Heat is on in ‘Come Dine’, season 6

IT’S AGAIN time to rate those cooking and hosting skills as Come Dine With Me South Africa, undoubtedly one of the favourite cooking reality shows on TV, returns for a sixth season.

The face behind the show’s success is executive producer and co-owner of Rapid Blue, KeeLeen Irvine.

Having caught the past five seasons, one thing remains constant – she unfailingly gets the entertainment alchemy right each season.

With several seasons under her belt, she shared: “Despite it being the sixth season, we are having as much fun as ever.

“I think the reason for this is that, at its core, Come Dine With Me is ultimately a very engaging social experiment – you put four people together, who have to cook a meal and host a dinner party, to impress fellow guests who are complete strangers!”

South Africa’s melting pot of cultures is the perfect recipe for colourful personalities to come to the fore. The first episode of season six of Come Dine with Me South Africa features Gregg, Kelly, Shogan and Janet (aka Miss J).

Irvine said: “The selection and compilation of the dinner party guests is a lot of fun but definitely requires careful thought and consideration.

“Although for logistical reasons, we try to shoot each dinner party within a 30km radius of the other guests, we put people together who, hopefully, are quite different from one another, to see what they bring out in one another under pressured and competitive circumstances.

“For this reason, we specifically look for age, gender, cultural and socio-economic differences to see how people pop under pressure.”

Every season always has one character who stands out.

As for who that could be, she hinted: “Oh wow, there’s load – we have a gorgeous woman, who refers to herself as ‘Poppie van die Koppie’ from the East Rand.

“There are more than a few outspoken provocateurs, ‘flex the pecs’ eye-candy, cleavage for days, cool cats, mean cats, queens of all sort and much more.”

In the first episode that went out on Wednesday night, we have Gregg, a flamboyant and competitive actor/ director; Kelly, a fun but tone-deaf account manager; Janet aka Miss J, an ambitious business development manager; and, last but not least, Shogan, who is a creative and passionate artist/ instructional designer.

“Our first episode gets out the gates with a very melodramatic and pedantic Gregg ‘with 2 G’s’, who’s stuck on dinner etiquette, initially, much to the amusement but soon to the chagrin of his fellow diners.”

As always, she says this season is not to be missed.

“I believe season six of Come Dine With Me yet again serves up a smorgasbord of entertaining and sometimes jaw-dropping dinner party hosts.

“Love them or hate them, despite yourself, you’re still compelled to watch.”

Dave Lamb is back as the witty narrator, with a healthy side-serving of sarky.

For those planning to tune, here’s what to expect: Gregg gets on everyone’s nerves with his pedantic default setting on etiquette, Kelly has a few twists and surprising on her night to host, Shogan takes his menu further east while Miss J serves up a Pan-African culinary experience.

Feathers will be ruffled as so-called food critics make their voices heard.

● Come Dine With Me South Africa airs on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) started on Wednesday at 8pm.

DEBASHINE THANGEVELO