Episode 19 of MasterChef South Africa Season 5
Episode 19 of MasterChef South Africa aired last week and of course I have to share my views. Having been part of the fourth season of MasterChef, I can’t help but compare while watching the show. Read my episode summary below.
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!
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.
Looking back - What happened on the previous MasterChef episodes?
Click here to jump straight to episode 19 and skip the summaries of the previous episodes.
In the first episode, contestants had to make a chicken dish with a sauce or a broth, but for it to be at MasterChef-worthy standard. They were given 90 minutes and their dish needed to include a mirepoix (a mixture of diced vegetables cooked on a low heat in oil or butter) and it needed to include a Bouquet Garni, which is a bundle of herbs. In traditional French cuisine this includes parsley, bay leaves and thyme but other herbs can be added too.
What was most shocking about this first episode, is that the contestants went down from 20 to 15 in one go. The contestants who were eliminated in the first episode were Lucas, Lesego, Robyn, Andrew and Ella.
In the second episode, contestants had to use the single humble ingredient of an apple, and think of the apple of their eye in their life when cooking. The contestants were allowed to make something sweet or savoury. No contestants were eliminated and Naledi won the mystery box challenge.
In the third episode, Naledi was up in the gantry as a reward for winning the mystery box challenge in the previous episode. The remaining contestants were challenged by guest judge Chef Nokx Majozi in a pressure test to recreate her signature Pepper Steak Pie. Tina, Bridget and Amo had made the best pepper steak pies, and Tina won the elimination challenge. Nash, Lona and Melanie found themselves in the bottom three and Melanie was eliminated.
In the fourth episode, the contestants were asked to pay tribute to and draw inspiration from the judges’ star signs when creating their dishes in this challenge. They couldn’t choose which judge’s star sign they were going to base their dish on, but it was an elimination based on chance as they had to choose a card in order to determine which protein they would be cooking. Chanel, Shreya and Zak found themselves in the bottom three. Zakariyya Ibrahim (Zak) went home 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.
In the fifth episode, guest judge Jackie Burger challenged the contestants to use fashion models and their incredible outfits to make their own creative interpretation of the outfits. Nabela, Ketsia and Tebogo were in the top 3 and Amogelang Maluleke (Amo), Tzu Ting Long (Tina) and Penny in the bottom, with Tina from Home Bao going home in the end.
In the sixth episode, MasterChef contestants competed in their first team challenge. The episode 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. Tebogo was Team Captain for the Blue Team (made up of Naledi, Chanel, Amo, Shreya and Nabila) and Nash headed up the Red Team which also included Penny, Ketsia, Nash, Bridget, Lona and Refe. 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. Ultimately, the blue team took home the victory.
The seventh episode saw Penny, Ketsia, Nash, Bridget, Lona, Refe and Nash battling it out against each other in a elimination challenge. They were given an hour 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. Ultimately Ketsia’s flatbread and tuna salad dish did not meet the mark and she was eliminated from the competition.
In the eight episode contestants were asked 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. Nash, Chanel and Lona cooked the top 3 dishes and Bridget, Tebogo and Naledi found themselves in the bottom three. 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. She did need to beat Herman Lensing at his game - Herman has published several cookbooks and three with air fryer recipes specifically so he is South Africa’s leading expert on cooking with air fryers. This is when mysterious guest rode in on a Pick ‘n Pay asap! scooter… me!
I took two paper bags out my Pick ‘n Pay asap! scooter, one with a “Land” and one with a “Sky” sticker on them. With that, the judges left to the back and I was left to be the referee for the challenge. Chanel chose “Sky” and needed to cook with duck, whilst Herman Lensing was given lamb.
Lona's winning dish
With the ninth episode we reached the halfway mark of the competition. The top 10 walked in in white aprons and were challenged with making a plant-based dish using the humble cabbage as the hero ingredient. Amo, Nabila and Shreya found themselves in the bottom three, but were safe from elimination due to it being a non-elimination challenge. Refe, Chanel and Lona were in the Top 3 and Lona won 50,000 rand to the best dish.
In the tenth episode, 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.”
After Shreya walked out, the MasterChef contestants welcomed celebrity chef Alessandro Khojane, “Sotho Italian” (owner of Gemelli in Bryanston). Contestants are given two hours to create an Italian-South African dish. Naledi won the challenge with her chicken roulade and Refe goes home.
