The Taste Master SA

It’s the season premiere of The Taste Master as ten talented contestants meet at a renowned hotel in Cape Town to kick off their journey. For the first challenge, in a heartwarming Mother’s Day tribute, contestants bring sentimental items that remind them of their moms and bake cakes inspired by her favourite flavours.

It’s the first elimination challenge and it’s all about the perfect rise as contestants dive into the art of bread making. After a special masterclass by our judge, Zola Nene, the bottom 6 contestants, Danielle, Dustine, Joy, Kershnie, Larce, Meggan and Mpho must take what they have learned and create a true masterpiece to not only impress her but guest judge, Daniel Blignaut, Head Chef at the prestigious The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel. With limited time on the clock, they must deliver a full bread course experience, complete with delicious accompaniments that elevate every bite.

This week on The Taste Master SA, teamwork meets chaos in a high-energy relay challenge! After an inspiring masterclass with the head chef of Test Kitchen Fledgelings, Nathan Clarke, the Top 9: Chevonne, Danielle, Kershnie, Meggan, Lucky, Larce, Mpho, Tinyiko and Xolile must head to the kitchen for their first fine dining challenge. Working in teams of three, contestants must take turns to cook, incorporating mystery ingredients along the way. Will the final dish live up to the standards of guest judge, award-winning chef Nathan Clarke and who will be heading into the upcoming elimination challenge?

It’s an elimination challenge and tensions are at an all time high for Kershnie, Larce, Mpho, Xolile, Chevonne and Lucky as one of them will be cooking for the last time in the Taste Master kitchen. After winning the relay challenge Danielle, Tinyiko and Meggan enjoy a special outing to Allee Bleue to see how high quality fresh herbs are grown. Meanwhile the other contestants get a crash course in handmade fresh pasta from the experts at Scala Pasta / Bar, Group Executive Chef Justin Barker and Head Chef Wesley Roos. The contestants then need to take what they have learned back into the kitchen and prepare their own unique pasta dish from scratch. It’s all about executing the basics to perfection.

The competition heats up at the historic Nederburg Wine Estate as our final eight contestants; Dani, Xolile, Chevonne, Tinyiko, Meggan, Kershnie, Lucky and Larce pay tribute to their father figures. Their mission? Craft a gourmet burger from scratch that captures the essence of the men who shaped them. This week the contestants are given a burger making masterclass by Nederburg Wine Estate’s Head Chef, Linda Trautmann, and then they need to take on the challenge of creating their own homemade gourmet burgers from scratch.