KZN-born multi-talented trendsetter Seth Shezi wins the coveted title of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa
The star-studded six-part spin-off, Celebrity MasterChef saw twelve beloved Mzansi cuisine-crazy personalities all cook up a storm and face the heat in the MasterChef kitchen.
The twelve high-flyers included singer-songwriter Holly Rey, Afrikaans actor Armand Aucamp, popular Expresso presenter Graeme Richards, pharmacist-turned-social-media sensation Sinoyolo Sifo, and legendary television personality Prim Reddy, alongside Miss SA runner-up and Miss Supranational South Africa 2023 Ayanda Thabethe, style icon Seth Shezi, Bafana Bafana midfielder Reneilwe ‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane, actor Bohang Moeko, rock musician and poet Danie du Toit, fashion trendsetter Mzukisi Mbane and radio and television star Dineo Ranaka.
Divided into groups of three the 12 celebrated stars put their hearts on their plates in the series’ first four “heat” episodes to establish who will advanced to the semi-final, and ultimately face off in the finale.
Despite facing fierce competitors, gnawing nerves and a photo finish in the final, stylish KZN-born content creator Seth Shezi reigned victorious, and was crowned Celebrity MasterChef champion sharing the R1 million prize pot with his charity of choice Ladles of Love.
Seth’s unique destination inside his mystery box was Italy, and his three-course in-flight Business class meal comprised:
- Starter: Smoked Tuna Crudo with Avocado and Amasi Whey Emulsion
- Main Course: Million-Rand Pasta with Caviar, Truffle and Crayfish
- Dessert: Pineapple Flambé with Disaronno, Masala Avocado and Chocolate Mousse
We caught up with Seth following his Celebrity MasterChef South Africa win to find out more about his time in the MasterChef kitchen.
What inspired you to enter Celebrity MasterChef, and did you ever imagine winning when you first stepped into the MasterChef kitchen?
It was an honour to be invited by the producers to participate in Celebrity MasterChef South Africa. I am a huge MasterChef fan, and playing for a charity appealed to me. I had no idea that I would do so well. I didn’t even pack enough clothes to stay for more than one episode!
What does winning Celebrity MasterChef mean to you personally and professionally, and for your chosen charity, Ladles of Love?
Personally, it’s validation that I have a palate and food knowledge that I should never second guess. As someone often called to judge or critique restaurants worldwide, winning a globally renowned competition where I had to wear the chef’s hat is a huge stride. For a small, passionate, hardworking feeding scheme such as Ladles of Love, this prize money makes a profound impact and can ensure that we can help feed even more people, especially children.
What went through your mind when you unveiled your plane ticket to Italy inside the mystery box, and what inspired your 3-course in-flight menu?
A mix of terror and relief. I was relieved because it’s a cuisine I love, and I’m fortunate to eat it often as I spend an enormous amount of time in Italy for work. But it was also terrifying because I believe everyone likes Italian food, meaning everyone has an opinion of how it should be done, so the judges would have much to pick apart in my dishes. The menu was inspired by creating a menu that seamlessly marries flavours from South Africa, making them make sense and even elevating traditional Italian dishes. The starter dish I call my masterpiece was meant to provide sensational escapism. It’s visual food porn, while the million-rand pasta was a showcase that humble dishes like pasta can really shine when done right.
What was your most challenging moment during the competition for you, and how did you overcome it?
Getting in my way. I always want to do it all, so I often took way too long to get into the swing of the challenges trying to perfect the concept of the dish, and by the time I’d figured out what I wanted to do, it was often very late, meaning I needed to run around like a mad hatter. Challenge after challenge, I was tossing things on the plate during the final countdown, but I don’t know any other way. The thought process and visualising a good dish before jumping into it is very important.
If your Celebrity MasterChef journey was a dish, what would be its main ingredient?
Asparagus – it’s not for everyone, but those that love it, REALLLLY love it, and it’s very versatile. I bet you thought I was going to say chocolate?
Where does your passion for food and cooking come from?
It was birthed by my grandmother, who used to plant 99% of what she cooked. It created a very close understanding and appreciation for fresh produce and provenance from an uncharacteristically young age. Then, being the eldest of many kids, I often had to babysit my siblings and let’s say they were the real-life Guinea Pigs. I tested my shaky cooking skills on them to wildly varying levels of success – wildly. Then today, it finds me as someone used to travelling internationally just to eat at a restaurant. Now I get to do it as one of my jobs, but for a while, it was purely due to curiosity and the love of it.
Looking back, what has been the highlight of your Celebrity MasterChef journey, and why does it stand out to you?
There was an unexpected level of camaraderie. Everyone wanted to come out on top, but along the way, we found ourselves bonded by our unified love of food and the sharing aspect that food or cooking engenders. This stands out because, ultimately, it’s a competition, so it’s heartwarming to have the contestants rooting for one another.
What was your favourite / most unexpected comment received from the judges?
There were many: They called my last-minute 7-minute chocolate fondant “spectacular / incredible“. Justine said she was most impressed that I managed to take a pancake to Asia during the pancake challenge. Zola called the pressure test lamb dish “the type of rustic that’s worth a million rand“. Katlego told me I “pulled a rabbit out of a hat” when I managed to finish playing my lamb dish even though I’d been lagging so far behind. As I said, there were many, but on the final, Zola said, “You spent a considerable amount of your allocated time on this dish (two hours on a raw dish)… and it shows, it’s absolutely sensational“, and Justine added, “If we weren’t judging for MasterChef, I’d eat the whole thing“. These are just some of the remarks that ring in my head from time to time!
What has this Celebrity MasterChef experience taught you about yourself?
That my hyperactive creative brain is actually a superpower. I used to think I got distracted easily and wanted to do too many things at once, but during the show, it was precisely that sort of mindset that saved me – being able to think on my feet, find solutions at lightning speed when I burn things, or spill or an idea doesn’t work. Having a hyperactive brain meant I was always met with a pivot alternative within seconds, and you’ll never hear me complain about my hyperactive creative brain ever again. But I also learnt that you owe it to yourself to finish the task. There were many moments where I was so behind I could have been tempted to quit and throw in the towel, but I didn’t and finished just to honour the task and the judges.
What was it like cooking in the MasterChef kitchen?
That clock makes it hella scary. It moves faster than normal clocks, I’m sure. Plus, being filmed while you fall apart is a unique experience that begs for strong mental conditioning.
Celebrity MasterChef South Africa was proudly sponsored by Pick n Pay, aired on S3 (formerly SABC3) on Saturdays at 20:30, and was produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios.
The MasterChef South Africa kitchen was equipped with products from: @home, Beko (appliances), Durbanville Hills Winery, Edison Stone (Wüsthoff knives), Setamono Hibachi (grills), Chef Gear (aprons and chef jackets), My Butcher’s Block, and Mervyn Gers (bespoke crockery). Among the other sponsors were LED Lighting SA and YOCO.
Be part of MasterChef South Africa on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Hashtag #MasterChefSA
Connect with S3 (formerly SABC 3) on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Connect with Seth Shezi on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
