MasterChef SA catch up: Amo gets chopped in latest challenge

Pippa Hudson speaks to Amogelang 'Amo' Maluleka, a community manager from Gauteng and the latest contestant to be voted off from MasterChef South Africa.

Time for our weekly check-in with what’s happening in the Masterchef kitchen, so if you aren’t up to speed with the latest episode, this is your warning: spoiler alert...

This week saw the top nine enter the kitchen for an elimination challenge – but only seven of them started out competing, because of course Lona and Nabila had immunity, as a result of winning the sausage making challenge last week.  

They watched from the gantry as the other seven first took part in a blindfolded taste challenge where they had to sample cubes of unnamed ingredients and identify them solely based on their other senses. 

Naledi emerged the victor and joined the other two in the safe zone, leaving Penny, Chanel, Amo, Nash, Bridget and Refe to compete in the actual elimination round. 

The challenge this week was to produce tiny gourmet dishes of the kind found in fine dining restaurants – one had to be a savoury amuse-bouche, and the other a sweet bonbon or friandise, which had to include chocolate in some form.  

Some of the contestants really struggled with the delicacy required for such a dish, while others found their time management cost them as they perfected one but rushed the other.  

At the end of the day chef Chanel was declared the winner with her seared tuna crispy wonton cones and dark chocolate bonbon with rose scented mascarpone cream. 

But things did not go so well for Nash, Amo and Penny who were in the bottom three.  

Ultimately, it was Amogelang 'Amo' Maluleka (25) from Gauteng, who got eliminated.

The judges criticised his 'overcooked' quail and 'poorly textured' pastry.

Amo says his love for food was truly inspired by his sister, who lives with epilepsy.

Cooking became Amo’s way of bringing joy and comfort to his family, especially his sister.

'Seeing her smile after tasting my food means everything to me,' Amo shares.

Amo's cooking journey began with a desire to make something special from simple ingredients, a skill he honed in his grandmother’s kitchen.

Amo spent countless hours binge-watching cooking shows like MasterChef and Niel Anthony, expanding his skills and experimenting with new recipes to make delicious meals for himself, sister, and family which eventually got him onto MasterChef SA - a show he loved watching and learning from growing up.

Amo says being in the MasterChef SA kitchen 'reignited' his passion for food but being in the bottom three more than once might have had a negative impact on his confidence.

"I was in the bottom three a couple of times and it plays on your confidence and it becomes difficult to pick yourself up... that's what I experienced with myself... but I definitely enjoyed the time when I was in the top three, team challenges... I actually did well when I think back."

- Amogelang 'Amo' Maluleka, MasterChef SA Contestant

Amo's dream for the future does not stop at MasterChef, his dream is to elevate South African food and bring them to experimental eaters 'in every corner of South Africa.'

"For me, the dream is just to continue with my food and being in the MasterChef kitchen reignited the passion I have for food and looking to open a food truck and elevate South African dishes to the student market and experimental eaters... so I hope to have these food trucks in every corner of the country."

- Amogelang 'Amo' Maluleka, MasterChef SA Contestant

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.