Heads up: This blog post is still a work-in-progress. Check in regularly to see it finished real soon.

Season 5 of MasterChef South Africa is coming to an end and of course I have been sharing my views with episode summaries each week. Granted, some weeks I've been running behind a bit in writing the summary blog post, but I have been glued to my TV each Saturday! This is an overview of all the episodes, in case you missed a few.

Fun fact: my lighting company LLSA supplied all the lights in the pantry and around the studio, and we are mentioned as a sponsor in the credits. 

Spoiler Alert

If you are behind, I recommend you stop reading now!
Because I took part in the fourth season of MasterChef, I can’t help but compare while watching the show.
Click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants, or read the summaries from the previous MasterChef episodes if you’re trying to catch up.

Want to Watch MasterChef South Africa?

MasterChef South Africa Season premiered on Saturday July 13 at on S3, and new episodes are aired every Saturday. From November, episodes will air at 8:30 pm every Saturday, with the rebroadcasts on Sundays on S2 at 6:30 pm and on Wednesdays on S3 at 6:00 pm. The last episode (the finale!) airs on 23 November at 8:30 pm on S3, but each episode is available on catchup for about a week (select Saturday and S3 to find it).

What happened in MasterChef South Africa Season 5?

Click here to jump straight to the links of all detailed episode summaries.

Summary Episode 1 - Final Audition

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Final Audition through an Invention Test (Elimination Challenge)

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make a chicken dish with a sauce or a broth, but of course it to be at MasterChef-worthy standard.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. The dishes needed to include a mirepoix (a mixture of diced vegetables cooked on a low heat in oil or butter) and a Bouquet Garni, (a bundle of herbs).

Time Limit: 90 minutes

Suprise! The contestants did not know that the first epsiode would also be the final audition, and that a total of five contestants would be eliminated to make the top fifteen.

Eliminated: The five contestants that made the worst dishes in this challenge were Lucas, Lesego, Robyn, Andrew and Ella. They were all eliminated from the competition.

You can read up about the first episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 2 - Apple of your Eye, a Mystery Box Challenge

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge

Type of Challenge: Mystery Box (Non-Elimination) Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to use the single humble ingredient of an apple, and think of the apple of their eye in their life when cooking.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. The dishes needed to include apples, but they could make make a sweet or savoury dish.

Top Dishes: Naledi, Shreya and Tina did well in this challenge.

Winning Dish: Naledi won the mystery box challenge. Her dish of the day wins immunity from the next elimination.

Prize: To be on the gantry in the next episode.  

Bottom Dishes: Bridget, Tebogo and Lona were in the bottom three and they were lucky it was not an elimination round and still made it through to the next episode.

Eliminated: No one. This was a non-elimination challenge.

You can read up about the second episode in more detail here.

Why not try one of my apple recipes?

Summary Episode 3 - Legendary Pepper Steak Pie

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Nokx Majozi

Type of Challenge: Pressure Test (Elimination Challenge)

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to recreate Chef Nokx Majozi’s signature Pepper Steak Pie. Whilst instructed to follow the recipe provided, they were given creative license on how they would decorate their pies. 

Ingredients: Each contestant had their own box with ingredients, as well as an envelope that contained the recipe. They also had a takeaway box that included -as it later appeared- a sample pepper steak pie to see and taste. 

What was different? Naledi was up in the gantry as a reward for winning the mystery box challenge in the previous episode.

Top Dishes: Tina, Bridget and Amo had made the best pepper steak pies.

Winning Dish: Tina won the pressure test.

Bottom Dishes: Nash, Lona and Melanie found themselves in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Melanie was eliminated. 

You can read up about the third episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 4 - It's in the Stars

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to pay tribute to and draw inspiration from the judges’ star signs when creating their dishes in this challenge. Zola Nene is a Pisces, Justine Drake’s star sign is Aries and Katlego Mlambo is a Cancerian. The contestants had to choose a card in order to determine for which judge they would be cooking their dish.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Winning Dish: Bridget cooked a ‘masterpiece’ according to the judges, and so she won the challlenge. 

Bottom Dishes: Chanel, Shreya and Zak found themselves in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Zak was eliminated from the competition as his curry failed to deliver. According to Judge Katlego, the lack of seasoning was his downfall and both the rice and carrots were overcooked, and the dish was not balanced.

You can read up about the fourth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 5 - Fashion and Food

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Jackie Burger.

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to were challenged by guest judge Jackie Burger the contestants to use fashion models and their incredible outfits to make their own creative interpretation of the outfits.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Two hours.

