnochii. She also makes a mean beef ragu, but it takes some time.
Roxi Wardman
Food inspiration
Her inspiration comes from her parents. While her mom did most of the cooking in general, her dad was more experimental and would try the most arb combinations.
Signature dish
Roxi doesn’t have a signature dish but she loves baking and making desserts and using odd ingredients. One of the ingredients she loves using is stout, which works especially well with chocolaty things.
Philippa Robinson
Food inspiration
Philipa gets her inspiration from cookbooks and TV cooking shows. But instead of following one single recipe, she takes something from each recipe and makes her own take on a dish. Somehow it always seems to come together.
Signature dish
She is a big fan of slow cooking and enjoys making comfort foods like stews, curries and even mash potatoes with a modern spin.
Melissa-Lee Sutherland
Food inspiration
Melissa describes herself as a real home cook. She’s a farm girl who comes from a family who bonded over cooking.
Signature dish
She says if you had to ask her friends and family they would say her malva pudding, it’s a killer.
Ndumiso Mncwabe
Food inspiration
His food inspiration comes from things that he sees and experiences.
Signature dish
He does not have a signature dish, but thinks he is pretty good at cooking ostrich.
Penny Fitchet
Food inspiration
When she walks into a supermarket and there are fresh vegetables and herbs.
Signature dish
Mauritian curry, it’s what everyone enjoys her making and she makes and sells ice cream, she has 13 different flavours.
Francois Zietsman
Food inspiration
Francios describes himself as an outdoor cook who loves fishing, braaing and making potjies.
Signature dish
His favourite thing to make is pork belly!
Abigail Mbalo
Food inspiration
Abigial finds her inspiration in traditional South African food and putting her own fine dining spin on traditional dishes.
Signature dish
She does not have a signature dish but is always up for trying out new recipes.
Phila Vilakazi
Food inspiration
Phila describes himself as a ‘feelings cook’. His inspiration comes from how he feels at a particular time.
Signature dish
He does not have a signature dish but enjoys trying dishes and leans largely towards fine dining.
Ian Young
Food inspiration
Ian finds his inspiration in the visual. He likes presenting beautiful looking food.
Signature dish
He doesn’t have a signature dish but loves making bread, even though he isn’t eating it right now.
Catch Masterchef SA every Thursday at 19:30 on M-Net (101)