When I switched on the first episode of The Ultimate Braai Master Season 2, I was ecstatic to see an old friend grinning back at me. It actually came as little surprise that Jonno Proudfoot had made it onto the reality cooking show. One of my fondest memories of him was playing a game of Pictionary where the word he had to guess was “fry”…of course Jonno’s culinary instincts kicked in and he spurted out words like “blanche” and “sear”…and he lost.

He hasn’t lived that down, but who needs to when they’ve just reached the final of The Ultimate Braai Master 2013!? They didn’t win the title in the end, but Jonno and his girlfriend, Kate George, paired together as team Coal Play in the 60 day cooking contest that took its contestants on an 8,000km road trip around South Africa. I caught up with Jonno to find out about their adventures on the show that’s stirred up a not only a craving for good food, but for South African travel.

1. How did you and Kate meet? And how did you end up on UBM?

We met in early 2008. I was a casual at a catering company and Kate was the General Manager. She was running a function for about 2,000 people and controlling a staff of about 100. She dominated the staff members, delegated with precision, and served food seamlessly to every guest without a hitch. I thought that was pretty hot. One thing led to another…

We dated on and off and, after a long break, got together again in March 2012. We’ve committed to having an adventurous life together so when UBM came up in Kate’s Facebook feed, she thought, “let’s give it a bash”. After trying to cancel our audition due to a friend’s wedding, the executive producer, Peter Gird, phoned Kate and begged her to audition. We took that as a subtle hint, packed up our braais, and off we went to the PE auditions.

2. Tell us your impressions about the judges, Chef Bertus Basson and Chef Marthinus Ferreira, and host, Justin Bonello.

Bertus is a seriously passionate and brilliant chef. He’s a purist and likes ingredients in their natural form, with as little interference as possible. I found it very difficult to cook for him, because I like experimenting with ingredients. Kate loves his style and found him very inspirational. We also never managed to see eye to eye on seasoning with Bertus (and Marthinus for that matter). One day we’d season loads and they’d say it was under, the next day we’d over compensate they’d say it way too salty. Socially, he played his cards close to his chest so we didn’t get to know him as well as we would have liked.

Marthinus’ taste and opinion on food is very different to Bertus’. We found it easier to please Marthinus as he also likes to play with ingredients (in a more complex way). Marthinus started off as the ‘villain’. We were worried about him. When we got to know him better, he became like a big teddy bear. Outside his hard-core chefness he’s just a really chilled passionate chef running a family business.

We weren’t intimidated by the judges, but we found cooking for them incredibly stressful. The main reason was that they hardly agreed on anything. They’d argue quietly about a brief and then we’d have to go and cook for them not knowing whose opinion carried more weight or which technique or flavour would get us ahead – or eliminated. It was tough pleasing two completely different palates with one plate of food…I challenge anyone to try it!

 
Justin Bonello is like a kid when he’s on the road – all he wants to do is light a fire, crack a beer, and watch the waves crash. He’s as intimidating as a sleeping kitten. Because he wasn’t judging, he could be as friendly to us as he liked without meddling with the plot. He got a real glint in his eye when the contestants were sweating and challenges got tougher. Kate kicked his ass at tennis in Lesotho – the queen of clay!

 3. What gave you the upper hand to get to the final of The Ultimate Braai Master?

Being chefs definitely helped us get to the final. We have completely different styles though, so we fought a lot about flavours and techniques. I think our inability to work as a team cost us in some challenges. When we worked as a team, we rocked. You need to agree 100% with the plan to make it work and that hardly ever happened. We’re both leaders and a good team in this game needs a leader and a follower.

4. What was harder: cooking or travelling together?

Definitely cooking! We love travelling together. We love cooking together too, but not when it’s being judged and there’s R500k and a car at stake.

5. How did cooking together affect your relationship?

In the short term we were very heated and grumpy, but in the long run it helped us understand how to communicate better. We learnt a lot about each other and have a clear idea of how we each deal with stress and how to respond.

6. How did travelling together affect your relationship?

Travelling was great. We both love South Africa and we got to see some great places! Braai Barbie (Kate’s nickname on tour) doesn’t like camping, which made some legs unbearable. Apart from the tented nights, it was a pleasure!

7. At the beginning of the competition, you mentioned that you’d love to see God’s Window and the Kalahari. Were you disappointed that you didn’t see either?

We weren’t disappointed at all. We saw things we didn’t even know existed. When you say you want to see something new, it’s hard to name what that “something” is.

8. Where did you go that you’d never been to – or heard of – before?

Quite a few! We’d never heard of Jozini, Wakkerstroom, Ta Ba Nchu, or Malealea in Lesotho. I didn’t even know you could go pony trekking anywhere. Apart from the places we’d never even heard of, I had never been to the Wild Coast and neither of us had been to Hluhluwe or Villiersdorp.

Tsitsikamma Lodge was a first too. We’ve driven through Tsitsikamma but staying there was amazing. Braaiing at Storms River mouth was mind blowing. The Shark Shack was probably the most austere setting of the trip, with stormy swell smashing the rocks just 50m from our braais!

