It took a dinner in Cape Town, good friends, her daughters, and maybe a little wine to finally convince self-taught cook, caterer and food stylist Dustine Tobler to enter season six of The Taste Master SA. The peer pressure worked … and thank goodness it did, because what followed was a masterclass in fearless reinvention that’s got us all reconsidering what’s possible after 50.
“You know, I took myself way too seriously for far too long!,” laughs Dustine, reflecting on her whirlwind TV experience. “It’s so easy to get tangled up in the trials and tribulations of life that you forget the big picture. This was my chance to step back and remind myself that hey, life is short, it’s for living, and it’s truly what you make of it.”
Walking into that famous kitchen for the first time was a reality check that even three decades of high-stakes corporate life couldn’t have prepared her for. “Having spent more than 30 years navigating boardroom battles and strategic deadlines, I thought I understood pressure. How wrong I was! The competition brought an entirely different kind of intensity. Something words can barely capture.”
The great egg disaster (and other TV moments)
“What viewers probably don’t realise is how hilariously distracting it can be to cook in The Taste Master SA kitchen. Picture this. You’re in what feels like an airplane hangar of a kitchen, film crew and social media mavens circling you like caffeinated bees, all while firing off questions mid-whisk. And oh, let’s throw in the clock ticking like a time bomb. Stressful? That’s an understatement.
But wait … it gets better. This is TV after all, and what’s TV without a little drama?
“The moment anything remotely chaotic happens, those cameras zoom in faster than you can say culinary catastrophe. Now imagine all of this, and then me, standing there like a deer in headlights, realising I forgot the eggs. Yes, eggs. A fundamental ingredient for my cake. And guess when this epiphany struck? Oh, just as the cake was already basking in the oven’s glow. Cue the panic.
“Let me tell you, if ever there was a moment I wished for the earth to swallow me whole, it was that one,” Dustine recalls with the kind of theatrical flair that makes you wish you’d been there to witness it. “I could practically hear the clock mocking me as I stood, frozen, knowing full well there was absolutely no time to start over. A total disaster in capital letters!”
But here’s the thing about Dustine, she turns disasters into dinner party stories. What could have been a moment of defeat became something else entirely … proof that sometimes the best adventures are the ones that go completely sideways.
Her elimination came during the bread-making challenge, a moment that proved as educational as it was disappointing. “This challenge pushed me to confront my weaknesses and reflect on my techniques. It was a humbling experience but also an invaluable one. Bread making, after all, is not just about precision; it’s a dance with patience, creativity, and intuition.
The art of living beautifully
For Dustine, food isn’t just about what’s on the plate – it’s about creating “an intricate tapestry where every detail weaves into the fabric of unforgettable moments.” Her approach to cooking and styling reads like poetry. “The flavours on the plate are just the beginning. They are complemented by the visual poetry of the tablescape – a curated arrangement of textures, colours, and stories that set the mood even before the first bite.”
This isn’t just Instagram-worthy food styling (though her daughters do roll their eyes at her “cringe-worthy” social media enthusiasm these days). It’s a philosophy that treats every meal as a chance to create magic, whether you’re “an accomplished chef or someone experimenting with pre-cut veggies on a weekday evening.”
Life after the cameras
Many weeks of working seven days a week have led to four casual employees. A catering business, Let Dustine Do It, that’s exploded beyond all expectations. Not bad for someone who was worried about being “significantly older than all contestants” just months ago.
“It feels like a dream come true, a validation of all the effort and dedication I’ve invested,” says Dustine, though she’s refreshingly honest about the physical reality of starting over at 55. “Cooking is tough physical work, and let’s be real, at 55, it’s not exactly the easiest gig to take on. If I could turn back time, I would’ve packed my bags and gone to a cookery school abroad.”
But regrets? Not really. Because here’s what Dustine discovered. “The world needs all types of cooks and chefs and there is a place for everyone.” Her Sunday braai tradition with her husband (the self-proclaimed braai master) and two daughters remains the heart of her week – a reminder that sometimes the simplest routines make the richest memories.
The courage to begin again
When we ask about courage, Dustine’s answer cuts straight to the heart of what makes her story so relatable to many. “Courage, to me, is the quiet insistence that life’s possibilities are greater than its limitations. It’s the act of stepping forward when fear would rather hold you back – a determined leap into the unknown, where surprises, lessons, and triumphs await.”
To anyone “teetering on the edge of chasing their passions or dreams, regardless of age or circumstance,” her message is simple. “Just go for it! Trust me, you might just end up surprising yourself. If I can do it at 55, what’s stopping you?”
Dustine’s chocolate fondant tart
“The middle will remain a bit wobbly”- just how we like our desserts and our life adventures.
Serves: 6-8 people
You’ll need:
For the pastry – 100g flour; 50g icing sugar; 50g diced butter; 1 egg yolk; 1 Tbsp cold water
For the filling – 100g butter; 150g dark chocolate; 150g castor sugar; 75g flour; 6 eggs; fresh berries to serve
To make:
Rub butter into flour and sugar to make crumbs. Add egg yolk and water – form into dough. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
Roll out pastry to line a tart tray. Chill for 15 minutes, then prick base and blind bake for 10 minutes with baking beans. Remove beans, trim edges, then bake for about five to seven minutes more.
For the filling – melt butter in pot, and add chocolate. Remove from heat, add sugar and flour. Add eggs one at a time, combine fully.
Pour filling into pastry base, bake 10-12 minutes at 200°C. The middle will stay wonderfully wobbly. Decorate with berries and serve immediately.
Follow @dustine.tobler on Facebook and Insta.
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Images: SUPPLIED.