In the eleventh episode, Naledi spent the challenge on the gantry after winning the challenge in the previous episode. As the contestants soon found out, it was a A Mystery Box Team Challenge. They were divided up in teams of two, with Chanel 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. Each team is provided a different meat parcel and they are each tasked to making 1.5 kgs of wors, cooking it on the hibachi, and serving their with 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. All of this, needed to be done within the 2.5 hour time frame. The wors needs to be made the old fashioned way: using a manual meat grinder found in their mystery boxes. In the end, the Green Team made up of Nabila and Lona took home the victory. This means that they will be safe from the next challenge, spending it on the gantry, and can’t be eliminated from the competition during the next episode.
In the twelfth episode, Penny, Chanel, Refe, Amo, Bridget, Nash and Naledi had to pass a blind taste challenge. After being blindfolded, they were each given a variety of ingredients which had been cut into identically sized cubes. Penny, Chanel, Bridget, Amo and Refe make a mistake whereas all of Naledi’s guesses are correct. As a result, Naledi gets to join Nabila and Lona on the gantry and also can’t be eliminated from the competition during the next challenge. They 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.
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.
Justine and Zola burst out laughing after Nash says he is absolutely not confident with cooking fine dining.
In the thirteenth episode, Chanel watched from the gantry whilst the remaining seven contestants (Nabila, Lona, Penny, Refe, Bridget, Nash and Naledi) had to replicate Chef Moses Moloi’s “Enchanted Forest Elegance” in two and a half hours. There are quite a few techniques in the intricate dish and the contestants visibly struggled with the race against time. The episode is action-packed: Bridget cuts her finger, Lona struggles to switch on his Taurus Kitchen Machine and Nash doesn’t start plating until the countdown begins. This as it turns out is his downfall. Managing to put just one or two elements on the plate was not enough and Nash was eliminated from MasterChef season 5.
Nabila's Dish
Nash' dish
MasterChef South Africa Season 5 Episode 13 - Nash is eliminated from the competition
In the fourteenth episode, the top 7 contestants welcome a guest judge: head chef of The Pot Luck Club in Johannesburg, Ebie Du Toit (@chefebiii). Chef Ebie challenges the MasterChef contestants 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. They are given two hours and an open pantry with all ingredients from Pick ‘n Pay available to use. Refe makes the dishes of the day and Bridget, Naledi and Nabila end up in the bottom three. Naledi is eliminated from the competition.
Bridget's dish
In the fifteenth episode, the top six contestants cooked in a non-elimination challenge, diving 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. Penny and Refe had the bottom two dishes, and Bridget had the top dish of the day.
In the sixteenth episode, the top six remaining MasterChef contestants (Chanel, Nabila, Lona, Penny, Refe, and Bridget) go to Bertus Basson’s restaurant Clara’s Barn for a team challenge. The Blue Team takes home the victory, and all Blue Team members get a R50 000 cash prize.
In the seventeenth episode, Chef Vusi Ndlovu joins as a guest judge. The contestants were challenged to create a spicy African-inspired dish. Chanel makes the Top Dish, and Penny is eliminated from the competition.
In the eighteenth episode, the MasterChef contestants welcomed pastry chef Jared Melamed to the studio. Their challenge was to replicate Jared Melamed’s signature patisserie within three hours. Nabila earned the bake of the day, and Lona and Refe were in the bottom two. Lona was eliminated from the competition.
MasterChef South Africa Episode 19
It is the semi-final and it is another elimination challenge to determine the top three for the MasterChef finale.
“It’s giving me Goldilocks and the three bears. Me being Goldilocks, the judges? The three bears.”
As the contestants walk into the MasterChef studio, they see they see a whole bunch of golden ingredients such as honey, yellow peppers and waterblommetjies.
The judges welcome the special guest for the episode: Chef Gregory Henderson.
Who is Chef Gregory Henderson?
Chef Gregory Henderson is also known as The Forage Chef (his Instagram handle is also @theforagechef). He received this nick name as he has been the custodian of indigenous ingredients, focusing on the wild and indigenous foods that are inherent to Southern Africa. He owns The Wild Food Revolution, and organisation that aims to create a sustainable and nutritional food system through education and skills development. He has also been part of Chefs for Conservation and has been involved in various outreach organisations, showing his commitment to upskilling people about local produce with the help of indigenous people. He used to run foraging tours but stopped when he realised it wasn’t his stories to tell. At this point, chef Gregory has embraced hte role of the custodian and the enabler for people to engage with these communities to tell their stories.
