The sixth season of MasterChef South Africa was announced on 12 September 2025 and premiered on 22 February 2026 on e.tv.
Zola Nene, Justine Drake and Katlego Mlambo returned as judges, with the number of episodes increasing to 26 compared to the previous season's 20. Filming took place at Atlantic Studios, Cape Town from 3 November 2025 to 5 December 2025, produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios. The season was won by Andrew "Benjie" Benjamin, while Candice Meth was the runner-up.
Contestants
Top 20 +ContestantAgeOccupationResidenceEpisode of EliminationPlace FinishedAndrew "Benjie" Benjamin40Maintenance workerKimberleyWinnerCandice Meth39Healthcare risk management team leaderDurbanRunner-upSimele Shange38EntrepreneurJohannesburgEpisodes 22 & 25Nkululeko Ngubane35Graphic designerJohannesburgEpisode 23Jeshen Govender31Tax consultantJohannesburgEpisode 21Reshoketjoe "Shoki" Ramontja30Social workerJohannesburgEpisode 19Calvin Silson30Business development managerDurbanEpisode 17Ntobeko Dlamini28EntrepreneurJohannesburgEpisode 16Keith Reddy38HR managerBoksburgEpisode 15Phil Munda33General surgeonJohannesburgEpisode 14Joshua "Josh" Lotz25ModelJohannesburgEpisode 11Lesego Motshana24ModelJohannesburgEpisode 10Mahlatse Mongatane23Hospitality studentPolokwaneEpisode 9Karen van der Merwe38Personal assistantJohannesburgEpisode 8Bandile "Bandziva" Madinane31Radio hostDurbanEpisode 5rowspan=2 Myles Heneke35Cultural producerJohannesburgSuhael Raghunath28DispatcherDurbanEpisode 3Ali Sonday30 Senior attorneyPaarlEpisode 2Chanelle Gale38Food and beverage managerEast LondonEpisode 1rowspan=2 Rejane Gwynne50Fashion entrepreneurMalgas
Elimination table PlaceContestantEpisode1234567/8910111213/141516171819202122232425261BenjieINWININ INININWINHIGHINWINWINWININININININININWINWINWININWINNER2CandiceININLOWWINININPTININLOWHIGHPTININWINININWINWINININININ3SimeleHIGHINLOWHIGHININWINININININWININWININLOWWINLOWINELIMRETINELIM4NkululekoLOWINLOWLOWLOWINWININWINHIGHHIGHWININININWINININLOWLOWELIM5JeshenININWININWININWINWINLOWINHIGHWINININININININELIM6ShokiINLOWININLOWLOWWINHIGHININHIGHWINWININININELIM7CalvinINLOWININININWINININININPTLOWINELIM8NtobekoINININHIGHHIGHHIGHWINININLOWINWININELIM9KeithINININININLOWHIGHINHIGHININPTELIM10PhilINLOWINININHIGHPTHIGHHIGHHIGHINELIM11JoshINLOWINLOWLOWINWINININELIM12LesegoHIGHINLOWINHIGHLOWPTLOWELIM13MahlatseINLOWINLOWHIGHWINLOWELIM14KarenININININHIGHINELIM1516BandzivaININININELIMMylesININININELIM17SuhaelININ ELIM18AliWINELIM1920ChanelleELIMRejaneELIM
(WINNER) This cook won the competition. (RUNNER-UP) This cook received second place in the competition. (WIN) The cook won the individual challenge (Mystery Box Challenge, Pressure Test or Invention Test). (WIN) The cook was on the winning team in the Team Challenge and was safe from the Pressure Test. (HIGH) The cook was one of the top entries in the Mystery Box Challenge, Pressure Test or Invention Test but didn't win. (CC) The cook received the advantage of competing against a celebrity chef in this challenge. If they won, they advanced farther on in the competition, skipping a number of challenges. The cook could not be eliminated after this challenge. (IMM) The cook won Immunity in the previous challenge and was safe from cooking. (IN) The cook was not selected as a top entry or bottom entry in the challenge. (PT) The cook was on the losing team in the Team Challenge, competed in the Pressure Test, and advanced. (NPT) The cook was on the losing team in the Team Challenge, but did not compete in the Pressure Test. (LOW) The cook was one of the bottom entries in an individual elimination challenge, but was not the last person to advance. (RET) The cook returned to the competition. (LOW) The cook was one of the bottom entries in an individual elimination challenge, and was the last person to advance. (ELIM) The cook was eliminated from MasterChef.
References