Top Dishes: Nabila, Ketsia and Tebogo were in the top 3.

Winning Dish:  Tebogo was announced the winner of the challenge.

Bottom Dishes: Amogelang Maluleke (Amo), Tzu Ting Long (Tina) and Penny were in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Tina from Home Bao went home.

You can read up about the fifth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 6 - Buffet of New Beginnings

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge and Cellar Master at Durbanville Hills Pieter-Niel Rossouw.

Type of Challenge: Team Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants needed to create a ‘Buffet of New Beginnings’ which was basically an interactive buffet table re-inventing old-style buffet combinations and pairing creations with wine from the Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve range

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

What was different? The challenge took place at Durbanville Hills wine estate. Contestants were welcomed to the award-winning Tangram restaurant by cellar master Pieter-Niel Rossouw and Head Chef Tamzyn Ehlers.

Blue Team: Nash, Naledi, Chanel, Amo, Shreya and Nabila.

Red Team: Tebogo, Penny, Ketsia, Nash, Bridget, Lona and Refe.

Team Captains: Tebogo was Team Captain for the Blue Team and Nash headed up the Red Team.

Time Limit: 3 hours

Top Dishes: Chanel from the Blue Team had made a brandy pudding which was on point. She was complimented both on the texture of the nuts and on how well it paired with the Durbanville Hills range. Penny’s desert also hit a note. The flavour was impactful and it paired beautifully with the brandy, according to the judges. 

Winning Team: Ultimately, the blue team took home the victory.

Prize: The prize for the winning team was that they will be safe from next week’s elimination challenge.

Eliminated: No one. This was a non-elimination challenge.

You can read up about the sixth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 7 - Leftovers and South African staples

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to showcase their creativity by whipping up a gourmet meal from the judges’ typical month-end leftovers and were only allowed to use 20 classic frugal South African staples. The contestants also had to use fish in their dish.

Ingredients: Contestants did not have full access to the MasterChef pantry as the challenge was to make a dish using leftovers. They did have access to 20 classic frugal South African staples. 

Time Limit: 60 minutes

What was different? Amo, Chanel, Nabila, Naledi, Shreya, and Tebogo could watch them from the gantry as they were on the winning Blue Team on the previous episode.

Top Dishes: Penny and Refe’s dishes were the judges’ favourites. Penny’s sweet potato and tuna croquettes with Saltirax crumbs, herbs and smoked mussels on a pea purée, made with the leftovers from Zola’s fridge was referred to as a “symphony of flavours” by Judge Justine, who particularly enjoyed the enjoyed the mussel surprise in the croquette. Judge Katlego rated Refe’s modern take on the traditional “surf and turf,” saying she “took Bully Beef to private school”. Refe had stuffed a croquette with pickled onions, ham, and corned beef and included a tuna sauce.

Bottom Dishes: Lona and Ketsia found themselves in the bottom two in this episode. Ketsia had made a smoked mussel oil flatbread and tuna salad with pesto mayo, celery, pickled spring onions and parsley. Ketsia’s flatbread was described as ‘bland’ and the judges were surprised that she’d opted not to use Justine’s chicken leftovers.

Lona’s chicken potstickers with toasted sweet corn, pickled fish, and roasted vegetable puree were too acidic according to the judges, while the dough was too thick and stodgy. They did compliment the purée.

Eliminated: Ultimately Ketsia’s flatbread and tuna salad dish did not meet the mark and she was eliminated from the competition.

You can read up about the seventh episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 8 - Air Fryers and ASAP! Scooter Drivers

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Appearances by Chef Herman Lensing and 2022 MasterChef South African winner Shawn Godfrey

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge + Immunity Challenge

What was different? This episode was jam-packed as it included two challenges! First an elimination challenge, and then a cook-off to battle it out for the chance to win an Immunity Pin.

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to embrace the air fryer revolution and use it as their main cooking method to reinvent a classic potato dish to a modern bistro-worthy delight. While contestants were allowed to use a microwave, they could not use a standard oven, and also no deep-frying. Most importantly though they needed to use an air fryer as the main cooking method for their potato bistro dish.

Ingredients: Contestants had access to a limited pantry.

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Top Dishes: Nash, Chanel and Lona cooked the Top Three dishes in the challenge.

Bottom Dishes: Bridget, Tebogo and Naledi found themselves in the bottom three,

Winning Dish:  Ultimately Chanel won the challenge with her potato dauphinoise with chorizo caramelised crisp and a little bit of lemon and she was given the opportunity to win an Immunity Pin.

