Simele Shange Eliminated from MasterChef South Africa as Top 3 Are Confirmed

Beloved home cook Simele Shange’s journey on MasterChef South Africa Season 6 has come to an end after a demanding pastry challenge determined the competition’s Top 3.

The Newcastle-born contestant, now based in Johannesburg, was eliminated after a challenging pie cook-off, leaving Candice, Benjie and Nkululeko to advance to the semifinals.

A fan favourite from the start

Simele became one of the season’s standout contestants from the moment he entered the MasterChef kitchen wearing his traditional umqhele with pride.

As one-third of the self-proclaimed “Zulu gang”, alongside Ntobeko and Nkululeko, he quickly won over viewers with his bold meat-focused dishes, straightforward cooking style and infectious sense of humour.

Although he openly admitted that baking was not his strongest skill, Simele consistently impressed throughout the competition, securing three challenge victories.

Ironically, his first win came during a baking challenge using what he jokingly described as the only dessert he knew how to make.

His trademark drumroll and enthusiastic “Boom, boom… boom boom!” celebrations became one of the season’s most recognisable moments, while his spirited war cries before challenges added to his larger-than-life personality.

A pastry challenge decides the finalists

The challenge that ended Simele’s MasterChef journey was led by internationally acclaimed chef Nokx Majozi, known as the “Queen of Pies”, who travelled from London to mentor the Top 4 contestants.

The chefs were first presented with an oversized pie containing six miniature pies, demonstrating the level of precision required.

They then had 90 minutes to prepare six identical individual pies, either sweet or savoury, using any pastry of their choice and serving them with a complementary side dish.

Undercooked pastry proves costly

Simele admitted before the cook that he had never made a pie and questioned whether he was approaching the challenge correctly.

His confidence grew when his shortcrust pastry released cleanly from the mould, prompting him to joke that he never imagined he would successfully make a pie.

He presented the judges and Chef Nokx with a chicken and leek pie accompanied by a fennel and apple salad.

While the filling received praise for its comforting flavours, the pastry ultimately proved to be his downfall.

Judge Zola Nene said the pastry, particularly the lid, was too thick, leaving it undercooked and difficult to eat. She also felt it lacked seasoning, while the salad required greater refinement.

Chef Nokx praised the filling, saying it reminded her of her mother’s homemade curry, but agreed that the pastry should have been rolled much thinner.

An emotional farewell

The final elimination came down to Simele and fellow Zulu gang member Nkululeko.

Although Nkululeko’s pie had a slightly burnt base, Simele’s undercooked pastry ultimately ended his time in the competition.

The result marked an emotional moment, with Nkululeko securing his place in the Top 3 while struggling to hold back tears as he said goodbye to his close friend.

MasterChef South Africa Season 6 airs on e.tv on Sundays at 18:00, with a rebroadcast on Saturdays at 17:00. The series also airs on eExtra on Saturdays at 20:30 and on eReality on Sundays at 17:00.

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