Benjie wins MasterChef South Africa Season 6, putting the Northern Cape on the culinary map!
Andrew “Benjie” Benjamin, whose day job is maintaining hazardous high-voltage electricity transmission lines, has been crowned the winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 6 – making history as the first winner from the Northern Cape. His victory earned him not only the coveted “MasterChef South Africa” title but also a delicious R1 million in prize money.
The inspiring 40-year-old home cook from Kimberley, whom the MasterChef South Africa judges affectionately dubbed “Benjie Baby” – a nickname that stuck with fellow contestants and fans – outcooked effervescent Durbanite Candice Meth (39) in the nail-biting final showdown.
Benjie’s triumph caps an extraordinary journey that began when 20 passionate home cooks entered the MasterChef South Africa kitchen, each with their sights set on the country’s most sought-after television cooking show accolade.
From as early as the second episode, when he snatched the “Dish of the Day“, Benjie proved he was a force to be reckoned with. Never one to make a song and dance about his culinary prowess, the unassuming home cook thereafter quietly secured seven challenge wins heading into the finale, including a valuable ten-minute time advantage.
Among the standout moments in the kitchen was his ingenious transformation of humble two-minute noodles into “Crêpes Suzette Benjette” – judge Chef Katlego Mlambo’s favourite Benjie dish of the season. His winning streak also included a showstopping lamb pie that impressed the Queen of Pies, London-based guest judge Chef Nokx Majozi. Furthermore, Benjie clinched R100 000 in cash during the season’s celebration of Mzansi’s food heritage.
Still, there was one more mammoth cook standing between Benjie and the coveted trophy – this week’s heart-stopping final.
For their final test, Benjie and his formidable opponent, Candice, were given 120 minutes and the run of the MasterChef SA pantry to create a three-course meal that reflected their personal journeys in the competition.
“Benjie is a dark horse,” judge Justine Drake noted ahead of the final cook-off, adding that his calm demeanour was his secret weapon. Zola Nene described him as “laser-focused“.
However, in the ultimate challenge of the season, the usually cool-headed Benjie was rattled when his cooking didn’t quite go to plan.
Benjie opted for pan-fried salmon with leeks and a white wine sauce as his starter, followed by pork belly with fennel and apple purées, mushy peas and a red wine jus. Then, for dessert, he set himself a tall order: meringue, vanilla sponge cake, raspberry coulis, chocolate crème pâtissière and vanilla ice cream.
Initially, Benjie seemed overwhelmed by the intricacies and sheer number of elements he set out to win over the judges. Later, his decision to bake his apples to intensify their flavour ate into precious cooking time, leaving the usually composed home cook nervously racing against the clock.
But when the 120 minutes were up, Benjie had pulled it off.
The judges praised the perfectly cooked salmon in his starter, while his beautifully plated pork belly main course delivered an impressive combination of flavours. Zola described it as “something you would see in a fine-dining restaurant“. His elegant, sophisticated dessert rounded off the menu, which would ultimately make his culinary dreams come true.
For Benjie, winning MasterChef South Africa Season 6 is not only a personal breakthrough. After doubting his abilities and almost not entering, he hopes this historic win will encourage other Northern Cape home cooks to step up to the plate and show the world what the province has to offer.
“We can make great food and compete with the best in the rest of the country,” said the new trophy-holder, known for his dry wit and infectious giggle. “The auntie from Roodepan, the oom from Bergsig in Springbok, De Aar, Kuruman, and the cooks of the Kalahari – here in the Northern Cape, we have so many flavours and unique ways of cooking. Hopefully, my journey gives people the confidence to express themselves in the kitchen, too.”
As for that cool R1 million? Benjie’s plans are typically modest:
“I’d like to do a few renovations at home – and spoil my family, who supported me every step of the way.”
MasterChef South Africa Season 6 kept e.tv viewers on the knife’s edge every Sunday at 18:00. If you missed the premiere broadcast on Sunday, 16 August, catch the rebroadcasts on the channel on Saturday at 17:00, and additional airings on eExtra on Saturday at 20:30 and on eReality 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.
Represented internationally by Banijay Entertainment, MasterChef is the world’s most successful cookery television format (Guinness World Records). Now commissioned across 71 markets, the life-changing show has aired over 700 seasons and more than 16,000 episodes to date. Created by Franc Roddam and first launched in 1990, the superbrand is known and enjoyed worldwide.
MasterChef South Africa is produced by the multi-award-winning production company Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios. The series was once again filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.
For more information, visit the official website.
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