Words & Photos: Cooked in Africa Films
Gourmet bush cook and veteran presenter Justin Bonello, along with a host of notable foodies, local chefs and South African celebrities, turned up at the Indaba Hotel, Fourways to judge the first round of regional auditions for the Third Season of the reality TV series, Ultimate Braai Master on Saturday,
8 March 2014.
Photo credit: Louis Hiemstra, Cooked in Africa Films
Sponsored by Pick n Pay, and supported by Coca-Cola, Renault Duster, Robertsons and Total, the Third Season is set to launch on ETV on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 8:30pm. The Call for Entry opened to the public in December 2013, calling hopeful Braai Masters from all across South Africa to enter online. From over thousands of entries, Justin along with his team from Cooked in Africa Films, the producer of the Series, short-listed 300 entrants (consisting of a Braai Master and a Braai Buddy) from around the country to take part in four regional auditions in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Cape Town during March 2014.
Assisting Justin on the day with judging all the dishes were a team of over 20 local discerning chefs, celebrities and previous seasons’ contestants, including Head Chef of The Maslow Hotel, Dallas Orr; sous chef of The Cube Tasting Kitchen, Darren O’Donovan, restaurateur Steven Maresh of The Local Grill, head chef and owner of Luca’s Pizzeria, Luca Borella; head chef and owner of La Cucina du Ciro, Ciro Molinaro; head chef and owner of Ristorante Ritrovo, Fortunato Mazzone and 5FM DJ Rob Forbes; who judged each team on criteria including flavour, skill, presentation and of course gees!
Despite the miserable weather and the low turnout of only 40 teams, the Gauteng competitors impressed Justin and the judges on the day with some innovative and creative braai meals, ranging from Smoked Pork Belly with Maize Meal Chips and Exotic Mango Salsa to Smoked Springbok Loin Carpaccio to Lemon Crème Brulee.
Says Ultimate Braai Master Host, Justin Bonello "Despite the disappointing turnout, Gauteng Braai Master hopefuls really wowed us with the food they produced on an open fire. This is the first time in two seasons we have selected as many as 19 teams to go through to the second round of auditions. They set the bar really high for the other regions and we look forward to what Port Elizabeth is going to do this weekend.”
The Gauteng semi-finalists include:
• Team Da Vans, friends from Kempton Park, Gauteng: Braai Master Donovan van Rooyen and Braai Buddy Vandre van der Merwe.
• Team Braai Code, best friends from Krugersdorp, Gauteng: Braai Master Allan Ridley and Braai Buddy Jaco van Wyk.
• Team Ala Mofepe, colleagues from Pretoria, Gauteng: Braai Master Freddy Buyane and Braai Buddy Jabu Mahlangu.
• Team Pot en Deksel, a married couple from Johannesburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Bradley Marais and Braai Buddy Vanya Marais.
• Team Sugar and Spice, friends from Johannesburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Celeste Raynard and Braai Buddy Chantel Geerdes.
• Team Sophia Tongs, brothers from Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal: Braai Master Sifiso Masango and Braai Buddy Collen Masango.
• Team X-Men, brothers from Edenvale, Gauteng: Braai Master Blaker Farham and Braai Buddy Gerald Farham.
• Team Afro Thunda, brothers from Chartwell, Gauteng: Braai Master Warren Mincher and Braai Buddy Dru Mincher.
• Team Le Gwaz, cousins from Soweto, Johannesburg: Braai Master Tebello Moiketsi and Braai Buddy Kekeletso Mathunya.
• Team Tong in Cheek, friends from Johannesburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Penelope Rider and Braai Buddy Dee Taylor.
• Team The Khumalo’s, a married couple from Boksburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Thandeka Khumalo and Braai Buddy Jabulani Khumalo.
• Team Old Guys Rule, friends from Delmas, Mpumalanga: Braai Master John Tarling and Braai Buddy Brenton Tyrrell.
• Team Couzzies, cousins from Mafikeng, North West Province: Braai Master Mohamed Raffee and Braai Buddy Muhammed Hayat.
• Team Simunye, friends from Pretoria, Gauteng: Braai Master Bryan Soobramoney and Braai Buddy Ettienne de Villiers.
• Team Charcoal Chix, a mother and daughter duo from Johannesburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Brenda Durow and Braai Buddy Alana Durow.
• Team Mixed Herbs Roasted Chicken, another mother and daughter duo from Roodepoort, Gauteng: Braai Master Donya Laing and Braai Buddy Elma Hepburn.
• Team Sekelbos, partners from Elandspark, Gauteng: Braai Master Philip van Rensburg and Braai Buddy Venessa Kuter.
• Team Kaiings and Afval, a couple from Johannesburg, Gauteng: Braai Master Hercules Enslin and Braai Buddy Santie Mostert.
• Team Simply Sisters, friends from Pretoria, Gauteng: Braai Master Busisiwe Dhladhla and Braai Buddy Thembeka Ngcobo.
Justin and his team of judges will be judging the second leg of the Ultimate Braai Master Season Three auditions in Port Elizabeth this Saturday, 15 March 2014. They will then head to Durban on 22 March 2014 at the Shark’s Kings Park Stadium and culminate with the Western Cape auditions on 29 March 2014 at the V & A Waterfront, the Lookout Venue.
The final 15 Teams to take part in the Third Season of Ultimate Braai Master: Time for Tough reality TV competition will be announced in April 2014, and will be competing to take home R500 000 cash, a new Renault Duster 4 x 4 valued at R260 000 and the title of Ultimate Braai Master 2014. Filming is set to start in May.