Second Challenge Brief: To win an Immunity Pin, Chanel needed to beat Herman Lensing at his game: he is South Africa’s leading expert on cooking with air fryers. The challenge was to prepare a two course meal for the judges. Their meals needed to showcase their exploration of the culinary possibilities and versatility of an air fryer. In keeping with the theme of the day, their two course meal also needed to be something that would fit on the menu of a high-end bistro. They were given one hour to complete the challenge, but before starting the clock another surprise was announced, in the form of a Pick n Pay ASAP! delivery. To the contestants’ surprise, I drove in on a Pick n Pay ASAP! scooter, delivering two paper bags, one with a “Land” sticker and one with a “Sky” sticker on them. Chanel chose “Sky” and her bag contained duck. This left Herman Lensing with the bag with the “Land” sticker on, which contained lamb.

Dishes: Herman Lensing made Roasted Lamb, Ravioli, with a Mint & Basil Pesto. For dessert, he made a Chocolate Tarte with Guava, Chocolate Ganache and Meringue. Chanel made an Asian-inspried duck dish, and for dessert she made a Sugar Tuile with Guava Mousse and Mint.

Scoring: The judges scored Herman 8, a 9 and an 8 (so 25 out of 30), and Chanel received a score of 5 out of 10 for each dish, giving her a total score of 15 out of 30. So unfortunately, Chanel did not beat Herman at his game.

Eliminated: Last but not least, Justine reminded the contestants of their unfinished business. Earlier that day contestants had been asked to embrace the air fryer revolution, and Bridget, Naledi and Tebogo had ended up in the bottom three. Tebogo was eliminated.

You can read up about the eighth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 9 - A fusion of South African and Italian

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Non-Elimination Challenge

What was different? We reached the halfway mark of the competition. The top 10 walked in in white aprons, which shows that it’s a non-elimination challenge. Contestants usually use a non-elimination challenge to push the envelope a bit. As there is no risk of elimination, they can try cook something that’s more out of their comfort zone, and thereby learn new skills and gain confidence which will help them going forward in the competition.

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make a plant-based dish using the humble cabbage as the hero ingredient. They could choose any member of the cabbage family - all brassica; in other words all members of the extended cabbage family, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, collard greens, kale and turnips.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. The dishes needed to include cabbage.

Time Limit: 90 minutes

Top Dishes: Refe, Chanel and Lona were in the Top 3.

Winning Dish:  Lona won the Top Dish of the day with his Cabbage Delight with roasted red pepper, coconut dream, sesame oil dressing, sprouts & red onion marmalade.

Prize: Lona won 50,000 rand for cooking the best dish.

Bottom Dishes: Amo, Nabila and Shreya found themselves in the bottom three, but were safe from elimination due to it being a non-elimination challenge.

Eliminated: No one. This was a non-elimination challenge.

You can read up about the ninth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 10 - Heritage Trinity: Wors, Skilpaadjies on the Hibachi and a Starch

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and guest judge and celebrity chef Alessandro Khojane.

What was different? Before the challenge started, Shreya announced that she would be leaving the MasterChef kitchen without participating in the next challenge. She had been struggling with anxiety throughout the competition, and after receiving “some unfortunate news” from her family, she left, calling it “an act of self-love and an act of self-care.”

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to create an Italian-South African dish.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Two hours

Top Dishes: Naledi, Penny and Lona are in the top three.

Winning Dish:  Naledi won the challenge with her chicken roulade and will be given a spot on the gantry for the next episode.

Bottom Dishes: Chanel, Nash and Refe were in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Refe goes home.

You can read up about the tenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 11

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and guest judge and support to the contestant Pick n Pay Butcher Noziphiwe

Type of Challenge: Team Challenge, Mystery Box Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants are tasked to making 1.5 kgs of wors the old fashioned way - using a manual meat grinder, seasoning it with spices and herbs and stuffing it into the sheeps’ casings provided, then braaing it on the Setamono habatchi. They have to serve their wors with a modern side dish of a heritage starch and a tasty sauce or gravy. Last but not least, they are required to make a true South African delicacy: skilpadjies.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. They were also given a mystery box which included the manual meat grinder, sheeps’ casings, spices and herbs. Each team is provided a different meat parcel.

What was different? They were divided up in teams of two, but Chanel was alone in the yellow team after Shreya had pulled out of the competition in the last episode. To even things out, the judges brought back Refe, who was only just eliminated one episode prior.

• Yellow Team: Refe and Chanel. Their mystery box contained venison.

