MASTERCHEF SOUTH AFRICA
CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF CONTESTANTS

Holly Wasserfall, professionally known as Holly Rey is a South African singer/songwriter born and raised in Westville KZN.  She signed her first publishing deal with Sony at age 14.  During lockdown she hosted an Instagram cooking show and has since bagged a show called Cooking with the Reys, with her 9 year old adopted sister Mimi.  Baking in Holly’s household was something taught at an early age, so the 2 sisters have spent many years in the kitchen together.

Prim’s career as a continuity TV presenter started in 1992 on the show ‘Impressions.’  She would soon become a recognisable face across the entire SABC bouquet. Her career as a continuity presenter spanned over 16 years and she indicates her fondest memory as being part of the transition when Nelson Mandela walked down from a Boeing at a channel launch party. She has now published an award winning Cookbook with Chef Niranj Pather called Temptations and has opened a restaurant called Indian Chapter in Bloubergstrand.

Yeye’s skill stretches to the Kitchen So confident is Reneilwe Letsholonyane in his culinary skills that he has challenged fellow footballers in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to a cook-off.
Yeye, enjoys spending his days at home in the kitchen cooking for his two kids, daughter Keneilwe and son Thato
“I enjoy cooking for my family,” he said.  “I can whip up many dishes but my favourite are dishes that include fish or chicken.
“It’s a way of de-stressing, it’s a way of taking the mind off football and focussing on making the best tasting food.
“I think I would win if there was a cooking competition in the PSL.
“And my skills in the kitchen are not just limited to the pot, I also like baking and being creative with food.”

Ayanda Thabethe was named Miss South Africa 2022 runner-up at the Miss South Africa pageant which was held in Pretoria on 13 August 2022. She also represented SA in Poland where she won Miss Supranational 2023. She’s a model / Influencer .She studied Dietetics and Human Nutrition (note, this is not culinary studies or chef related at all!).  Errieda watched a few interviews and she is bubbly and warm and you can see why she won People’s Choice. She loves anything potato and describes herself as vibrant, energetic and captivating. She works in a hospital and aspires to own her own practise.

Armand is a TV, Film and Stage Actor known for Die Boekklub, One Piece, Warriors and The Book of Negros.  He completed his training at City Varisty School of Media and Creative Arts and speaks Afrikaans, English and French.  He is a published cookbook author (Nude Food).  The book consists of 50 banting and keto friendly dishes.  He is also the founder of South Africa’s largest dating app, KOER.

Seth has a podcast called Breaking Eggs with Seth Shezi. @breakingeggs_podcast. On his podcast he talks to many well-known local and international people in the business world, food world, GQ’s editor, big names in the fashion world. Even with Stanley Gabriel, CEO of Momentum Investo. “The Diary of an Unconventional CEO”
He is on the committee of @littlegigfestival held in Kenya. Taste Hunter for The World’s 50 Best restaurant and World’s 50 best hotels.
Strategist for @sohohouse and involved with obsidianstudio20 – here and in Britain.
He is dashing; and a true epicurean, but also cooks with great enthusiasm.

Graeme is a presenter, actor, top-tier voice over artist, event MC, online influencer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Graeme’s work has given him the opportunity to travel to great destinations like New York, Zanzibar and to the village of Ashington in the UK where his wife comes from.  He has a passion for healthy, tasty food and he likes to share his recipes on various platforms.

Mzukisi is the Founder and Creative Director at Imprint ZA https://www.instagram.com/imprint_za/ which is a fashion brand that is influenced by both vintage and streetwear.  The brand is driven by its key ethos “Leave a mark,” which speaks to always believing in yourself, taking calculated risks and pushing boundaries.  His latest Afro Futuristic range was featured at Johannesburg Fashion Week.  Mzukisi has a high stress, jet setting lifestyle and unwinds by watching series in his well curated home and hosting lavish dinner parties.

Bohang graduated with an honors degree in quantity surveying at the University of the Free State. After graduation, he moved to Durban and settled and worked for two years.
He later moved to Johannesburg to study acting. During this period, he made his first act on Zabalaza in 2013 with the role ‘Victor’. Since then, he acted in many films and television serials such as Ring of Lies, Side Dish, Isithunzi, Housekeepers, Scandal, Isidingo, he made his first international role in a short series The Hot Zone. He also started a modeling career where he became a finalist in the 2013 Mr South Africa competition.

Danie is a rock musician of Spoegwolf and has also established a publishing house called Reenwolf.  He just completed the band’s tour to Australia and is home for a few months as they begin planning for the next tour.  A great amateur cook from a foodie family.  His brother and fellow band mate, Moscow qualified as a chef at ICA and had a restaurant.  He studied History of Wine at Stellenbosch and has an MA in history.

Sinoyolo is a pharmacist from Durban who started during Covid under the encouragement of his wife cooked and captured it on IG, he was such a success that the other day he published his 2nd book, I learned about him from Beverly Dodd, Penguin’s cookbook publisher. It’s the type of fame that Millenials and Gen Z people can only dream of. There’s so much depth to him, unlike 80% of the so-called influencers and content creators on Tik Tok and IG. He’s a celeb inside this sphere where people nowadays get their Entertainment and their news and their heroes.

He is totally self-taught about food and seizes the food imagination of men in a culture where men in the home kitchen are a strange thing.

Dineo is radio personality, TV presenter, actress, DJ and podcast host.  She garnered national attention after Dineo Live on Drive on YFM was a great success. She currently hosts a podcast called Dineo on Sex and Stuff. Dineo lives with a condition called Hypothyroidism and has become an advocate for mental health. She hosted a cooking show called Ishushu and has launched a page on Instagram called The Untrained Chef by Dineo Ranaka