Bio
Benny Masekwameng is a South African chef and television personality best known as a judge on the M-Net reality competition cooking series MasterChef South Africa.
Masekwameng is an accomplished chef who wears the Executive Chef's hat at Mondovino Restaurant at Sun Square in Southern Sun's Montecasino. This position is part of the 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 is this early start in his mom's kitchen that set him off on his culinary journey.
In the late 1990s 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 and over a period of five years advanced to the top position of Executive Chef.
Benny has represented South Africa at international food festivals in Madagascar and Jamaica, living out his passion for South African cuisine and promoting the country.
He has cooked for a variety of guests from all walks of life, from heads of state, ministers, members of the Royal family, to local and international celebrities.
He has worked with top international chefs all over the world and believes that his training and travels have moulded him into the chef that he is today.