9. Did anything really surprise you about a place?

Villiersdorp was a huge surprise. It’s an amazing, quirky little town. We spent time with Shaun and Jeanette from the Aphrodisiac Shack, who took us in and made us home cooked meals (we hadn’t seen our families in almost two months by then). Shaun took us up the mountain to look for Buchu and showed us an amazing fruiterer’s valley that is still much like it was 100 years ago, with just a few more satellite dishes and bigger bakkies.

Our minds were blown in Lesotho. It’s the poorest place we’ve ever seen and the people still live the old tribal way, farming for themselves. They have no money, just family and land, but they make it work. It forced us to think about how we complain about things that don’t matter – like slow internet and overcooked steak. The Basotho shepherds are happy if they have enough water and a sorghum crop to last until the next rains.

10. What hidden gems did you find?

Jozini. Everyone thinks they need to go to Zimbabwe to catch tiger fish or rent a houseboat. We got it all in KwaZulu-Natal.

I fell in love with the Wild Coast. Kate always loved it, but I had only heard stories. It is untouched and beautiful. The sea is full of life and the people never stop smiling. It makes people happy. When we got there, all the contestants just started hugging. We camped on the beach at a river mouth and fished all night. You can’t understand it until you’ve been there.

11. What were your favourite destinations?

We both loved Sodwana Bay! It has unbelievable diving and some of the best tuna I have ever eaten. We both agree that our favourite place of the whole trip was the Wild Coast. Warm, great food, lazy days…simply amazing!

12. Are there places you wouldn’t go back to?

Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga. Kate and I won a ‘reward’ and stayed at the Hunt Essential Lodge. They were the worst nights of our lives. The cottage was lined with stuffed animal heads and skins, including a massive lioness skin in the lounge and a mounted Rhino horn on the bar. We had two springbok heads above our beds, watching us sleep.  I called it ‘The Death Camp’. We went on a game drive, but as we drove over the grassy hills the animals bolted, because the bakkie means death. I don’t mind hunting for food, but we are conservationists at heart and trophy hunting upsets us.

13. Of all the places you visited, which would you recommend for:

Romance: The Farmhouse Hotel in Langebaan.

Family: Lesotho pony trekking is really worth it. Kids should see the Basotho culture and experience the raw poverty and dramatic scenic beauty.

Friends: The Wild Coast. Settle in at Seagulls or Trennerys Hotel and have a beach camping night! Sodwana is great if you’ve got the money to dive.

Relaxation: Jozini Dam. Jozini Tiger Lodge has a spa, tiger fishing, game drives, and massive infinity pool for lounging around.

Outdoor & adventure: Tsitsikamma

Weekend: If you’re in Durban, go to Jozini or Sodwana. If you’re in Cape Town, then Villiersdorp.

Long holiday: Hluhluwe or Sodwana

14. You guys drove 8,000km over 60 days. How did you cope with the stop-start travelling?

In the beginning it was tough driving in a convoy of 15 cars and the travelling was slow. As the teams thinned out and we got used to the rules and time in the car, we used the time to chat, bond, strategise, and enjoy our surroundings.

15. What advice do you have for people who want to try a similar road trip?

Buy your own snacks in the big towns and carry a cooler box with lots of water, biltong, and nuts. Have beers if you’re not driving.

16. You surely grew tired of unpacking and repacking. What 3 items couldn’t you have gone without? 

Camping chairs, iPod, and a braai that fitted over our spare wheel. Headlamps also saved us a number of times. We packed well and nothing went unused – not even my Frisbee.

17. Are there any significant lessons you’re taking away?

The camera operators showed us how to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings. We called them professional beauty capturers. An underlying plot for the show was eating what’s available and sustainable – in other words, local. SASSI, WWF, and the crew made us aware of what we eat and how it affects the environment.

18. Now that the show is over, where to from here?

Kate is continuing to grow her business and settle down, with a new found appreciation for our country and the people we live with. I’m preparing for my next adventure – swimming from Mozambique to Madagascar in March 2014.

19. What advice do you have for next season’s contestants?

Listen very carefully to the brief. Practice cooking on a fire and practice all cooking methods – direct, indirect heat, slow braaing, potjie etc. Study Justin’s books, because they’re packed with clues. Finally, the rarity/doneness of the protein is by far the most important element of every challenge – don’t waste time on fancy accompaniments. Well-cooked simplicity beats fancy food every time!

Well done Jonno and Kate for making it to the final of The Ultimate Braai master Season 2. And congratulations to team goodBetterBRAAI for taking home the title! If their adventure has made you keen for your own road trip across South Africa, visit LekkeSlaap to find the perfect places to stay along the roads less travelled!

Images credited to Cooked in Africa Films

Disclaimer: This interview was done prior to the release of the UBM results. Amendments were made once the winners were announced on Wednesday, 18 December 2013.