Chef Gregory has written multiple books on these topics.
He has been Executive Chef at La Residence in Franschhoek and has been Group Executive Chef for two leading Hotel Management Companies.
He is also the Chairman of Competitions and Co-opted Director for The South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs). He was invited to represent the SA Chefs association in a challenge that aims to celebrate 50-year Golden Jubilee.
“I follow chef on instagram. ”
“I love chef Gregory’s work.”
The Challenge
Chef Justine introduces the challenge by saying that gold has always been a symbol of superior quality. The contestants are asked to create a two-course modern menu, and need to make sure a golden thread runs through the dishes. They need to make twelve portions of each dish and are given two hours to prepare their dishes. They are given access to beautiful ingredients from Southern Africa, many which are endemic, which means that they are only found in our country. It is as proudly South African a challenge as you can get!
The menu is to be served to eight Culinary Dignitaries: which include the Board of Directors of the South African Chefs Association as the dinner is a celebration to commemorate 50 Years of SA Chefs (their Golden Jubilee). SACA President James Khoza and Chef Pieter Malan, who just received a medal at the International Culinary Olympics earlier this year are also joining.
“I’ve never cooked for twelve people. I don’t know how I’m going to do this. ”
“I am nervous. This is a real challenge.”
The Contestants’ Dishes
Nabila’s Dishes
Poached lobster with a roasted pepper espuma, beetroot chips, buchu and caviar. Nabila had never cooked with crayfish before so this was quite a gamble but the espume has become her favourite kitchen appliance it seems. It is a great way to add a different consistency to the dish.. At one stage during the cook, her oven is smoking and her tomatoes are burning. Nabila assures Chef Gregory Henderson and her fellow contestants that she’s intending to get a char and that this is all fine. She seemed a bit embarrassed about it!
For dessert, she will be making a Lemon Posset with Durbanville Hills wine mousse, charred meringue, pomelo jelly and semolina geranium sponge. She struggled a bit with making the dessert as she didn’t have enough meringue and had to made some more. As she was making it in a rush, it hadn’t aerated properly and it became a sugary mess.
Bridget’s Dishes
Sorghum rolled Karoo lamb with carrot purée and garlic. She must have been inspired by last week’s challenge with Pastry Chef Jared Melamed as she made a Créme Pâtissière with Poached Orange, Vanilla Sponge and White Chocolate.
Refe’s Dishes
Refe made a Roasted lamb rump with sweet potato purée, confetti bush and beetroot. She also included a spicy chakalaka sauce but was mindful not to make it too spicy as Zola is not a fan of food that is too spicy. She’s using golden beetroot for her dish to include that golden thread. For dessert Refe is making a lemon pound cake with créme chantilly and an almond and coconut crumble. She has used wild rosemary as her indigenous element. During the cook, Refe burns her hand badly but bravely carries on. When she rinses her potatoes and hands at the same time: “I’m actually doing the healing and the peeling at the same time.” After the cook, from the diary room, she shows the four blisters on her hand and fingers.
“There’s no time for burn. We will deal with the burn after the cook.”
Chanel’s Dishes
Pan-seared scallops with yoghurt naan bread, masala sauce and carrot purée. Chanel has never seared scallops before, and while she was trying to get them golden brown some were a bit overdone. She’s confident in her curry making abilities though and wants to cook a curry as spices are part of our heritage in South Africa.
“If I go home today for making a curry that would be devastating. I think my Gran would be very embarrassed. ”
Her two-ingredient naan is a strategic move as she needs to make twelve and so she knows she needs to be quick. Chanel is concerned because her main only includes three main elements and so she will have no room to hide and she knows the pressure is on for everything to be perfect.
For dessert, Chanel made Soji with Apricot Syrup and Gold Leaf. Soji is a type of semolina pudding which includes butter, aromatics and sugar. Chanel describes it like a sweet pap.
“Some people go to the gym to blow off some steam, I bake. It’s my free therapy. ”
“This is my type of desert. When it comes to stress management, I love baking. ”
The Judges
Because the judges will join the Culinary Dignitaries for dinner and it will be a blind tasting, they have no idea what is happening in the kitchen. Justine is feeling quite "sad to have missed out on the kitchen “because this is it: the semi finals.”
Zola’s expectations are rising: “I want to see precision plated. Want to see different hues. Sunset on a plate.”
Katlego agrees: “It needs to look like gold and taste like gold.”
