MasterChef SA winner takes R1m

TALENTED: YOUNG BRIDGET WOWS THE JUDGES

- Bonginkosi Tiwane

It only made sense for consumer science in food biochemistry graduate and MasterChef South Africa winner Bridget Mangwandi to test out her studies while competing on the cooking show.

"On the show, I tried a lot of times to actually implement it but the MasterChef kitchen is a lot different from your kitchen at varsity," Mangwandi told The Saturday Citizen.

The University of the Free State alumni was one of the three finalists of Season 5 of MasterChef SA together with Nabila Shamshum and Chanel Brink.

"On the show, I tried to do those bubble dome glass thingies and it wouldn't work because things are just different and the pressure is different, you might even get a measurement wrong."

But there were times when Mangwandi's qualifications shone on the TV show. "For example, the food science episode where I did excel in that round," she shared.

Mangwandi said she uses her qualifications to do a lot of product development testing. "Basically testing these techniques on food; it's not exactly cooking but you use cooking methods."

The 20-year-old said she studies a lot as a way of absorbing as much as she can to better her skill.

"In terms of the cooking, I wanted to perfect the techniques that I learnt and just do my best when it comes to cooking."