MasterChef Season 6 heats up kitchens and screens

MasterChef South Africa is back on our screens with season six featuring a new batch of talented home cooks ready to battle it out for the coveted title and R1 million prize money.

The producers of the popular reality programme are promising to showcase 'bold, diverse, and proudly local talent that makes South Africa’s food culture unlike any other'.

Judge Justine Drake says the new season is one of the most exciting yet, but admits that even the judges get a bit nervous ahead of a new series.

ALSO READ: Nerves, nostalgia and a twist: MasterChef SA sends cooks home in season 6 premiere

“Obviously, for the first episode, we're always very nervous; you never get used to it. There are nine cameras, new people and much excitement."

The show, now in its sixth season, has earned its place as an audience favourite on the viewing schedule, and Drake says there's one thing about it that never gets old.

"This, for the contestants, is a potentially life-changing opportunity."

And the show has found itself a new home, moving from SABC3 to E.tv

“That gave us a much broader audience," says Drake, who is also one of the writers on the show.

"I really felt with the change of audience we needed to really make sure that it was edutainment, so it wasn't a load of fru fru."

The sixth season of the highly anticipated cooking competition kicked off on eTV on Sunday with 20 talented home cooks.

Drake says after a gruelling audition process, the selected contestants are a 'terrific' group.

“They really bonded."

Catch MasterChef South Africa on Sundays at 6 pm on eTV (Channel 194 on DStv).

To listen to Drake in conversation with 702's John Perlman, use the audio player below: