1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: Right, it's time to talk Master Chef. So this is 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: your weekly spoiler alert that if you haven't yet watched 3 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 1: the latest episode and you're still planning to catch up, 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: now would be a good time to just step away 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: from the radio or turn down the volume for about 6 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: ten minutes. I do not want to ruin the experience 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: for you, but I am about to interview the person 8 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: who was sent home at the end of last night's episode, 9 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: So if you do not want to know who that is, 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: please just move away. You can safely come back at 11 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: about ten to three to catch our music segment. Thanks 12 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: for your understanding on that one. Last night, the episode 13 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: was all about the humble onion and boid lead to 14 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: some tears in the kitchen, a number of contestants grappling 15 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: with time management once again. Also issues of overcooking and 16 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: under seasoning in this episode, and in fact, it was 17 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: a double challenge episode. In the first round, contestants had 18 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: to champion the simple brown onion, and then the bottom 19 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: five from that round went head to head in a 20 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: second challenge in which they had to profile three different 21 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: variations from the onion family of their choice. We saw 22 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: everything from soufles to jams, to soups, to tarts, to 23 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: crunchy onion rings, even an onion foam in the mix. 24 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: There In the end, it was twenty eight year old 25 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: to hel Rugenough from Durban who was sent home. And 26 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: it is to hell, he joins me on the line. Now, Oh, 27 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: sir hal, I'm so sorry that the journey came to 28 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: an end for you last night. But thank you for 29 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: your time and welcome to Cape Talk. 30 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 2: Oh lovely to be here. 31 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: Thank you, I'm well, Thanks, how are you? More importantly, 32 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: I'm good, I'm good. 33 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: It's a lovely breath, Professher. 34 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: Okay, I'm glad to hear it, because well, you spoke very, 35 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: very frankly last night about the struggles you've had with 36 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: self acceptance and with self love and belief. And to 37 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: put yourself out there by entering a competition like this, 38 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: knowing that you are going to be under the public 39 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: lens and sort of under scrutiny the whole time, and 40 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: that your mistakes are going to be made on camera 41 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: for everyone to see. That must have taken immense courage 42 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: on your part, So I really salute you for that. 43 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: Was it a decision that you made for yourself? Or 44 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: did somebody else in your life really encourage you to 45 00:01:58,800 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: enter the competition. 46 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 2: It was a sole decision. Initially I had thought the 47 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: competition was would well it wasn't really in my reach. 48 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 2: But surprising I made it to the show. So yeah, 49 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 2: it was a very good giddy up for me. Almost. 50 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: I'm glad to hear that you're looking at it that way, because, 51 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: as you say, but what we didn't see on television 52 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: is the struggle to qualify to get onto the show 53 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: in the first place, from all of the many contestants 54 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: who would have ended. So just being in the kitchen 55 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: I know it sounds like a cliche, but just getting 56 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: into the kitchen is an achievement in itself. That says 57 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: that the judges saw something in your cooking. So hell, 58 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: take us back a couple of steps. Where did the 59 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: love of food begin for you? Was there a particular 60 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: influence in a family member who shaped the cook you became. 61 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: I thought of very young, just wanting to improve on 62 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: the food that I was eating. And it was actually 63 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: my grandmother that had saw something in me at a 64 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: very young age, and she had slowly nurtured that and 65 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: brought that to its standing. As I grew up experimentation, 66 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: trial and error, and I still wholly slowly built my 67 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: set of skills to be able to compete. 