• Green Team: Lona and Nabila. They were given Wagyu Beef.

• Blue Team: Penny and Nash They received Lamb.

• Red Team: Amo and Bridget. They were given goat.

Time Limit: 2.5 hours

Winning Dishes:  The Green Team made up of Nabila and Lona took home the victory.

Prize? Nabila and Lona will be safe from the next challenge, spending it on the gantry, and can’t be eliminated from the competition during the next episode.

Eliminated: No one. This was a non-elimination challenge.

You can read up about the second episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 12 - Life’s Tiny Pleasures

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Blind Taste Challenge and an Elimination Challenge

What was different? Nabila and Lona were be safe from the next challenge, spending it on the gantry, as they won the challenge the week prior.

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to -whilst blindfolded- taste variety of ingredients which had been cut into identically sized cubes.

Blind Taste Test Winner: Naledi

Prize: Naledi gets to join Nabila and Lona on the gantry and also can’t be eliminated from the competition during the next challenge.

Second Challenge Brief: The remaining contestants have to create two tiny dishes: an amuse bouche, usually served at the beginning of the meal as a gift from the chef to awaken the pallet, and a bonbon (or a friandise, or mignardise), usually served at the end of a meal. Their sweet dish had to contain chocolate and they needed to make six of each.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Two hours

Winning Dish: Chanel has cooked the best dish of the day. She made a wonton cone with tuna, cream cheese with chilli & chives.  

Bottom Dishes: Amo, Penny, and Nash end up in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Amo’s savoury tart with caramelised onion purée and quail breast was criticised for the crumbly and overcooked pastry, and he was eliminated from the competition.

You can read up about the twelfth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 13 - Enchanted Forest Elegance

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Moses Moloi.

Type of Challenge: Pressure Test

What was different? Chanel watched from the gantry as she won the challenge in the previous episode.

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make Chef Moses Moloi’s “Enchanted Forest Elegance”

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Two and a half hours

Winning Dish: Nabila’s dish was the best of the day.    

Bottom Dishes: Nash, Lona and Naledi are in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Nash doesn’t start plating until the countdown begins and as he only manages to put just one or two elements on the plate, it wasn’t good enough and he was eliminated.

You can read up about the thirteenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 14 - a bougie brunch

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Ebie Du Toit

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make a bougie brunch spread consisting of three dishes: a brunch classic with a twist, a reinvented classic cocktail presented as a dish, and a fresh take on avocado toast. Their dishes must appeal to the demanding millennial brunch aficionado and so contestants are reminded to apply both their technical and plating skills.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Two hours

Winning Dish:  Refe made the dishes of the day: a shakshuka with chorizo & quail eggs and a creamy avocado with quail eggs, parsley oil, with bread. For her classic cocktail Refe made a grapefruit mimosa granita with Durbanville Hills Sparkling Honeysuckle Demi Sec. To finish off she has made avo & dark chocolate truffles.

Bottom Dishes: Bridget, Naledi and Nabila are in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Naledi is eliminated from the competition.

You can read up about the seventh episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 15

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo

Type of Challenge: Non-Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to dive into the world of molecular gastronomy. They had to craft dishes that not only taste incredible but also surprise and deceive the judges, using elements of illusion and secrecy. They are also asked to shift effortlessly between savoury and sweet flavours, keeping the judges guessing at every bite.

What was different? Using a match, contestants burn away the paper in the frame on their cooking station, which then display the molecular gastronomy technique that has been allocated to them.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Ninety minutes

Winning Dishes:  Bridget won top dish of the day with her Seaside Frozen Forest with Savoury Pistachio Paste Sea Sponge.

Prize? Bridget won a Beko two-door fridge.

Bottom Dishes: Penny and Refe had the bottom two dishes.

Eliminated: No one. This was a non-elimination challenge.

You can read up about the fifteenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 16 - Clara’s Barn

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Vusi Ndlovu

Type of Challenge: Team Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: xx minutes

Top Dishes:

Winning Team:

Prize: The MasterChef contestants take over a service at Bertus Basson’s restaurant Clara’s Barn.

Bottom Dishes: 

Eliminated: Penny

You can read up about the sixteenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 17 - Spice Odyssey

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo Guest Judge Chef Vusi Ndlovu

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make an African dish with Jollof rice and fish. 

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. The dishes needed to include Jollof rice and fish.

Time Limit: 90 minutes

Winning Dish: Chanel’s hibiscus-infused pear delight, topped with spiced yoghurt and a drizzle of caramel, won dish of the day.

