Catch all the drama and action in the MasterChef kitchen on Sunday at 18:00
The much-anticipated sixth season of MasterChef South Africa, now in its new home on e.tv. is finally here. The delectable, must-see first episode of the local version of the world’s most renowned cooking show will air on e.tv. on Sunday, 22 February at 18:00.
Besides the prime-time premiere episode on e.tv, MasterChef South Africa will also be rebroadcast on the channel on Saturdays at 17:00, as well as on eExtra and eReality, and it will be available as a CatchUp on eVod, meaning MasterChef South Africa will reach a much broader and more diverse audience than ever before.
The rebroadcast on eExtra is on Saturdays at 20:30, while eReality airs the show on Sundays at 17:00.
While e.tv is available on free-to-air, the channel is also hosted on all DStv packages on DStv’s channel 194, and the CatchUp episodes will be on eVOD (watch.evod.co.za) from the day after the premiere episode. eReality is available on Openview.
What makes this season of MasterChef South Africa extra-special is that it honours South African heritage food from different cultures. The show also features a diverse group of twenty highly competent, colourful and competitive home cooks, all vying for the coveted title of MasterChef and the R1 million in prize money.
These contestants hail from different regions across the country – from small towns like Malgas in the Western Cape and Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, all the way to Kimberley in the Northern Cape, and criss-crossing to Polokwane in Limpopo and East London in the Eastern Cape. Additionally, there are fierce culinary contenders from cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and eThekwini.
Furthermore, viewers can expect a buffet of food styles, professions, and personalities with different home languages, which will often be heard on the show – whether it’s Sepedi, isiZulu, English, Afrikaans or XiTsonga.
“The contestants expressing themselves in their mother tongue adds to the drama, excitement and ‘South Africa-ness’ of this superb cooking show like never before,” says judge Katlego Mlambo. “It truly makes the emotions the contestants go through in the MasterChef kitchen authentic and relatable.”
Among the different professions, MasterChef South Africa Season 6 contestants include a general surgeon, HR manager, social worker, graphic designer, attorney, electrician, and more – all dreaming of taking their passion for food to the next level.
At a recent media launch and sneak preview of the upcoming season, MasterChef South Africa announced five contestants whose names had not been previously made public.
These five contestants
SHOKI
Xitsonga-speaking social worker who knows food made with care has the power to comfort and heal.
Reshoketjoe “Shoki” Ramontja (30) was raised in a Xitsonga household in Malamulele, Limpopo, where the kitchen was the family’s heartbeat – a place where love, gratitude, and recipes were passed down through generations.
Guided by her gogo’s example, Shoki, now a social worker at Johannesburg schools, also learned that food prepared with care and compassion has the power to comfort, heal, and connect people.
Although she’s praised by her family as “the side-dish queen”, everyone who has tasted Shoki’s kaleidoscope of food fare will equally vouch that she deserves to be called “a culinary royal” for her sensational flavour surprises and her ability to elevate even the simplest ingredients into food fit for a king.
Shoki’s cuisine blends Asian inspiration with traditional and modern South African dishes, as perfectly showcased by the dish she would prepare if she had to entertain foreign visitors – beef bone and sugar bean broth (compote) served with cooked samp and a mix of fresh herbs and chilli, creating a Vietnamese Pho-inspired meal.
If Shoki wins MasterChef South Africa, she will use the prize to visit global hotspots, particularly Asian destinations. “I want to acquire knowledge to incorporate these countries’ food heritage into South African dishes,” Shoki explains.
MYLES
Creative Cape Malay food master and change-maker, originally from the Cape Flats, who brings a modern twist to his heritage food.
35-year-old Myles Heneke, born and raised on the Cape Flats and holding a Bachelor’s degree from UCT, is not only an imaginative cook but also a storyteller and change-maker who describes his work under the umbrella term “cultural producer”. This title aptly summarises Myles’ wide spectrum of endeavours over the years. He is a published writer and poet, has made a difference at INGOs and NGOs focused on social transformation through the arts, has been part of several projects in the LGBTQ+ space, and was the speechwriter for the well-known South African human rights activist Kumi Naidoo. Additionally, Myles initiated the quirky, award-winning queer hangout session, “The Salon”, on Bush Radio 89.5.
