MasterChef South Africa

Mohammed Haffejee (26), Accountant, Cape Town

Signature dishes: Coconut Panna Cotta, mango caviar, lychee sorbet and crumble, as well as pistachio-crusted lamb, pea purée, fondant potatoes and pan sauce.

Favourite heritage food: Savoury smoked butter chicken; Traditional milk tart.

With his persona of ‘The Suited Chef’, this suave gastronome is a self-taught cook who combines French techniques with flavours from around the world to create his unique dishes. Coming from an Indian male-dominated society that typically reserves the kitchen for women, Mohammed would like to smash the stigma.

Seemingly mild-mannered, he’s an extremely driven perfectionist with a unique culinary persona. At age 8, Mohammed decided to secretly experiment and bake biscuits for the very first time, all on his own, in his bedroom with his little sister keeping watch. He credits his family as his number one culinary influence.