68 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: Okay, now those scale skills clearly and created some pretty 69 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: formidable knife skills. So hell, I don't think I've ever 70 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: seen zara as eyebrush shoot up as fast as they 71 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:23,959 Speaker 1: did when she came across your bench and saw you 72 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: chopping onions. Was that something that you'd practiced before the 73 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: competition or you've just naturally acquired along the way. 74 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: So coming from a very long martial arts background, there 75 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: is something that has just naturally just been haunting to 76 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: me over time. You know, practice makes perfect. The thing 77 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: was true. 78 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: Okay, So martial arts background, a family that encouraged you 79 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: to experiment and to work on those skills, and then 80 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: here you are, at the age of twenty eight, standing 81 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: in the kitchen giving it your best shot. And so 82 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: it was clear that you were really surprised to be 83 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: in the bottom part of the first challenge. And I 84 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: was surprised as well, because from what we'd seen on screen, 85 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: it looked like you were creating something that looked very fancy. Indeed, 86 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: was it a big knock to your confidence going into 87 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: the second round, or did you manage to sort of say, well, 88 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: put that aside. I've got to focus on the task 89 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: at hand and just do what's in front of me 90 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: right now, because it was obviously something that it quite 91 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: shocked you. 92 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, in the first round, I kind of went from 93 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 2: having my head in the cloud thinking this is going 94 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 2: to be one of the best dishes that were ever produced, 95 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: and then to be told you in the bottom five 96 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 2: that huge adrenaline dump that happened. I ended up making 97 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 2: a souffe, which was kind of weird because I've made 98 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: one before. You know, where the hell was my mind 99 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: at that time? I have no idea, but yeah, that 100 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: kind of did stumped me being put there. But I 101 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: do slow feel I did put my best step forward 102 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: and gave that second dish my own. 103 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: So yeah, I mean it looked again, it looked like 104 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: it had turned out well. You were commenting that sufers 105 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: were popping out, Well, the moose looked good. It was 106 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: a comment about seasoning. I think that the judges flagged 107 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: in the end, So hell, I mean, in better circumstances, 108 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: you might have been given a particular kind of challenge 109 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: that would have played more to your strengths, and I 110 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: understand from what I've read about you that you're a 111 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: very avid fisherman and you'd particularly love working with seafood. 112 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: In a perfect world, if you had had to select 113 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: your own challenge, I'm guessing it probably wouldn't have been 114 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: an onion challenge. It might have been a fish challenge. 115 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: What would the ideal challenge have looked like for you? 116 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 2: Honestly and maybe a fisherman. But I love. 117 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: Onions, you do, okay, I. 118 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 2: Really really do. And I'm so bummed that, like, out 119 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 2: of everything I could have gone out, it was onions. 120 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 2: Oh that sucks. Like my grounding, my cooking style is 121 00:05:54,880 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: French and onion is one of the most important ingredients 122 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,239 Speaker 2: any constration. 123 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: You know. And ye sorry, carry on, carry on. 124 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, that that kind of sucked, it did, okay. 125 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: I mean we saw you bringing some of these skills 126 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: out and you were talking about your French onion soup 127 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: and talking about making rafts, et cetera. Do you think 128 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: part of the issue is that maybe you tried to 129 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: do too much or too fancy in too short a time. 130 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: I mean, when you look back on it, what can 131 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: you pinpoint where it went wrong? 132 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 2: So time wise, I was perfect, you know, I finished 133 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: on time. I just think probably my idea of how 134 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 2: the dish was going to be balanced was very different 135 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: to what the judges had. So I had also put 136 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 2: well with a French onion soup, you get a you 137 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 2: get a lot of cheese on top. 138 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: Yep. 139 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 2: I had made a parmesan twill parmazan three salty cheese, 140 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: and I had that on top, and so the dish 141 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 2: was under seasoned salt twise me thinking that parmesan would 142 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: provide all to the entire thing. So I didn't really 143 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: want to go heavy on everything else because then I 144 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: would have felt it would be too salty. But I 145 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 2: suppose that was my downfall, Yes, a little bit of thought. 