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Written by Season Two of Ultimate Braai Master is under way with the names of the fifteen finalists announced on the Expresso Show this morning.
South Africa’s favourite gourmet bush cook, Justin Bonello, together with General Manager for Marketing at Pick n Pay, the shows main sponsors, Malcolm Mycroft, announced the country’s top 15 Braai Teams to make it into this year’s second season of the Ultimate Braai Master competition.
Fourteen teams won the right to compete over four audition rounds that took place in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. In each audition round the teams had to get past an initial phase of judging and into day two of auditions where they would face a pressure test to see if they had what it takes to compete in Ultimate Braai Master.
The fifteenth team to make it through is the Pick n Pay Wild Card Team, last year that honour went to Gal Power who stunned the judges with their natural flair for cooking and came 5th in the first season of the reality cooking show.
Malcolm Mycroft said:
As a family brand with a proud history of supporting “local”, Pick n Pay is especially thrilled with the way South Africans have responded to the competition’s second Season, and the talent and originality that’s been on display at each of the regional auditions. Ultimate Braai Master successfully combines three quintessentially South African passions – braaiing hearty, local fare with friends and family in the great outdoors. Pick n Pay has elected to play its Wild Card by selecting a semi-finalist team that demonstrated a high degree of originality and spirit at the Johannesburg audition. Following on from the incredible performance of last year’s Wild Card Gal Power team, we’re confident that this year’s Wild Card team will prove that braaiing is as much about the spirit of the braai as it is about creating great meals on the open fire.
Gal Power came 5th in season one of Ultimate Braai Master
The 2013 teams to make it into SA’s toughest outdoor reality TV cooking competition include:
- Coal Play: a couple from Cape Town, Western Cape, Braai Master Kate George and Braai Buddy, Jonno Proudfoot
- Huiskombuis Boys : friends and life mentors from Cape Town, Western Cape, Braai Master Kyle Hodgson and Braai Buddy, Rudy Gibbons
- Berry Bright Food Fanatics: mother and daughter from Robertson and Ashton, Western Cape, Braai Master Nicole Buirman and Braai Buddy Suzanne Nel
- Smoke Sweat and Tears: friends from Fish Hoek, Western Cape, Braai Master Chris Kastern and Braai Buddy Simon Good.
- West Coast Bro’s: brothers from Lamberts Bay, Western Cape, Braai Master Etienne Gersbach and Braai Buddy Hein “Karl” Gersbach
- Boerie Brothers: life partners of 16 years from McGregor, Western Cape, Braai Master Collin du Plessis and Braai Buddy Matt Bronkhorst
- Quince Cooks: married couple from Observatory, Western Cape, Braai Master Quenten Alberts and Braai Buddy Sandy Alberts
- Kasi Guys: nephews from GaRankuwa, Pretoria, Gauteng, Braai Master Martin Sebelebele and Braai Buddy Ziza Masemola.
- Ying Yang: an engaged couple from Pretoria, Gauteng, Braai Master Shaun Cavanagh and Braai Buddy Samantha van Niekerk.
- Mojo: a married couple from Johannesburg, Gauteng, Braai Master Ashok Naidoo and Braai Buddy Jolene Arries Naidoo.
- Good Better Braai: a long distance couple from Port Nolloth, Northern Cape and Windhoek, Namibia, Braai Master Jacques Bester and Braai Buddy Nadia Botha
- Spectacular: friends from Johannesburg, Gauteng, Braai Master Nonkululeko Zibuyile Zondo and Braai Buddy Lebo Thebe.
- Sumting Fresh: friends from Ennerdale, Gauteng, Braai Master Andrew Leeuw and Braai Buddy Nomthandazo Sithole.
- Braaight Brothers: brothers from Cape Town, Western Cape, Braai Master Tomas Cunnama and Braai Buddy Daniel Cunnama
The 14 teams are joined by Pick n Pay’s Wild Card team, Darkies Unleashed, represented by Braai Master, Thabiso Motloung, an internal Auditor and his financial analyst Braai Buddy, Motebejane Mofokeng, both from Katlehong in Gauteng.
For the full team profiles, click here.
Season One Ultimate Braai Masters Tubby & Elaine
Justin Bonello said:
Season One of Ultimate Braai Master succeeded in exposing the rich pool of braai talent that exists at a grass roots level across the country, while also setting new benchmarks in terms of the calibre of food that can be prepared and enjoyed on the braai. This year’s semi finalist and finalist selection has been extremely tough, but I’m confident that the individual talent and eclectic mix of skills demonstrated by this year’s top teams promises to deliver an entertaining and nail-biting TV Series as competitors race and cook their way to securing the country’s top braai accolade.
Supported by Coca-Cola, Standard Bank, Renault Koleos, and BIC Firelighters, the second Season of Ultimate Braai Master premiers on SABC 3 on Wednesday 18 September at 8.30pm, promising to take viewers on an extreme 8000km culinary adventure before culminating in the crowning of this year’s winning team. The 2013 winner will walk away with the title, R500 000 in cash, a Renault Koleos SUV 4 x 4 valued at R340 000 plus a number of other great prizes.
Filming begins on Monday, 6 May when Justin, the 30 contestants and Ultimate Braai Master Judges, Bertus Basson (Executive Chef and owner of Overture restaurant in Stellenbosch) and Marthinus Ferreira (Executive Chef and owner of dw eleven -13 restaurant in Johannesburg) will join Cooked in Africa Films’ 70-strong production crew for the official start of the competition, which will require contestants to self-drive, camp and cook in extreme conditions across 13 remote locations over a 60-day period.
The winning team will be announced in the final episode of Ultimate Braai Master, which will be screened on SABC 3 on 11 December 2013. Some of the most memorable recipes from the Series will be packaged into a second commemorative Ultimate Braai Master cookbook from Justin, in time for Summer.
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