Eliminated: Penny

You can read up about the seventeenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 18

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Jared Melamed.

Type of Challenge: Pressure Test

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to replicate Jared Melamed’s signature patisserie Tarts au Choux Noisette (with pâte sucrée, crème pâtissière, choux pastry, chocolate & hazelnut praline).

Ingredients: Contestants were given all the right ingredients to create their pastry dish, as well as a detailed recipe.

Time Limit: Three hours.

Top Dishes:

Winning Dishes:  

Bottom Dishes: 

Eliminated: Lona

You can read up about the eighteenth episode in more detail here.

Summary Episode 19 - The Semi Finale

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Gregory Henderson

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: The contestants had to make twelve portions of each dish, celebrating fifty years of the South African Chefs’ Association. Seasonal golden produce needs to be the golden thread to run through the two courses of the modern menu.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. The dishes needed to include

Time Limit: Three hours

Eliminated: Refe

Summary Episode 20 - The Finale

When was this episode broadcast? The 20th and final episode of MasterChef South Africa aired on Saturday 23 November at 8:30 pm.

Judges: Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo and Guest Judge Chef Wandile Mabaso.

Type of Challenge: Elimination Challenge

Challenge Brief: After receiving a masterclass from Guest Judge Chef Wandile Mabaso, the Top Three MasterChef contestants Bridget, Nabile and Chanel were tasked to make a dish using raw tuna. In the masterclass, Chef Mabaso had given them a few tips and tricks on how to work with raw tuna, so this was a great test to see who had paid attention.

Winning Dish: Nabila won best dish of the day.

Eliminated: Chanel

Second Challenge Brief: The two remaining contestants (Nabila and Bridget) had to whip up a million-rand-worthy two-course meal showcasing African excellence and expressing their evolution from home cook to chef extraordinaire.

Ingredients: Contestants had full access to the MasterChef pantry, which was stocked with Pick n Pay produce. 

Time Limit: Three hours

Winning Dishes: Bridget’s kingklip dish was inspired from her mother’s favourite recipe, Apricot chicken. But instead of using chicken, she ambitiously replaced the chicken with kingklip and implemented all the learnings and tricks of the trade she accumulated throughout her MasterChef journey.

Prize: 1 million rand

What was different? Bridget has made history as the youngest winner in the MasterChef franchise’s history and she is also South Africa’s first black female MasterChef.

Eliminated: Nabila

MasterChef Season 5 Episode Summaries

Click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants, or read the summary from the previous MasterChef episodes if you’re trying to catch up:

• Episode 1 - Twenty MasterChef contestants cook a chicken dish, but only 15 remain

• Episode 2 - The MasterChef contestants cook for the the Apple of their Eye in a mystery box challenge

• Episode 3 - Chef Nokx Majozi Signature Pepper Steak Pie

• Episode 4 - Paying tribute to the Judges’ Star Signs

• Episode 5 - Translating Fashion into Food with guest judge Jackie Burger

• Episode 6 - Buffet of New Beginnings at Durbanville Hills wine estate

• Episode 7 - Leftovers and South African staples

• Episode 8 - Potatoes, Air Fryers, an Immunity Pin and two Special Guests

• Episode 9 - Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage!

• Episode 10 - A fusion of South African and Italian

• Episode 11 - Heritage Trinity: Wors, Skilpaadjies on the Hibachi and a Starch

• Episode 12 - Life’s Tiny Pleasures - a Taste Challenge and Micro Fine Dining

• Episode 13 - A Pressure Test cooking Chef Moses Moloi’s “Enchanted Forest Elegance”

• Episode 14 - A Bougie Brunch

• Episode 15 - Savoury and Sweet Surprises using Molecular Gastronomy

• Episode 16 - A Restaurant Takeover - Bertus Basson’s Clara’s Barn

• Episode 17 - African Inspired dishes with Guest Judge Vusi Ndlovu

• Episode 18 - Jared Melamed’s Signature Patisserie

More MasterChef Episode Summaries:

Want to Watch MasterChef South Africa?

MasterChef South Africa Season premiered on Saturday July 13 at on S3, and new episodes are aired every Saturday. From November, episodes will air at 8:30 pm every Saturday, with the rebroadcasts on Sundays on S2 at 6:30 pm and on Wednesdays on S3 at 6:00 pm.

Or click here read up more about the MasterChef season 5 contestants.

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).

Sign up to the newsletter below to be kept up to date with events, new recipes and reviews, or contact Shawn to chat about recipe creation, restaurant takeovers and public speaking events.