Masterchef Comes To South Africa

MasterChef South Africa, M-Net’s brand new cooking show, is on a country-wide search for South Africa’s most talented amateur chefs. This popular entertainment show has wowed viewers in over 33 countries, helping amateur cooks to realise their food dreams, and now it’s your opportunity to become South Africa’s king or queen of the kitchen.

The former SA Chefs' Association vice-president and Sunday Times' 2008 Chef of the Year has been appointed culinary producer for the show and has already begun acquiring the ingredients and equipment for the programme, which will start airing on M-Net in March.

"In all my travels the common ingredient is always flavour," said Tanzer. "Some of my favourite dishes are those cooked by my mum - simple, everyday food but always with great flavour."

M-Net and producers Curious Pictures and Lucky Bean Media, who beat 14 other South African production companies to land the programme, have invited amateur cooks in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town to audition in December.

In July, when local viewers were gripped by the Australian version of the show, The Times asked M-Net about a local spin-off. Spokesman Lani Lombard said at the time: "Masterchef has been a phenomenal success globally. In terms of reality show formats, it's the next 'big thing'. When we revamped our schedules in April we decided to introduce an international reality show slot for our DStv viewers at 6.30pm, Mondays to Thursdays. It was the obvious choice to kick off the slot with Masterchef Australia."

This year alone, countries such as Portugal, Sweden, Ukraine, Romania, Peru, Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark, Croatia, Finland, Ireland and the Philippines have developed local versions of the show.

M-Net said auditions would be held in Johannesburg on December3, in Cape Town on December10 and in Durban on December17. Short-listed candidates will be called for another round of auditions the following day. Said Tanzer: "We've spent the last couple of months researching and developing challenges and tasks from across the broad spectrum of local cuisine . It really does not matter if you grill, poach, braise, roast, steam or bake food - everyone wants his food to taste great."

For Masterchef SA, contestants have to be at least 18 years of age by the beginning of next year and must not have professional cooking experience. Prizes and the judging panel are to be announced.