Young South African team heads for the Culinary World Cup
A talented team of young South African chefs is heading for another World Cup – Team Masakhane, South Africa’s national junior culinary team is preparing to compete in the prestigious 2026 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg from 21-25 November.
The nine-member team, all under 25 years of age, was carefully selected through a rigorous national process by the SA Chefs Association. They represent the crème de la crème of the country’s young chefs and have each been awarded their official green and gold colours.
Team Masakhane includes four young black women chefs:
- Unami Binda – Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff (Capsicum Culinary Studio)
- Makgobokele Nchabeleng – Private Chef (Chefs Training & Innovation Academy)
- Loyiso Mlondo – 54 on Bath (Capsicum Culinary Studio)
- Elizabeth Ncube – Saxon Hotel (HTA School of Culinary Art)
The five young men on the team are:
- Callum Condie – Swiss Hotel School (SHS South Africa)
- Ethan Joseph – Saxon Hotel (FBI Chef School)
- Lesedi Morudi – Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff (Capsicum Culinary Studio)
- Phenyo Pooe – 54 on Bath (The Professional Cooking Academy)
- Pholoso Sebola – Marriott Melrose Arch (HTA School of Culinary Art)
The team’s training and support squad includes award-winning and highly experienced chefs led by Head Coach Chef Donaldson Madubela. He is supported by Technical Head Coach Chef Marcus Gericke and Pastry Coach Chef Catherine Adonis. The management team includes Team Manager and Director of Competitions Chef Pieter Malan and Head of Team Talent Mahlomola Thamae.
With just 10 weeks to go, excitement is building and training is intensifying as the team prepares to take on what is regarded as one of the largest, toughest and most prestigious professional cooking competitions in the global hospitality industry. Held every four years, the 2026 Culinary World Cup will host over 2000 chefs representing 55 countries.
Team Masakhane will compete in two main programmes. In the Hot Kitchen, they will prepare a 3-course meal for 70 people. In the Chef’s Table, a themed presentation of three dishes will be prepared and scored on a range of criteria that includes hygiene and food waste, professional preparation, techniques and workflow, innovation and taste.
Coo Pillay, President of SA Chefs, says,
“Team Masakhane is going to Luxembourg to demonstrate that they can plan, create, execute and serve food to international competition standards as a cohesive professional kitchen team. This is a phenomenal opportunity for our young chefs to showcase their collective talent. More than that, it positions South Africa’s incredible and diverse cuisine and culinary talent firmly on the world stage.”
Getting to the Culinary World Cup takes more than talent. Months of intensive training, ingredients, equipment, travel, accommodation, visas, competition costs and many other expenses involved in taking a national team to an international competition all add up.
“Our young chefs have earned their place on the team,”
says Pillay.
Masakhane means ‘let us build together’, which is fitting for a team that reflects the spirit of collaboration and growth that defines the team and the country’s culinary community.
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