The show is the local version of the world’s biggest television cooking competition.

20 passionate home cooks from across the country cook up a storm to impress three South African MasterChef celebrity judges – hoping to make their culinary dreams come true. Throughout the season, the contestants participate in exciting yet tough foodmaking challenges that will develop their cooking skills. However, based on their performance, only one of the cooks stay in the kitchen until the end to become South Africa’s MasterChef.

The three celebrity judges of MasterChef SA have not been announced yet. They are all well-known and respected names in the South African food industry.

The winner of MasterChef South Africa will scoop a cash prize of R1m and the coveted title of MasterChef South Africa.

You need to complete the online application form on our website – masterchefsa.tv. Click on the “Enter” button on the home page, follow the prompts and fill in all the fields.

15 March 2024 at 23:59. No late entries will be accepted. 

When choosing contestants for MasterChef SA, the following aspects will be taken into account: culinary skills, enthusiasm, drive, love of food, and a desire to change your life.
This decision is made by the show’s producers, with the help of culinary experts, and their decision is final.

Yes. Entrants must be 18 years old or older on 1 May 2024.

All MasterChef SA contestants must be amateur cooks. If you have obtained a professional culinary qualification or have 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 producers’ discretion.

Successful contestants must be available to leave their daily commitments to compete for 6 weeks (29 April 2024 – 8 June 2024 – exact dates to be confirmed.)

You can still enter if you have not worked full-time in a kitchen as a cook, chef or in food preparation.

You cannot have taught cooking classes or have done professional cooking demonstrations in any capacity, be it casual, part-time, full time or contract, in the last 15 years.

MasterChef South Africa does not require you to enter with a partner.

Yes. You must be a South African citizen or have permanent residence status. You must be able to show proof of citizenship or residency in the application process. No exceptions will be made.

You should be someone who cooks a lot and all the time. You should know your way around a kitchen, have some killer recipes, know how to work with food, and have a few culinary tricks up your sleeve. 

It is an honour to be admitted into the MasterChef kitchen. Therefore, there are many stages in the audition process:

• Phase one – Online entry on the MasterChef South Africa website (masterchefsa.tv).
• Phase two – Mystery Box challenge at the Masterchef South Africa’s audition kitchen

Employees of Homebrew, the Primedia Group, SABC, and sponsors of the show are not allowed to enter.

Yes, given that you disclose all the reality shows in which you have participated.

If you are shortlisted for the show, you also agree to authorise the producers to conduct background checks to verify any of the information supplied. Please note that consenting to these checks is no guarantee of being chosen to participate.

You will only be contacted by the production company for further details should your entry be shortlisted. Should your entry be successful and shortlisted, the production company will contact you within 60 days of receipt of your application.

Multiple entries are not permitted. Entries are only valid if correctly submitted on the entry platform.

Your valid submission of your entry constitutes your binding acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein.

Filming will take place from 29 April – 8 June 2024 

It’s in Cape Town.

The fifth season of MasterChef South Africa will be broadcast from June 2024 on S3 (formerly known as SABC 3). The exact screening dates and times will be communicated later.

You are required to bring your own clothes for the production.

If the producers shortlist you, you must be prepared to undergo psychological and medical screenings. Please note that the full details of this will be explained to you in advance.

You do not have editorial control of the content. The producers’ decision on what to include in the show is final, but we will only ever use material provided to us by the participants.

Yes, you have to participate in every MasterChef South Africa culinary challenge.

No, but a stipend will be issued for time away from home.

The producers will pay for your flight if you are selected as one of the 20 finalists and do not live in Cape Town. During filming, all the finalists will stay at the accommodation provided by the producers. 

Yes, you may.