It’s been announced and there’s not a moment to spare!
Auditions are:
• Johannesburg: Saturday, 27 October at Montecasino
• Durban: Sunday, 04 November at Suncoast
• Cape Town: Saturday, 10 November at Southern Sun Cullinan
See below more FAQ’s straight from the official DSTV Masterchef site.
1. What is MasterChef SA?
Answer: MasterChef South Africa is a reality cooking competition. This popular entertainment show has thrilled viewers in over 33 countries helping amateur cooks realize their food dreams. Thousands of hopefuls will cook for the chance to be a part of the MasterChef kitchen. They will be scrutinized by South Africa’s leading culinary experts as they battle it out for the title of MasterChef.
2. How old must I be to enter?
Answer: 18 years old on the day of your audition.
3. Can anyone enter?
Answer: Yes, anyone over 18 who is a South African citizen or resident. You must have a green South African ID book to enter.
4. Can we enter as a team/couple?
Answer: No
5. Where will auditions be held?
Answer: Auditions will be held in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town on the following dates, at the following venues:
• Johannesburg: Saturday, 27 October at Montecasino
• Durban: Sunday, 04 November at Suncoast
• Cape Town: Saturday, 10 November at Southern Sun Cullinan
6. How do I enter?
Answer: You must download and print out a recipe template for your audition dish online by clicking here and follow the easy steps. Once you’ve perfected your recipe for your COLD audition dish, please fill out the recipe template and bring it with you to your audition. If you are not able to download and print the template, don’t worry! We will have templates at the venues on the day for you to fill out as well.
7. How does the selection process work?
Answer: You will be asked to prepare a cold dish which will be tasted by a member of a professional preliminary judging panel. Based on this dish you will either progress further in the audition process or not. All preliminary judges are SACA certified. [SACA – South African Chefs Association]
There are certain requirements for the cold dish as stipulated below:
• Bring all products in an insulated cooler to maintain the cold chain.
• Products not suitably chilled will result in the judges not tasting your dish; which could mean disqualification.
• Transport all food products in plastic containers.
• Glass containers will not be allowed in the competition area.
• Present your dish on a plain white plate that you have brought with you.
• NO actual cooking is allowed; the dish must be a cold dish.
• All that is required of you is to plate the food on the dish and then present to the judges within the time limit given.
8. Who are the judges?
Answer: All preliminary judges for Day 1 of auditions are SACA certified professionals, but will remain anonymous. The judges on the show are Benny Masekwameng, Andrew Atkinson and Pete Goffe-Wood.
9. How long will the audition take?
Answer: You need to be able to make yourself available for the entire day, since we cannot predict exactly how long queues will be, but the actual auditioning process will take a few hours. Contestants must also be able to make themselves available for call-back auditions the next day. The MasterChef SA team has tried where possible to ensure that all auditions take place over a weekend. Auditions will close at 17:00 each day, unless otherwise advertised on the day.
10. Where can I get more info?
Answer: The MasterChef SA website, also join the community on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
11. How will I know if I am a contestant?
Answer: An interviewer especially appointed by the production team will call you. But you will only hear from us if you are invited to an audition. Unsuccessful contestants will not be contacted.
12. How do you choose the contestants?
Answer: When choosing contestants for MasterChef SA the following aspects will be taken into account: culinary skill, enthusiasm, drive, love of food, desire to change your life. This decision is made by the producers of the show, with the help of culinary experts, and their decision is final.
13. I am vegan/vegetarian/Jewish/Muslim/Hindu, am I still able to enter?
Answer: As with MasterChef all over the world, MasterChef SA aims to truly reflect the cultures, regions and diverse communities of South Africa, and to involve all aspects of the country’s cuisine in making the show. Therefore contestants will at times be required to prepare dishes that include among others pork, meat, shellfish, nuts and alcohol.
14. I have done a cooking course, can I still enter?
Answer: All MasterChef SA contestants must be amateur cooks. If you have previous professional or semi-professional kitchen experience that the producers think could give you an unfair advantage you will not be allowed to enter. This is entirely at the producer’s discretion.
15. Do I have to quit my job?
Answer: Successful contestants will need to be available to leave their daily commitments to compete for 3 months at the beginning of 2013. (January – March 2013 – exact dates to be confirmed.)
16. I worked as a waiter can I still enter?
Answer: As long as you have not worked full-time in a kitchen as a cook, chef or in food preparation you can still enter.
17. I teach a cooking course, can I still enter?
Answer: You cannot have taught cooking classes or have done cooking demonstrations or food preparation in any capacity be it casual, part time, full time or contract in the last 15 years.
18. What prizes does the winner of MasterChef SA receive?
Answer: The full prize package of MasterChef SA will be announced at a later date.