Recipe for success
MasterChef SA judge Benny Masekwameng and Deena Naidoo at the screening of the show's finale at Montecasino on Tuesday evening. MasterChef SA judge Benny Masekwameng and Deena Naidoo at the screening of the show's finale at Montecasino on Tuesday evening.
Durban’s own MasterChef SA winner Deena Naidoo is already working on a recipe book to be launched within the next year.
The top South African amateur chef beat Cape Town’s Sue-Ann Allen in the show’s finale on Tuesday by cooking oven-roasted vegetables with a parsnip puree, a coriander-crusted lamb loin with onion and spinach bhaji and roast potatoes, and a complex deconstructed milk tart with warm apple and basil mousse.
The top 18 finalists and their partners were treated to a three-course meal at Montecasino while they watched the 90-minute show.
Naidoo said he hoped to reach out to people with his cooking. “I want to share my passion for food and inspire people to cook and do the things they think they can’t.”
His recipe book will include both recipes from the show and Naidoo’s own personal creations.
As SAs first MasterChef winner, Naidoo’s grand prize is the Mondovino restaurant at the SunSquare Montecasino Hotel in Johannesburg, which will officially open in November.
But Naidoo has no immediate plans of relocating, and will continue to work as an IT specialist at Nedbank for now.
“It’s a stable job and the most important thing is for me to be able to support my family,” he said.
He said he had a deal with Tsogo Sun, the owner of Mondovino, that he would not be required to move to Johannesburg immediately.
“I will use my winning and experience of the competition to be represented at the restaurant,” he said.
His publicist, Ingrid Engelbrecht, explained that although Tsogo Sun owned the restaurant, a percentage of the profits would go to Naidoo.
“He won’t have to work at the restaurant as a full-time chef, but he will be able to recreate the menu to his style and have an influence over the running of the business,” she said.
Graham Wood, managing director of Tsogo Sun Hotels, said the company had entered into a joint venture with Naidoo for a period of two years.
“The restaurant concept will be a testament to Deena’s passion and love for food, combined with our knowledge and expertise,” he said.
One of the MasterChef SA judges, Benny Masekwameng, is also a Tsogo Sun executive chef, and will be on hand to help and support Naidoo.
Filming of the show was completed in February, and Naidoo said he was relieved to finally be able to celebrate with his friends and family.
“I just feel a total sense of relief,” he said. “It was difficult to keep my win a secret for so long.”