Sisters battle it out to be South Africa’s top chef
THEY might be on opposite ends of the kitchen in popular cooking show MasterChef South Africa, but sisters Seline and Leandri van der Wat are hoping that their bond will inspire them to beat the rest so that one of them can wear the crown of South Africa’s newest celebrity chef.
The two sisters are among the 14 finalists in the show in which ordinary people with a love of cooking prepare dishes in front of a panel of judges in the MasterChef kitchen at Nederburg wine estate in Paarl, Western Cape. The judges are Benny Masekwameng, Andrew Atkinson and Pete GoffeWood.
Originally from Mafikeng in North West, the two say their “sisterhood support system” helped them to beat more than a thousand hopefuls.
“It is so special to have Leandri on the journey with me,” Seline said. “She knows me better than almost anyone else and is really able to support me throughout the competition, whether by cheering me on, or just winking at me when I look back at her.”
The two sisters are also hoping to succeed in the competition to honour their mother, who died from cancer when they were in their teens.
“There are particular moments during the competition when I wish I could just hear her speak words of encouragement. She was always excited about our adventures,” said Leandri.
If there is one challenge the two will have to meet, it will be the battle to cook meat “perfectly”.
“I am really nervous when I prepare meat. Either my dad or Seline have generally prepared the meat in the past while I do side dishes,” said Leandri.
Seline agreed that preparing meat was a tricky issue.
“My biggest challenge is to cook meat perfectly,” she said.
Their talents are not limited to the kitchen. Brainy and smart, Seline, 26, has a degree in industrial engineering and Leandri, 24, is planning on finishing her master’s degree in chemistry.
The winner of MasterChef SA walks away with a cash prize of R400 000, a brand-new VW Golf 7, a holiday and vouchers. The two, however, already have plans for a book.
“Post MasterChef, I would love to write a cookbook with Leandri. We have some great ideas and I think the combination of our styles and repertoires will make for very interesting reading,” said Seline.
Watch MasterChef South Africa on Tuesday and Wednesday evening on M-Net channel 101.