BBC Lifestyle reveals the new line-up of South Africa’s very best amateur bakers competing in its much loved baking competition, The Great South African Bake Off Season 4.
The 10-part series, judged by chefs Siba Mtongana and Paul Hartmann and presented by Lesego Tlhabi and Glen Biderman-Pam, will premiere on Wednesday 9th August at 8pm on BBC Lifestyle, DStv channel 174.
The 12 bakers will take on the ultimate baking challenge and compete to be crowned South Africa’s best amateur baker. Let’s have a look at them, shall we:
Amber Govender
How would the other bakers describe you?
The other bakers would describe me and the stressed one. I was always stressing about everything!
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
I expected the time not to be a problem because I’m quite a fast baker but the time in the bake off tent goes so fast you don’t even realise it.
Chikomborero “Chiko” Chiobvu
How would the other bakers describe you?
The just in time baker as I often left things to the 11th hour.
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
The execution of my showstoppers. One showstopper was such a huge expectation vs reality fail. I still feel the need to apologize to the whole nation of Mozambique for that one 😂😂
Dwight Morton
How would the other bakers describe you?
The other bakers would probably see me as the naughty baker. Also, clueless but very technical. They may have also seen me as the easy baker because my flavours were all simple and not as exciting as theirs were.
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
I never expected the amount of work that goes into producing such a show. Everything that goes on in the background one does not see. I applaud the entire team for their hard work and determination to put together the best show ever.
Faizal Meyer
How would the other bakers describe you?
I definitely think that the other bakers would describe me as the sassy-jokester who brought light and laughter to the tent completely WINGING IT at times of adversity. For the most part motivating everyone to keep on trying and to never give up and just to have an absolute blast while doing it.
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
I expected the competition to be intense and fierce; however, all the bakers were so friendly, welcoming and ready to share tips and ideas on how to make our bakes better. We formed a family-like environment that I wouldn’t change for anything!
Johan van Gass
How would the other bakers describe you?
The serious baker
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
My expectation was that it was a lot of fun, but in the end it was even more fun than I could have imagined
Matshele “Matty” Molaoli
How would the other bakers describe you?
Everyone knows me as the dancing and singing baker!)
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
I thought I’d be as comfortable as I am in my kitchen, quite a shocker when baking with a limited timeframe.. man was I wrong!
Mia Steenekamp
How would the other bakers describe you?
The anxious baker with very high expectations of herself.
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
I knew I was going to be challenged, especially on time, but never realised how I’d be racing against the clock! It was heart-stopping / heart-racing stuff.
Molebatsi Moagi
How would the other bakers describe you?
“The Experimental Baker” as I was always trying new and outlandish flavours and techniques. I am now referred to as “The Flavour King” in our bakers group chat
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
One definite expectation versus reality disparity I felt throughout filming were the concepts around the time limits. Every challenge seemed to pass by in a flash! I could attribute that to being a freestyle baker myself, but the entire environment and baking with an entire crew of production watching every move seemed to prove a lot more challenging than I had first anticipated. Albeit it was an extremely fun and boundary testing experience!
Nomahlubi “Hlubi” Gcilishe
How would the other bakers describe you?
I would probably be described as one of two things: the Monologue Baker or the Last Minute Baker. The Monologue Baker on account that I always speaking to myself during the bake, and I’m not sure my neighbours in the tent appreciated it. LOL! Then— “Last Minute Louisa” was another one I took on. I was scrambling till the very last minute!
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
The entire experience was a whirlwind.
Rizwana Adam
How would the other bakers describe you?
The other bakers would probably describe me as the “Helpful Dark-Humoured Baker”
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
Things won’t go as planned no matter how much you practice!
Xolile Makutoana
How would the other bakers describe you?
A word that comes to mind is “wing it” – which means an Improviser. This was all of us as bakers
Share one thing expectation vs reality of your experience?
Definitely it is not as easy as it seemed – I expected it would be a cruise experience, as this is something we do or familiar with in our lives. In reality it was a competition that required mental discipline, a huge amount of time and dedication. Definitely NOT a holiday 🙂
