Freshest ingredients and wide range from Pick n Pay power MasterChef South Africa contestants

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A recipe of good quality ingredients and a passion for food will guide MasterChef South Africa contestants from amateur chefs to culinary champions in the television cooking game show, with Pick n Pay as the headline sponsor.

The 20-episode fifth season, which airs on SABC’s S3 from July 13, sees 20 contestants from different walks of life don their MasterChef aprons to bring South Africa’s varied food cultures to prominence using the wide array of ingredients stocked in the show’s Pick n Pay Pantry.

Each cooking station has basics such as olive oil, salt, and pepper and contestants can select any other ingredients from the Pick n Pay Pantry to cook a MasterChef-worthy meal. The shelves groan with everything from fresh produce to grocery basics, fresh meat, dairy, with a freezer section filled with ice cream, berries, and seafood.

The Pick n Pay Pantry’s beautiful wood tones and accent lighting add warmth to the space, showcasing the design of the retailer’s new-look stores.

“While MasterChef is a global phenomenon, the local production is rooted in a deeply South African context, meaning content is accessible and viewers can relate to it,” said Pick n Pay Marketing Director Tessa Chamberlain. “Having the show broadcast on a free-to-air channel means we will have many more viewers cheering for their favourites from their couches on Saturday nights. This aligns with our brand which aims to be South Africa’s favourite everyday shopping destination, serving the needs of all customers. Whether you’re looking for grocery staples like maize meal or sugar and everything else you need to cook a Masterchef-worthy meal, from dragon fruit, exotic mushrooms or sushi rice and truffle oil, Pick n Pay has catered to the changing aspirations of shoppers for almost 60 years.”

“As Pick n Pay promotes sustainability practices across the business, we were obsessed with minimising food waste on set. The overflow during filming was donated to charity and also used to feed the production crews,” Chamberlain said.

To minimise packaging and food waste, contestants decanted the exact amounts of ingredients required in a packaging-free area offering nuts, bulgur wheat, dried fruit and more.

Pick n Pay is an integral part of daily life for Shawn Godfrey, winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 4. “Food is at the heart of our family’s lifestyle, and Pick n Pay features daily with either a quick asap! delivery or pop into my local store to collect some of my favourite ingredients. There is nothing better than cooking with fresh, proudly South African ingredients readily available to help me tackle my next culinary dish.”

The panel of expert judges, Justine Drake, Katlego Mlambo, and Zola Nene will stretch the contestants’ comfort zones during Season 5, as they create everything from signature dishes to complex recipes.

“There can only be one winner and we look forward to seeing who puts Pick n Pay Pantry ingredients and ranges to the best use as they cook their way to claiming the next MasterChef South Africa title,” Chamberlain said.