Exclusive: Inside the culinary rise of Katlego Mlambo
Celebrity Chef Katlego Mlambo joined East Coast Breakfast ahead of MasterChef Season 6 to speak on his journey in the kitchen and fatherhood.
If flavour had a face, it might just look a lot like Katlego Mlambo.
This is the man who turned “kasi food” into a fine dining experience that can silence a room faster than the words “Dinner is served.”
Katlego didn’t just walk into the culinary world, he seasoned his way in.
His real schooling may have started in the kitchen with his grandmother, mom, and aunts, but it was at the Silwood School of Cookery in Cape Town where the fire truly began to burn.
Katlego’s rise to culinary fame
Katlego trained under some of the best in the business, namely Luke Dale-Roberts, PJ Vadas and Scot Kirton of La Colombe fame.
However he didn’t just learn recipes; he learned how to tell stories through food.
That storytelling took centre stage when he became head chef at Johannesburg’s iconic Marabi Club, a space where jazz, soul, and mogodu collided on a plate.
It was food with feeling, dressed in fine dining’s best suit. His kasi-inspired cuisine was so unforgettable that it earned him the 2019 Eat Out Nederburg Rising Star Award.
Soon, London’s Kudu Restaurant came knocking in 2022, eager to borrow a little Mlambo magic.
Fast forward to 2024, Katlego wasn’t just running kitchens anymore; he was judging them.
The culinary maverick became the newest judge on MasterChef South Africa Season 5, and he’s making a comeback on Season 6.
Before the nation watches him light up our screens, Katlego joined Darren, Sky and Carmen on East Coast Breakfast for an honest, vibrant and mouthwatering chat about the road that led him here.
ALSO READ: KZN shares how to reduce food waste at home
Fatherhood & fear: “I’m very scared… but excited.”
Before we got into the heat of the kitchen, we had to ask Katlego about something that makes even the most seasoned chefs sweat: fatherhood.
“I’m very lucky to have an amazing partner. She’s been carrying most of the workload, but honestly… I’m very scared and excited. As I’m getting older, I’m thinking a lot about the legacy I have to leave,” he shared.
Then, with a cheeky grin only a soon-to-be dad can pull off, he added:
“The one thing though - my child can’t be a chef. He should be like his mom, a doctor or an aeronautical engineer, but not a chef. I want to retire.”
Michelin moments: A $4000 lesson in flavour
Some people cry at weddings. Katlego? He cried at a Michelin Star restaurant.
“I’ve been blessed to travel the world and taste food from all over - from Southeast Asia to America and London. My favourite Michelin Star Restaurant has to be 11 Madison Park, when I lived in the States. It was number one in the world at that time, and being able to sit there and enjoy a meal that cost about $1000 (R17 337) per head made me cry for 2 reasons.
One - the food was immaculate, and it’s one of the most magical things I’ve ever experienced in my life. When I met the Chef, I remember telling him that this is what I wanna do, and that really cemented my love for food.
The second reason was the bill. It came to around $4000 (R69 355), and I was mind blown, but it was worth every penny.”
Listen to the full conversation below:
The MasterChef journey
Katlego is set to make his return for the second time on Season 6 as a 'MasterChef SA' judge.
As a seasoned chef, he never stops learning, even from the 'MasterChef SA' contestants.
“I learn a lot from contestants each and every day. It’s like a school day every day on set. I’ve actually implemented some of the skills and techniques I learnt from a few chefs into my recipes and restaurants all over. I’m always open to learning, and I think it would be very distasteful for me to not be open to learning from less-experienced chefs, because they have a lot to share.”
Do you think you could be the next 'MasterChef' who takes the title and teaches Katlego a few tips and tricks?
Well, your time is NOW!
Could you be the next MasterChef?
This is your sign to swap your home kitchen for the 'MasterChef' stage.
If you’ve ever been told, “Yoh, this tastes like restaurant food!” then, Katlego Mlambo wants you.
“For anyone who believes they’re a 'MasterChef', you can enter simply by shooting a video introducing yourself and telling us about who you are. You don’t necessarily have to cook or share a dish; it’s all about the person behind the food,” Katlego told us on East Coast Breakfast.
Home cooks across the country can officially apply to be part of 'MasterChef South Africa' Season 6, with R1 million in prize money up for grabs.
Closing date: Thursday, 16 October
Where to enter: masterchefsa.tv
“This season is all about bringing Mzansi to the table, and I’m so stoked to be a judge again on the local version of the world’s biggest and best television cooking show,” Katlego said.
If you’re wondering what will make the judges’ taste buds dance? He’s dropping some hints:
“I’m hoping to see contestants who can blow my socks off with delicious dishes rooted in our own food traditions. I’m a sucker for inyama yangaphakathi, umngqusho, seven colours, braaibroodjies and bobotie; so hopefully I’ll get to taste some of that, with an elevated 'MasterChef' twist, of course. But note that the bar is high because my gogo makes the best!”
'MasterChef South Africa' Season 6, which will celebrate South Africa’s diverse cuisine, will air in prime time on e.tv on Sunday evenings at 18:00 from early 2026, and there will be rebroadcasts on eExtra and eReality.
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