The Taste Master SA Returns For A 5th Season

The Taste Master SA is South Africa’s premier baking competition reality show. Now in its 5th season, the show sees 14 of the country’s most talented bakers compete in delicious weekly challenges that will push their culinary skills to the limit. Featuring weekly guest chefs and unique baking themes, the contest must impress the judges, award-winning chef and cookbook author Zola Nene, and master bread baker Fritz Schoon. In the end, only one can be crowned The Taste Master.

Since its debut in 2020, #TheTasteMasterSA has cemented itself as one of Mzansi’s most appetising culinary reality series. The show puts bakers to the ultimate test as chefs and foodies alike whip up some scrumptious creations in a bid to be crowned champion. After four successful seasons, the search officially returns this April in partnership with Royal Baking Powder.

Meet The Taste Master S5 Contestants:

Richard (37 – Concordia Namaqualand) is a Radio Presenter and Events Manager, his motivation for being on the show is primarily driven by his own ambition and passion for building his brand. He sees this opportunity as a platform to showcase his skills and creativity to a wider audience. While it definitely makes him nervous, it’s that adrenaline-fueled excitement that keeps him motivated and eager to see what he can achieve.

Natasha (24 – Pretoria) is a professional Pastry Chef who enjoys scenic walks, hiking, swimming, clothes shopping, interior design, and fabric painting. Her motivation for entering the Taste Master SA is that she believes that God put an idea in her head, and she’s been pursuing it for almost 5 years it is time to elevate to a new level and not be scared of going big and putting herself out there. Any experience and exposure could help towards achieving her dream of owning a bakery one day.

Renuka (48 – Benoni) enjoys baking for family and friends but says she is not confident. She wants to show people outside her circle that she is worthy of the title of The Taste Master SA. Her dream would be to open a school for those who want to develop their skills as bakers.

Waahid (30 – Cape Town) is a Private Chef with advanced culinary arts, culinary supervision, and kitchen management skills. His motivation to enter The Taste Master SA is to find his way into becoming a celebrity chef.

Rochelle (26 – Ermelo) is a Teacher, Wedding Venue Manager, and a Cook. She started baking when she was 12 years old and runs a small baking business. She bakes wedding cakes and guest gifts for brides, she bakes for her local coffee shop and for family & friends.

Ayanda (24 – Johannesburg) is an innovative and creative baker. She loves experimenting with flavors, but her sweetest spot is when she takes old recipes that she grew up with and revamps and recreates them with her own flare of nostalgic taste with bold and playful flavours.

Priscilla (46 – Alberton) is Self-Employed and is a graduate in Food Service Management. She gives the best parties ever and she is a good DJ at parties and can dance the whole night through!

Rio (26 – Cape Town) is a Founder of Cape Creative Solutions, Private Chef and Content Creator. Her greatest accomplishment is baking for an actual customer base of her own.

Bokang (34 – Johannesburg) runs her own baking business and attended cooking classes in Thailand. Her 2-year-old daughter looks and imitates her when she works warms her heart.

Philip (40 – Johannesburg) runs a small baking business; he is Inspired by his late brother and grandmother to take part in the competition, his passion for baking and the motivation from the people he bakes for. His motivation to enter the competition is his family especially after the loses that occurred in the last two years.

Given (32 – Midrand) is a Human Resources Project Coordinator, with a  unique style for baking, he doesn’t necessarily follow the recipe and he won Robertsons Famous for flavour competition.

Melicia (38 – Cape Town) is a Hospitality Lecturer and her motivation for entering the competition is to prove to herself that she can do this. This is out of her comfort zone, and she feels like she needs to challenge herself in this area. She would use this opportunity to inspire her students.

Moletwa (27 – Johannesburg) is Self-Employed, and her most distinct memory of baking was with her mom. Her Mom had a brain aneurysm and that hindered a lot of her abilities but as a child Moletwa didn’t understand that and asked her to bake her shortbread, but it turned out terribly and from then she tried to perfect it and that is why fell in love with baking.

Phumla (22 – Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal) is a Chef, and she would steal Dough from her mother when she made steamed bread and make her own fire to cook her little stolen piece of dough. Watching a lot of cooking shows and baking shows just drove her to try the things she was watching to taste them.

The fifth season of The Taste Master SA premieres on Tuesday 23 April at 7pm on SABC 2.

Connected with The Taste Master SA via Social Media:
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About Zola Nene:
Zola Nene got her big break as the resident chef on the SABC 3 breakfast show Expresso. Zola’s journey with food started on a trip to England where she found a job in a brasserie in Cheshire for two years, first as a hot section chef and then as the head pastry chef.

After her two-year stint in England, Zola returned to South Africa and enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. She specialised in Food Media in her third year of studies and subsequently worked at Top Billing magazine as a food assistant. In 2010, Zola started her career as a celebrity chef by joining the Expresso Morning Show. She released her first cook book Simply Delicious in 2016 and has a stint of other impressive hosting and judging spots on her CV.

About Fritz Schoon:
Fritz Schoon has always been passionate about food but his appetite for baking, specifically artisanal breads, has made him one of the most sought-after bakers in South Africa. Fritz’s career officially began after he completed an apprenticeship with a fifth-generation Austrian master baker. It was then when he built a wood-fired oven at the back of the old bank building in Stellenbosch in 2010 which eventually turned into the popular Oude Bank Bakkerij.

Fritz’s obsession with bread and pastries has catapulted him into a household name. The baker owns a number of SCHOON Cafés around the Western Cape. His knowledge and passion for baking makes him the perfect addition to The Taste Master SA.