Will you be at tomorrow’s braai-off?

MBOMBELA – “I really hope that I am wowed by the province’s braai masters’ food,” said all-round culinary genius, Justin Bonello.

He will be judging the Mpumalanga Show Braai Off. the first round will take place on 9 August at i’langa Mall and the finals during the Mpumalanga Show at the Mbombela Stadium.

During the first round contestants will need to cook a main course on the grill. During the finals the five teams have to create a three course meal on the braai and pair it with wine. “But only once they have done their shopping at SuperSpar The Grove and completed the 4×4 obstacle course at the Mbombela Stadium in the Land Rovers that will be provided. The quicker they complete these tasks, the quicker they can get braaiing,” says Lindi Botha, marketing manager of the Mpumalanga Show.

Bonello is a cook, traveller, father, husband, filmmaker, urban farmer and entrepreneur. The Cape Town-born chef will be one of three judges for the first round of the Mpumalanga Show Braai-Off that will take place at i’langa Mall on Wednesday.
Used to putting other braai masters through their paces in the Ultimate Braai Master on eTV, he enjoys seeing others rise to the occasion and seeing how good they are, as well as discovering new skill sets and flavours.

“Stick to what you know and do it well,” was Bonello’s advice to entrants. “Don’t suddenly try to reinvent your braai skills ahead of the competition.”

Bonello is not only looking forward to great food prepared on the fire, but also the team spirit, skills, cleanliness and the understanding of timing and combinations. The team that can handle pressure and prepare great food will, according to Bonello, take the day.

Bonello says that when a steak is braaied on a fire, the braaier has eight or nine minutes to seal that lekker braai flavour in the meat.
“But if you cold smoke the meat for an hour or two first, that intense umami, one of the five basic tastes (together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness and saltiness) created on a fire is intensified,” he said.

Bonello looks forward to seeing the best of the Lowveld’s amateur braaiers battle it out.