The popular American cooking-show competition Top Chef starts its first South African season at 8 pm on Tuesday 12 July on SABC3. Top Chef is an unscripted show which sees 14 cheftestants compete against each other in a number of culinary challenges to escape elimination and win the title. The Emmy Award-winning series first aired on US TV channel Bravo in 2006 and is now aired in 21 territories including France, Spain, Poland, Mexico, the Middle East and Vietnam.
The show is produced by Urban Brew Studios which has bought the Top Chef format rights in South Africa. “We’re proud to be producing a local version of a hugely successful international reality TV series and audiences can expect the same top-quality production as the original show,” says Trish Taylor, Urban Brew Studios CEO.
Top Chef South Africa will follow the same format as the original show and viewers can look forward to the fast-paced quickfire challenges, nail-biting elimination challenges and the dreaded judges’ table. In each episode one or more cheftestants will be told to pack their knives and go.
The 14 chefs competing for top honours are: Devin Gregory Hogan, head chef and owner at SMAK Delicatessen and Restaurant in Cape Town; Annemarie Robertson, executive chef at Burrata, Bocca & Open Door in Constantia; Hezron Louw, co-owner and chef at the Sumting Fresh Food Bus and Gourmet Street Food Company; Kerwin Buckley, head chef at Durban’s St James on Venice Boutique Hotel; Martine Christian, executive chef at Escondido Tapas in Johannesburg; Tsholo Mbele, a business consultant from Gauteng; Themba Tebogo Bawuti, sous chef at La Mouette in Cape Town; Ayabonga Gope from The Deckhouse in Cape Town; Sachin Gosai, head chef at The National in Parktown North, Johannesburg; Phillip Nel, chef de partie at Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch; Paddy Khuele, chef at Thrive Cafe in Vilikazi Street in Soweto; Kim Crystal Clement, owner of Urban Eatery and Central Pizza in Pretoria; Lebogang Mpuang and Linda Nirina Mazibuko, co-owners of Blackcurrant Food Concepts, an events and catering company as well as a food consulting and training company.
Sitting at the judges’ table will be Neill Anthony and Lesego Semenya. orna Maseko will host the new series
Sitting at the judges’ table will be head judge Neill Anthony, a well-known TV personality and gastronomic guru who’s worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Alyn Williams. His extensive food knowledge and incredible cooking skills make him hot property in the kitchen. In the other chair will be one of the country’s most exciting chefs, Lesego Semenya, who made the M&G’s Top 200 Young South Africans list last year. Not only is he a social-media sensation, but he’s a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. He’s painfully honest when it comes to his culinary critiquing, an essential ingredient for a Top Chef judge.
Lorna Maseko will host the new series. “This dynamic presenter of Top Billing fame was absolutely the obvious choice to present the show. Her love for food, her refined palate, and her effortless elegance made her a perfect fit for Top Chef SA,” Taylor says.
Viewers can follow the show on social media at:
Facebook : Top Chef SA
Instagram : TopChefSA
Twitter: @TopChefSA
#SABC3TopChefSA
The show is produced by Urban Brew Studios which has bought the Top Chef format rights in South Africa. “We’re proud to be producing a local version of a hugely successful international reality TV series and audiences can expect the same top-quality production as the original show,” says Trish Taylor, Urban Brew Studios CEO.
Top Chef South Africa will follow the same format as the original show and viewers can look forward to the fast-paced quickfire challenges, nail-biting elimination challenges and the dreaded judges’ table. In each episode one or more cheftestants will be told to pack their knives and go.
The 14 chefs competing for top honours are: Devin Gregory Hogan, head chef and owner at SMAK Delicatessen and Restaurant in Cape Town; Annemarie Robertson, executive chef at Burrata, Bocca & Open Door in Constantia; Hezron Louw, co-owner and chef at the Sumting Fresh Food Bus and Gourmet Street Food Company; Kerwin Buckley, head chef at Durban’s St James on Venice Boutique Hotel; Martine Christian, executive chef at Escondido Tapas in Johannesburg; Tsholo Mbele, a business consultant from Gauteng; Themba Tebogo Bawuti, sous chef at La Mouette in Cape Town; Ayabonga Gope from The Deckhouse in Cape Town; Sachin Gosai, head chef at The National in Parktown North, Johannesburg; Phillip Nel, chef de partie at Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch; Paddy Khuele, chef at Thrive Cafe in Vilikazi Street in Soweto; Kim Crystal Clement, owner of Urban Eatery and Central Pizza in Pretoria; Lebogang Mpuang and Linda Nirina Mazibuko, co-owners of Blackcurrant Food Concepts, an events and catering company as well as a food consulting and training company.
Sitting at the judges’ table will be Neill Anthony and Lesego Semenya. orna Maseko will host the new series
Sitting at the judges’ table will be head judge Neill Anthony, a well-known TV personality and gastronomic guru who’s worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Alyn Williams. His extensive food knowledge and incredible cooking skills make him hot property in the kitchen. In the other chair will be one of the country’s most exciting chefs, Lesego Semenya, who made the M&G’s Top 200 Young South Africans list last year. Not only is he a social-media sensation, but he’s a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. He’s painfully honest when it comes to his culinary critiquing, an essential ingredient for a Top Chef judge.
Lorna Maseko will host the new series. “This dynamic presenter of Top Billing fame was absolutely the obvious choice to present the show. Her love for food, her refined palate, and her effortless elegance made her a perfect fit for Top Chef SA,” Taylor says.
Viewers can follow the show on social media at:
Facebook : Top Chef SA
Instagram : TopChefSA
Twitter: @TopChefSA
#SABC3TopChefSA
