Car salesman is SA's latest boerewors champ

A lack of experience didn't stop second-hand car salesman Roberto-Rui Agrela from dreaming of taking home a Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 and R20,000 in the Championship Boerewors Competition.

Agrela, from Paarl in the Western Cape, was among the top 10 finalists in the annual Champion Boerewors Competition tournament before being crowned the country’s boerewors master on Saturday.

I took inspiration from other recipes out there, but this was my first recipe. I haven’t made it before, so Thursday was the first time I made it. Today [Saturday] was the first time that I actually tasted my own boerewors. 

—  Roberto-Rui Agrela, Championship Boerewors Competition winner

The competition brings aspiring cooks and food enthusiasts together from around the country to create the best boerewors recipe, which is subsequently sold at Checkers stores countrywide. From 2,358 entries narrowed down to 30, the showdown took place at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Agrela said he just decided to try his luck competing against seasoned chefs from all over South Africa.

“I just took a chance. I don’t work with meat [professionally] at all. I’m just a second-hand car salesman, and I took a chance, and ended up here. And I’m the winner. I can’t believe it.”

Agrela said his winning recipe came together unexpectedly.

“I took inspiration from other recipes out there, but this was my first recipe. I haven’t made it before, so Thursday was the first time I made it. Today [Saturday] was the first time that I actually tasted my own boerewors. 

“Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to taste everyone else’s, but I thought that I’d rather just stay humble, and let the judges do their thing,” he said

Despite his lack of experience, Agrela said he’d always enjoyed cooking and braaing.

“Yeah, I love cooking. I love trying, and I love experimenting in the kitchen with different spices and creating my dishes. But I never thought I’d be a boerewors champion,” he said.

“You know, it’s surreal. I can’t believe it that every time someone goes to Checkers to buy a Championship boerewors, it’s going to be my boerewors in there,” he said.

Asked if he would enter the competition again, Agrela said: “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to enter [again], but I’ll ask them. You never know. But I’ll definitely want to give it a try again in the future.”

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