Myles’ cooking journey is just as colourful. After working as a maître d’ under celebrated chef Karen Dudley, he developed a deep respect for the explosion of flavours. However, he also finds nuggets of culinary wisdom among inner-city street-food vendors.
While Myles’ signature dishes are masterful adaptations of traditional Cape Malay delights, they always come with a startling twist in flavour and technique. “My food style is best defined as an eclectic mix of my heritage and life experiences with a modern, experimental edge,” Myles concludes.
KEITH
Calm, problem-solving HR manager, preferring farm-to-food, fireside and Indian-heritage flavours.
Keith Reddy (38), originally from Durban and now living in the East Rand, is a distinguished HR Manager for two contact centres, overseeing a portfolio of around 1,000 employees. Whether at work or in the kitchen, Keith is admired for his calm, detail-oriented, problem-solving approach.
While Keith’s extensive work-life experience across several African countries (from Mozambique and Namibia to Tanzania and Burkina Faso) has already added a medley of country-specific foods and flavours to his expansive culinary repertoire and Indian cuisine heritage, he continues to explore novel ways to enrich his cooking.
Meanwhile, Keith is passionate about the smoky pleasure of fireside cooking, organic, farm-to-table produce, and sustainably and ethically sourced meats.
In line with these values, he maintains a small urban garden where he grows a variety of herbs, vegetables and chillies.
Although everyone speaks highly of Keith’s eclectic yet wholesome food, his biggest fans are his wife and his nine-year-old daughter, who’s already a little food connoisseur.
Unsurprisingly, Keith’s food bucket list includes visiting Japan with his family to draw inspiration from the country’s vibrant food scene. “But I also want to eat my way through all the small towns in our country to delve into our diverse food stories,” he says.
CANDICE
“Heart-of-the-home” Durbanite with a love of food deeply rooted in family, faith, and connection.
Effervescent Candice Meth (39), a loving wife and mother of three from Durban, is a healthcare risk management team leader who balances her demanding career with a deep passion for preparing delicious meals that celebrate life’s everyday miracles.
Although her cooking style is adventurous, sophisticated and full of flavour, food has always been more than a mere taste sensation for Candice; it’s also a way to foster heartfelt human and spiritual connections.
The joy food can bring was etched in Candice’s kind soul from childhood. She fondly remembers scaling fish with her dad, watching her mother turn everyday ingredients into cherished memories and learning from her grandmother to cook with patience and care. Candice sees being in the MasterChef kitchen as an extra-special gift – not only an opportunity to showcase her God-given cooking talent but also a way to honour her food legacy and her late mom, a previous MasterChef South Africa contestant.
Besides opening a restaurant filled with music, laughter, honest cooking and her family’s favourite recipes, Candice, described by her family as “the heart of the home”, also has another mission: “I want to show other women you can have a thriving family, a successful career, and a seat at the table where dreams are served warm.”
NKULULEKO
Graphic designer from KZN who cooks with visual artistry, curiosity and playfulness.
Nkululeko Ngubane (35), originally from KwaDukuza in KZN, is a Sandton-based graphic designer whose cooking is as inventive, original, and idea-driven as the bold creations he dreams up at his day job.
When describing his upcoming adventure in the MasterChef kitchen, Nkululeko sees himself as a versatile cook who doesn’t buckle under pressure but thrives. “My cooking is also playful, with a unique South African touch, and I am not afraid to push the boundaries whilst pursuing excellence,” Nkululeko adds.
While his food journey began under his mother’s wing, helping out as the oldest of three boys, Nkululeko’s culinary curiosity was later sparked by the kitchen drama on MasterChef Australia and by Jamie Oliver’s people-centred approach to cooking.
After carefully observing the tricks of the trade and the flavours of the world wherever he could, including YouTube, Nkululeko has developed a dynamic style spanning many cultures – Greek, French, Moroccan, and Mexican – while still celebrating comforting local classics such as phutu with tinned fish or samp beans with stew.
So far, Nkululeko has crossed several items off his personal bucket list, like bungee jumping and buying a motorcycle. Still, the top entry has been there for a while – winning the coveted title of MasterChef.