The fourth installment of M-Net’s “My Kitchen Rules SA” debuts this Sunday at 6pm.
The pairings are most interesting as 10 couples compete for the cash prize of a million rand as well as bragging rights to the title.
Aside from the heat in the kitchen, there will be plenty of tears, frustrations and, of course, passion that comes to the fore.
Here are the first five couples serving up their personality and signature dishes:
Azraa, 28, and Waven, 30, Joburg
Married couple Azraa and Waven entered the show, having been huge fans of the show for years – and are now living their dream.
Azraa is a baker and entrepreneur while Waven is a personal trainer. Having cultivated an interest in cooking since high school – where they also met and both studied hospitality – their shared food dream is to open an artisan bakery and café. Here they would make and sell fresh quality baked goods, host special occasions and teach other people how to bake, decorate cakes and cook.
Jessica, 32, and Nicole, 26, Joburg
Attorney Jessica entered to be right next to her sister – and kitchen co-conspirator – Nicole – and to support her in unleashing her “insane and incredible cooking talents”.
She’ll be doing most of her learning in the kitchen – her signature dish of toasted cheese, coupled with an ability to make anything she can cook in an air fryer, and turning 2-minute noodles into gourmet ramen, are more survival skills than culinary ones.
Larcé, 37, and Jabu, 39, Strubens Valley
Larcé learned to cook from her mother and father – so it’s no surprise that her favourite South African dishes are her father’s braaied meat and his curry and rice and her mother’s vegetable bake.
Her cooking style is to produce lots of “messy street food” with plenty of colour and flavour.
Creative agency Business Unit Director Jabu entered the show to enhance her cooking skills but also because her friend and co-cook Larcé forced her to!
She loves cooking authentic, traditional food, basing her cooking on an understanding of flavours, rather than a recipe book.
Martin, 37, and Eddie, 65, Riebeek West
Pensioner Eddie says he can make a great curry from scratch and loves the bigger cuts of meat, like leg of lamb, pork belly or shoulder, with food being one of his greatest passions.
His cooking style is a fusion of the Afrikaner family meals he grew up eating with Indian influences from growing up in KZN.
Partnering with Eddie is his son-in-law Martin, a winemaker by trade who shamelessly says he entered the competition to try to win the R1 million prize.
Mark, 27, and Mbali, 27, Durban
Mark and Mbali met in 2010 when they were paired in Zulu class at school and hit it off – and remain best friends.
He’s a consultant at a financial institution and an influencer and she’s an architect.
Mark entered the show to amplify his cooking skills and challenge himself. He wants to modernise African dishes and give them some flair. Mbali’s signature dishes are traditional Zulu meals like steam bread and samp and beans – and her favourite South African dish is a lamb bunny chow.
“My Kitchen Rules SA” season 4 airs on M-Net (Channel 101) on Sunday from 6pm.