146 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: Sure, it's and it's, it's it's. Isn't it funny how 147 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: often it is that simplest of ingredients which which does 148 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: trip contestants up, not just you for the record, so hell, 149 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: but I hear what you're saying. So you were looking 150 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: at the balance of the overall dish, but you hadn't 151 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: given enough thought to the balance within each component of 152 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: that dish. Okay, So let's leave the onions behind us. 153 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: And I'm sure and every time you look at a 154 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: salt shaker and an onion, you're going to feel a 155 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: little bit of a twinge of something. But so hell, 156 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it sounds like you have experienced this as 157 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: something positive in your life and enjoyed the experience in 158 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: the Master Chef kitchen despite the way it's ended for you. 159 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: When you look back on on on the last couple 160 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: of months in that kitchen, what what are you going 161 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: to treasure as some of your favorite memories? 162 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 2: Honestly, just all sucked of actually being able to achieve 163 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: that mind been able to come that far. You know, 164 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: like we spoke about, it's a long process to be 165 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: able to get there. It's a fantastic opportunity that we've 166 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: been given and it's really just a catalyst that can 167 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: now be used to expand the rest of your life 168 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 2: in this cooking world. 169 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: So how do you hope it's going to catalyze your 170 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: future as well? I'm twenty eight years old, I mean, 171 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: you're still very young compared to somebody like me. What 172 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: do you hope this is going to unlock for you? 173 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: And how do you hope to leverage the profile that's 174 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: given you? 175 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 2: So it has actually unlocked a lot. Yeah, I've gotten 176 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 2: many opportunities from different restaurants that I have approached to you, 177 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: that's fantastic to here, that is fantastic. So I've settled 178 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 2: with a little restaurant out of German called cat India. 179 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 2: Yeah and yeah, so essentially I got my own restaurant. 180 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: And how amazing smell. I'm totally unaware of that, I mean, so, 181 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: I mean that just goes to show that that even 182 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: you know, you've had a fraction of what the full 183 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: Master Chef run is going to offer the person who 184 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: wins the competition at the end, and even with that 185 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 1: small leg up, it's open doors for you to pursue 186 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: the dream of having your own restaurant. That's incredible. 187 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 2: It definitely has, it definitely has. 188 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: I have to ask, what was the first thing you 189 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: cooked for yourself after you got home from from Master 190 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: Chef having been voted after I'm guessing it probably wasn't 191 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: a bottle of fridge on your soup? 192 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: No, I actually I actually didn't. Haven't touched my eyes. Really, Yeah, 193 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 2: it kind of stings to have to try and make 194 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 2: something again knowing the last thing you made to at home. 195 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, sad. 196 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: Well, I'm sure once you're in the kitchen of the 197 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: new restaurant Gate of India and cooking for other people, 198 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: that that that sting is going to become a distant memory. 199 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: So we wish you all the best for that new 200 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: venture and for your future. And thanks so much for 201 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: making time to chat to us today. It's wonderful to 202 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: hear that the stories had taken such a positive turn 203 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: for you, and we wish you good luck. 204 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 2: Thank you for your time. 205 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Keep well please, and happy cooking 206 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: so well. Ruganath speaking to us, one of the contestants 207 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: from Durban who was voted out last night. For those 208 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: asking about a catch up opportunity, look, this was screened 209 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: on ETV, so your options to are to look for 210 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: a repeat on one of the ETV platforms. There is 211 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: one rescreening on Saturdays at five pm, so if you 212 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: missed last night's episode, ETV will have it at five 213 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: o'clock on Saturday on both the free to air and 214 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,719 Speaker 1: open view platforms. There is another screening Saturday evening at 215 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:47,719 Speaker 1: eight point thirty on the E Extra channel. So those 216 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: are your best bets. Madeline and others who are asking 217 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: where to find it if you missed, it is Saturday 218 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: and Sunday Saturday for the repeats, and then the next 219 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: episode will be Sunday evening at six pm on ETV. 220 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: What we know about next week's episode is going to 221 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: have something to do with the concept of nose to 222 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: tail cooking. Not entirely clear yet. Whether they are going 223 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: to be asking those contestants to use everything on a 224 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: tray in front of them or to pick a piece 225 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: of offal, we don't know, but nose to tail was 226 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: thrown into the mix of the description at the end 227 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: of last light's show. You're going to have to tune 228 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: in at six o'clock this coming Sunday evening to find 229 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: out more.