Interview with a MasterChef

We cought up with Tsogo Sun Executive Chef Benny Masekwameng, MasterChef South Africa judge, at Col’Cacchio pizzeria in Cape Town. As part of the MasterChef winner’s fantastic list of prizes is their very own Tsogo Sun restaurant at the Piazza at Montecasino equipped to the value of R7million! Assistant Food Editor Johané Neilson asked Chef Benny some questions about the show. Watch the interview here:

More about Chef Benny:
Benny is Head Chef at MondoVino Restaurant, Sun Square in Southern Sun’s Montecasino. This position is part of the incredible prize package for the first winner of MasterChef SA. Benny grew up in Alexandra township in Johannesburg and was lured into the culinary world by his mother. She was a cleaner at a local Wimpy fast food restaurant, but started a catering business in her spare time to supply meals to workers at construction sites in the area.  Benny helped out wherever he could and it’s this early start in his mom’s kitchen that set him off on his impressive culinary journey. In the late 1990′s Benny was educated in Catering Management at the Natal Technikon. After graduation, he was snapped up by the Hilton Hotel Group, where he spent the next seven years working his way up the ranks in the kitchen. In 2006 he joined Southern Sun.
Source: http://masterchefsa.dstv.com/Profile/1461

Tsogo Sun presents MasterChef SA winner with a restaurant!
Tsogo Sun has taken competition partnership to a complete different level, one we have not seen in South Africa before.  The winner of the MasterChef SA reality show will become the biggest reality television prize winner in the history of South African television and will receive his or her very own restaurant!

The winner will receive the ‘right of use’ of the Southern Sun MondoVino Restaurant for a period of two years.  The restaurant, located at the Piazza at Montecasino, is equipped to the value of R7million.

Furthermore, the lucky winner will benefit from all profits made by the restaurant and will be further aided by Southern Sun as follows:
• three month practical “business training” in the areas of finance, human resources, restaurant management, etc.
• the official “breakfast supplier” to the SunSquare Hotel thereby guaranteeing a regular income
• rent free (estimated R2,4million over 2 years)
• naming rights to the restaurant and refurbishment to the value of R500 000.

The top 3 contestants: Deena, Manisha and Sue-Ann