Season 6
The Season 6 winners were:
The Brafia
Ultimate Braai Master is an outdoor cooking show (one of its kind) which features various teams of two, each made up of a Braai Buddy and the Braai Master. They travel to different parts of the country and compete against each other by cooking different dishes on the open flame.
The teams are given different cooking challenges and each week, the weakest team faces elimination. Viewers get to watch the contestants enjoy the road trip of a lifetime, creating beautiful memories.
Hosted by Justin Bonello, the show promises a jam-packed and delicious season with prizes worth R2-million up for grabs.
This year's judges are Executive Chef and CEO of Kitchen Cowboy, Pete Goffe-Wood, and Tsogo Sun Executive Chef, Benny Masekwameng. Teams hailing from Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng and the Western Cape will be competing for the winning title of Ultimate Braai Master.
Season 6 features an eclectic mix of personalities and braai experience, from restaurant owners to passionate cooks, professional chefs and even international braai competitors.
The Host
Justin Bonello
Cook, traveler and lover of life, Justin Bonello is a veteran presenter and producer, as well as founder of one of South Africa's leading film production companies, Cooked in Africa Films. Justin has combined his three favourite things – Southern Africa, food and friends – into his daily work.
The Judges
Pete Goffe-Wood
Celebrity chef Pete Goffe-Wood made his mark on the Cape Town food scene back in the early 90's when fusion food was still a novelty in South Africa. His bold and brave Asian-European- and African-inspired combo creations raised local food eyebrows.
Benny Masekwameng
Celebrity chef Benny was born and bred in Alexander in Johannesburg. He graduated from what is now the Durban University of Technology with a diploma in catering management, and thereafter commenced his culinary journey, which would see him become executive chef at the then Mondo Vino restaurant at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg. He is currently the Executive Chef at Tsogo Sun.
The Teams
Afri Chefs
Colleagues and Friends
Braai Master: Sipho (Jabu) Mahlangu
A professional chef from Soshanguve, Pretoria
Braai Buddy: Tshepo (Pontsho) Kadieg
A chef in training from Soshanguve, Pretoria
Jabu participated in Season 3 of UBM but was eliminated. He decided to return with another partner - the brother of his previous braai buddy.
Baby Cakes
Mother and Daughter
Braai Master: Nora (Baby) Grose
D.A. Councillor from Blouberg, Cape Town
Braai Buddy: Mary-Leigh (Mary) Hewetson
Record Analyst from Somerset West, Cape Town
This mom and daughter team are both passionate about food for different reasons. Baby is a councillor for the municipality while Mary also runs her own business called Home Chef which specialises in healthy, wholesome foods for busy parents on the go.
BBQ Junkies
Brothers
Braai Master: Pedro Devos
Self employed from Strandfontein, Cape Town
Braai Buddy: Devon Devos
Junior coffee shop manager from Strandfontein, Cape Town
An acronym for Brothers Braai Quest, Pedro and Devon were entered by family and friends who knew that their passion for food could take them all the way. Self-proclaimed underdogs, the brothers are proficient at making their own dry rubs for meat and aspire to own and operate their own food truck.
Best Braai Buds
Best Friends
Braai Master: Frederic (Frikkels) Dacomb
Musician from Waverley, Pretoria
Braai Buddy: Matthew (Matt) Berry
Actor from Port Elizabeth
Frikkels and Matt met at university in Gauteng and became passionate about braaing when they discovered that their uni friends couldn’t cook. Matt is an actor and Frederic is a singer, signed to Sony with a group called Serenade.
Double Header
Brothers
Braai Master: Leon Sivalingam
Sales consultant from Springfield, Midrand
Braai Buddy: Israel (Izzy) Sivalingam
Sales rep from Kew, Orange Grove
Leon and Izzy were born and raised in an Indian household and they’ve tested their braai muscles time and again when they cater for their local congregation events with ease.
Dynamite Shortiez
Friends
Braai Master: S Mhlabase (Hlabi) Gordon
Self employed from Saxilby, East London
Braai Buddy: Anam (Nam) Xinwa
Self employed from Dinwiddie, Germiston
Hlabi and Nam share a love for open fire cooking, which brought them together for the show. Hlabi most recently worked as an English teacher in Vietnam and has an entrepreneur dream in the pipeline, while Nam will be launching a township food magazine soon.
Holy Smokes!
Twins
Braai Master: Kathy (Kat) Bouton
Guesthouse owner from Westlands, Port Elizabeth
Braai Buddy: Audrey (Deeds) Atherstone
Kennel manager from Westlands, Port Elizabeth
Identical twins Kat and Deeds are an adventurous pair who have a passion and love for braaing, travelling and meeting new people.
Kasi Coals
Childhood Friends
Braai Master: Thabo Rasimeni
Chef from Vanderbijlpark
Braai Buddy: Gontse (Özil/Neville) Pitso
Admin Clerk from Three Rivers East, Vereeniging
Thabo chose his childhood friend as his braai buddy for the adventure of a lifetime. Each has a passion for food - especially meat - braai and travelling.
All Fired Up
Husband and Wife
Braai Master: Keith Page
Self employed from Lorraine, Port Elizabeth
Braai Buddy: Lee Page
Branch administrator from Lorraine, Port Elizabeth
Lee and Keith have a passion for braaing, good company and each other. This married couple have entered year after year but finally, Season 6 has come around giving them an opportunity to shine.
Sexy Chefs
Friends
Braai Master: Wenzokuhle (Wenzi) Mandiwana
Chef from Spruitview
Braai Buddy: Nonkosi (Pascalina) Vellem
Pastry chef from Spruitview
Wenzi and Nonkosi aim to bring sexy back to braaing. These ladies are looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime and the opportunity to show off their braai and culinary skills.
Simply Cheeky
Friends
Braai Master: Penny Rider
Housewife from Houghton Estate, Johannesburg
Braai Buddy: Busisiswe (Bee) Dhladhla
Chef from Soshanguve, Pretoria
Penny and Bee met on a previous season of UBM and joined forces to make this Super Team. Penny is passionate about braaing and is bringing out a recipe book in the near future. After UBM, the pair are working towards opening a pop-up restaurant in Gauteng.
Street Diners
Colleagues and Friends
Braai Master: Siyabonga (Ceeya) Ngwenya
Chef from Senaoane, Soweto
Braai Buddy: Wandile (Wandie) Baduza
Chef from Katlehong, East Rand
Ceeya and Wandie both work as chefs for First National Bank in Sandton but aspire to push the street food movement to new heights. From fine dining to braai, they want to do it all.
The Brafia (Braai Mafia)
Colleagues and Friends
Braai Master: Corné (Borries) Bornman
Guest house owner, mushroom grower, BBQ Event catering from Brackenhurst, Alberton
Braai Buddy: Kagiso (Mr K) Mpinda
Guest house manager from Brackenhurst, Alberton
Mr K started as an employee at Borries' family business and has grown into his right hand man and closest friend. Corné is an entrepreneur and also the head of the South African braai-B-que team, who compete annually, and the international BBQ championships in the States.