In a finale that left the nation in awe, Bridget Mangwandi (20) from Bloemfontein etched her name in history as the youngest winner, as well as the first black woman to claim the coveted MasterChef South Africa season 5 title.
In an interview with Independent Media Lifestyle, Mangwandi reflected on her motivations for joining the competition.
Mangwandi explained how her previous catering work had grown repetitive and looking for excitement and growth, she decided to take a leap of faith by entering MasterChef South Africa despite previous competition setbacks.
‘I wanted to challenge myself with something new for the year,’ said Mangwandi.
The finale demanded a two-course meal worth a million rand, celebrating African culinary excellence. Mangwandi’s dishes achieved just that by combining technical precision with a heartfelt homage to her roots.
For her main course, Mangwandi reimagined her mother’s apricot chicken dish, substituting Kingklip for a contemporary twist.
Her plate featured apricot-glazed kingklip on top of kale risotto, accompanied by cauliflower purée, coconut cream and a sprinkle of chives.
However, her dessert stole the spotlight: a show-stopping creation of Italian meringue encasing choux pastry within a shortcrust shell, filled with Amarula.
The judges lauded her aesthetic brilliance, but it was the taste of her kingklip that secured her victory.
Mangwandi opened up about the pressure-cooker environment of the MasterChef kitchen, admitting that the intensity was a shock compared to her usual kitchen setting.
Looking ahead, Mangwandi envisions a future filled with possibilities.
She dreams of launching her cooking show and a product line to bring her love for diverse cultures and flavours into homes across South Africa.
‘Being crowned the winner of season 5 is beyond anything I could have imagined. It’s a dream I’m honoured to live, and I carry the responsibility of representing something bigger than myself,’ said Mangwandi.
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Picture: @bei.szn / Instagram
