South Africa's junior culinary team, hand-picked from top hospitality schools, prestigious hotel kitchens, and private cheffing circles, is gearing up to compete at the 2026 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. The team, known as Team Masakhane, consists of nine young chefs, including Unami Binda, Makgobokele Nchabeleng, Loyiso Mlondo, Elizabeth Ncube, Callum Condie, Ethan Joseph, Lesedi Morudi, Phenyo Pooe, and Pholoso Sebola. They will be competing against over 2,000 chefs from 55 countries in one of the largest and most prestigious professional cooking competitions in the world.
Team Masakhane's training and support squad is led by head coach Donaldson Madubela, with technical head coach Marcus Gericke and pastry coach Catherine Adonis providing guidance. The team will compete in two categories: the hot kitchen, where they will prepare a three-course meal for 70 people, and the chef's table, where they will present three themed dishes scored on various criteria. According to Elizabeth Ncube, the team is determined to showcase South African cuisine on the international stage and prove its worth.
Unami Binda, a 21-year-old rising star in the kitchen at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff in Johannesburg, is one of the team members. Raised in her mother's catering business, Binda grew up assisting in the kitchen and developed a passion for cooking. Her ambition, sharpened by winning competitions, has driven her to pursue culinary excellence. Binda, who trained at Capsicum Culinary Studio, believes that South African cuisine is one of the best in the world and is excited to share it with the international community.
Elizabeth Ncube, a 23-year-old chef de partie at the Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa in Joburg, is another team member. Her culinary career was inspired by her professionally trained grandmother, who influenced her to cook. Ncube has been working at the Saxon Hotel for four years and was invited to audition for the team by head coach Donaldson Madubela. She believes that being part of the team has built her confidence and shown her that as a female in the culinary industry, she can go beyond simply being a chef.
The team's journey to the 2026 Culinary World Cup has been nothing short of amazing, with members citing the experience as an opportunity to grow and learn from great chefs and mentors. The team's focus on distinctly rich South African flavors and diverse food cultures, from Cape Malay and maas to rooibos, is expected to be a highlight of the competition. According to Binda, the team's goal is to showcase South African cuisine in a new light and prove that it deserves recognition on the international stage.
The 2026 Culinary World Cup, held every four years, is a premier event in the culinary industry, attracting top chefs from around the world. Team Masakhane's participation in the competition is expected to inspire the next generation of local chefs and promote South African cuisine globally. With their passion, skills, and dedication, the team is poised to make a lasting impression on the international culinary scene.
As the competition approaches, Team Masakhane is fine-tuning its skills and preparing to take on the best chefs in the world. With their sights set on showcasing South African cuisine, the team is confident that it has what it takes to succeed. According to Ncube, "We will be bringing SA to the international stage and putting it where I believe it should be because I feel people look down on our cuisine, so I feel like now we are bringing SA to the international league."
Key points
- Team Masakhane will compete in the hot kitchen and chef's table categories at the 2026 Culinary World Cup.
- The team's focus on showcasing distinctly rich South African flavors and diverse food cultures is expected to be a highlight of the competition.
- The experience is expected to inspire the next generation of local chefs and promote South African cuisine globally.
