We had the pleasure of celebrating Bridget Mangwandi, the winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 5. As the youngest winner and the first black woman to claim the chef’s title in this competition, Bridget is a true inspiration. The beautiful young lady from Bloemfontein joined us at the Primedia Studios in Sandton, Johannesburg, and shared some insightful ingredients to her success.
“What inspired me to pursue a career in food was an article about my biggest inspiration, Siba,” Bridget said. “In 2016, after reading it, I never imagined I would become a chef. My mom had bought a magazine featuring Siba, where she expressed that she studied food science and technology at CPUT. Intrigued by this, I delved deeper into what food science entails. I realized that there is a science to everything, and it doesn’t matter what career you choose, as long as you learn its core details.”
Bridget recounted her conversation with her mother: “I told her about my desire to study Food Science, which includes Biology and Chemistry, and she was very supportive. Although I haven’t met Siba yet, I hope to one day, as she has taught me how to cook through the screen.”
“I’ve been cooking for about 12 years,” she continued. “My mom is my biggest inspiration. After recognizing my passion for cooking and baking, she started buying recipe books from Spar and Knorr’s ‘What’s for Dinner.’ That’s where I drew a lot of my inspiration. I often found myself asking, ‘There’s not much in the fridge; what can I create?’ This mindset helped me maintain my cooking momentum.”
“One of my signature dishes is quite similar to my finale dish,” Bridget shared, highlighting the different flavors she used. “My final dish was a Parmesan and kale risotto, garnished with butter and green oil, accompanied by cauliflower purée, carrot purée, and apricot purée, all paired with kingklip inspired by my apricot chicken dish, which I adapted for the fish. I also enjoy making oxtail that falls off the bone.”
“The most challenging dish I prepared during the competition was the leftovers dish,” she explained. “It included ingredients and condiments I had never eaten or tried before. I tasted atchar for only the second time in my life, which was an accidental experience on a kota, and I was less than thrilled. The final dish was also a challenge—making choux pastry felt like a gamble. Despite having done it before, the pressure was on: would it rise? If it didn’t, I was ready to improvise and come up with another dessert on the spot. Improvisation is one of the key ingredients in a chef’s toolkit for creating a quick, wholesome meal.”
“I incorporated many dishes and flavors with a South African flair,” Bridget noted. “For instance, I mixed chakalaka flavors into the star sign challenge, adding an extended African flair with jollof risotto, chakalaka, and goat thyme. We tied in numerous African flavors expressed in different cooking techniques.” (As she clicked her fingers and exclaimed, “Mhhh!”) “My favorite African dish was goat. It was my first time preparing it, and I found it both fun and challenging. The result was delicious—it fell off the bone instantly!”
“In the near future, I would love to have my own cooking show,” she dreamt. “Just imagine a six-year-old version of me watching, taking notes in her little cookbook, improvising and learning new recipes. My comfort food is oxtail or a seafood boil. ‘In fact, I’m making that tonight!'”
Bridget reminisced about her university days: “I used to sell seafood boils during my first year. I did meal plans and catered for my mother’s training company, so I had the urge to earn some extra cash. I sold the seafood boil for R280 to R560, depending on the quantity of orders at the beginning of each month, while studying at the University of Free State.”
For aspiring young chefs, Bridget shared her wisdom: “Create your own path and look up to those who inspire you. For me, that includes my mother, Siba, and other amazing industry chefs who have encouraged me to dig deep. Understanding what makes Bridget’s food delicious and why people love it is what will carry you forward.”
“The advice I would give to aspiring chefs is to study, keep that passion alive, find what you love, and build your career around it. This was inspired by a TikTok I watched when I was 16, which said, ‘Find a passion, then find a career behind it.’ From there, we can all imagine building a business and maximizing our potential by seizing opportunities as they come. Always be open to receiving; I never imagined I would be a chef—I initially dreamed of becoming a veterinarian due to my love for animals.”
“Be inspired, learn from yourself and others, and always put your best foot forward,” she concluded. “Accept rejection as it can often lead to redirection. Remember that external validation isn’t crucial; you are the one behind your passion, in charge of your life, and the face of your journey. So, go out there, chase what makes you happy, and watch as the money follows!”
And who knows? One day, you might just find yourself celebrating your own culinary triumphs, sharing your delicious journey with the world!
Written by Sisipho Caroline Nyamela.