The Judges’ Commentary on the Mains
The judges start with the main courses.
Nabila’s Dish
Zola and Justine immediately correctly guess it’s Nabila’s dish, through the use of the espuma. They are happy to see the golden influence in the dish.
Chanel’s Dish
Chanel’s dish is “not the most visually appealing dish”. Again, the judges guess correctly that it’s Chanel’s.
Bridget’s Dish
Bridget’s dish causes some confusion in terms of their guess work. Zola and Justine think it’s Refe, as she’s shown earlier on in the competition that she’s able to do a French trim, but Katlego thinks it may be Nabila’s dish.
Refe’s Dish
The Judges’ Commentary on the Desserts
Up next are the desserrts.
Bridget’s Créme Pâtissière with Poached Orange, Vanilla Sponge and White Chocolate.
Zola call
Chanel’s Soji with Apricot Syrup and Gold Leaf
Whilst Chanel was confident that the flavour of her dessert was going to be right, the judges criticised the texture. Justine: “Traditionally speaking they’re usually more moist. Not enough syrup.” Other than finding the cake dry, the judges were also not impressed with Chanel’s interpretation of a ‘golden thread,’ adding gold leaf to her dish. Zola: “Don’t just add gold leaf and call it a celebration. We need more.”
Nabila’s Lemon Posset with Durbanville Hills Wine Mousse, Charred Meringue, Pomelo Jelly and Semolina Geranium Sponge
Although Nabila has tears in her eyes out of disappointment at the end of the cook, as it is “quite upsetting to present something that’s incomplete,” the judges were impressed. Justine called the meringue lovely and the dessert delicious. The judges all knew it was Nabila’s dish.
Refe’s Lemon Pound Cake
Infusing the pastry cream with wild rosemary gave her dessert a nice flavour and it paired well with citrus. Zola did criticise the size of the cake, saying it’s too large and the judges found the cake a bit too dry and felt it could have done with some ice cream or something else as the chantilly crème ws not enough.
Top Dish
Nabila won top dish of the day again (same last week). Her spunned sugar was complimented as a “technical showcase” and the espuma pepper sauce was a highlight for all the judges. They could see the golden thread and really appreciated her plating.
“I’m going through to the finale - I’m absolutely elated to have made it. ”
“Success is failing and failing again and having no loss of enthusiasm. ”
Elimination
The contestant that had been assigned the colour yellow was eliminated from the challenge. This was Refe. From the looks on the judges’ faces it seemed that they all thought it was Bridget. But ultimately - it is about the food. The lamb was unevenly cooked, the dessert unbalanced with a massive piece of cake and small amount of chantilly crème.
The farewells are difficult for the judges and the other conestants, that is clear.
“ Today was just not your cook.”
MasterChef South Africa Top 4
With Refe eliminated in the semi-finals, this leaves Bridget, Chanel and Nabila in the competition, battling it out to be crowned winner of MasterChef South Africa season 5.
MasterChef South Africa Episode 20
Looking ahead, the preview of the twentieth episode of MasterChef South Africa brought on some excitement for the finale.
Who will win MasterChef South Africa season 5? Time will tell…
Radio Interviews with eliminated MasterChef Contestants
As has happened with contestants who were previously eliminated, Refe also appeared in several radio interviews to talk about her MasterChef journey. I have linked some of these interviews below:
Refe on Expresso
Refe’s interview on ‘Weekend Breakfast with Gugu Mhlungu’
Refe was interviewed on ‘Weekend Breakfast with Gugu Mhlungu’ on 702. You can listen to the radio interview below:
Refe’s interview on ‘Lunch with Pippa Hudson’
Pippa Hudson also interviewed Lona on Cape Talk. The radio interview took place on November 18th 2024. You can listen to it below:
After episode 8, when I featured in a surprise appearance I also gave a few radio interviews:
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 5 - Translating Fashion into Food with guest judge Jackie Burger
Episode 6 - Buffet of New Beginnings at Durbanville Hills wine estate
Episode 8 - Potatoes, Air Fryers, an Immunity Pin and two Special Guests
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 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 19 - Go for Gold (this page)
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
Photo credit: Niki M Photography
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.
I think this was the first time I was referred to as “former MasterChef SA winner” and technically, it’s not true. The top ten MasterChef SA season 5 contestants are still battling it out and the season’s winner will only be crowned later this year. So until then, I’m going to claim my spot as current MasterChef winner, even though season 4 aired a few years ago.