By Joseph MosselsonIt was wine-and-dine time on MasterChef South Africa. The remaining nine contestants were required to create food and wine pairings to be served to celebrity guests during an epic nine-course dinner.
Guided by Nederburg’s master winemaker Razvan Macici, contestants were required to choose from Nederburg’s fantastic range of wines; they were then tasked with creating a dish to pair with the wine they chose.
An excited Ilse was up first and chose the Nederburg Winemasters’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. Lungi picked the Winemaster’s Reserve Rosé. Manisha was less than happy when she ending up with a bottle of Pongrácz Rosé MCC, while Khaya found her choice of Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest pretty sweet. “This is the one everybody wanted” she said.
Deena, who admitted that he “never” drank wine, picked the Winemaster’s Reserve Merlot. Sarel got the Winemaster’s Reserve Riesling that Razvan described as one of his “favourite wines”. Jade chose the Winemaster’s Reserve Shiraz, while Sue-Ann picked the Cabernet Sauvingon and Thys was left with the Chardonnay.
After choosing their wines, the contestants were thrilled to find out who they would be cooking for. Joining the judges for dinner were Unathi, Desmond Dube, Breyton Paulse, Ryan Botha, The Wild’s Milan Murray, Loyiso and Cooking with Siba’s Siba Mtongana.
Ilse was up first, pairing her Sauvingon Blanc with Citrus Gooseberry Salmon. She got points for her presentation and Milan said that the dish “really compliments the wine.” Thys was next with a Wild Mushroom Open Lasagna and Chardonnay pairing. But, while his pasta impressed, Loyiso found the dish “a little too oily”.
Despite some earlier misgivings, Pete declared Sarel’s paring of Riesling with Curry Chicken “a delight”. Siba loved Lungi’s combination of Nederburg Rosé and an Ostrich Salad with Fruity Dressing, but Deena’s pairing of Merlot with a Creamy Lamb and Tomato Curry fell flat. Jade’s Poached Fillet and Boccocini Ravioli paired with Shiraz also missed the mark, but Sue-Ann was able to get the meal back on track with her Crusted Beef Fillet paired with Cabernet Sauvignon.
Manisha and Khaya then closed out the meal on a triumphant note. Manisha’s White Chocolate Ganache Tart paired with Pongrácz Rosé left the diners wanting more. Khaya’s Chocolate Fondant with Berry Coulis, paired with Nederburg Noble Late Harvest, was a spectacular success that led to her being declared the winner of the challenge.
Next week, Khaya will face-off against Reuben Riffel in a cook-off that could earn her an immunity pin Meanwhile Thys, Deena and Jade will face the competition’s toughest pressure test to date. Don’t miss it!
Don't forget, you can catch all the action you may have missed with MasterChef South Africa on DStv OnDemand.
