Episode 12 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. The competitors are lined up with blindfolds on and Katlego stands in front of them with a small plate with a cube of an unidentified ingredient. One by one, the contestants smell and taste their mystery ingredient, and guess what they have been given.

The contestants are 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.

This episode is all about a fusion of two of my favourite cuisines as contestants will be asked to combine the culinary traditions of Italy and South Africa. The MasterChef contestants welcomed none other than celebrity chef Alessandro Khojane, also known as “The Sotho Italian” and owner of Gemelli in Bryanston. In a surprise twist, two contestants leave the MasterChef kitchen in this episode.

With episode 9 we have reached the halfway mark of the competition. The top 10 walked in in white aprons for a non-elimination challenge, but one that came with quite a twist in the form of a cash reward of 50,000 rand to the best dish.

The eight episode of MasterChef South Africa saw me riding in on a Pick ‘n Pay asap scooter! I’m sure it looked like a smooth ride to you but let me tell you, it was not easy at all! These electric motorbikes really have some oomph and I struggled to stay upright on the slippery studio floors.