A feast of local cooking shows to hit screens in September

If cooking — or better still, watching others put their culinary skills to the test — is your bag, you’ll be chuffed to know this trio of local shows are premiering this month:

THE ULTIMATE BRAAI MASTER SEASON 7

It’s fitting that the seventh season of The Ultimate Braai Master hits screens in the same month the country celebrates National Braai Day.

As always, teams of two will battle it out through rain, wind and sunshine as they endeavour to show off their prowess at cooking over the coals in various challenges.

Cookbook author Justin Bonello resumes his presenter role with celeb chefs Pete Goffe-Wood and Benny Masekwameng on the judging panel. Also keep an eye out for Sunday Times food editor Hilary Biller who features as a guest judge.

Apart from creative braaiing — there are great successes and disasters — this instalment of the series will highlight all the Eastern Cape has to offer.

“We wanted locations that would test both the contestant’s resilience and cooking ability,” said Bonello of the decision to film in and around Nelson Mandela Bay.

• Season 7 of 'The Ultimate Braai Master' premieres on e-TV on September 25 at 6pm.

THE TASTE MASTER SA: THE BAKING EDITION 

South Africans are known to be great bakers, and if the sweet stuff is your pleasure in life, the second season of the Safta-winning show The Taste Master SA is for you.

Baking takes centre stage in the competitive cooking show this time around. You can soak up the drama from the comfort of your couch, drool over the treats whipped up by the contestants, and eat with your eyes, allowing you to indulge without putting on weight.

Pivotal to the joy and professionalism of the show are the judges, Zola Nene and Fritz Schoon. Nene is a much-loved celeb chef who loves to bake, while Schoon is one of the country’s most sought-after bread bakers whose appetite for baking was inspired by an apprenticeship with a fifth-generation Austrian master baker.

• 'The Taste Master SA: The Baking Edition' premieres on SABC2 on September 10 at 7pm.

MY KITCHEN RULES SA SEASON 3

There’s never a dull moment when the celebrity judges of My Kitchen Rules SA, musician J’Something and chef David Higgs, get together.

If the promos for season 3 are anything to go by, the third instalment of the show promises to be bigger, better and even more packed full of drama, fun and fabulous food than before.

The best part will be watching how the teams of two amateur foodies — be they spouses, friends, neighbours or cousins — tackle the heat of the kitchen in an effort to produce a three course meal that will wow the judges and their fellow contestants.

Stress can wreak havoc on the best of relationships, not to mention a potentially delicious dinner. This especially true when you know those waiting for you to get the food on the table in the allotted time have their knives out and at the ready.

The teams who survive this “instant pop-up restaurant” round will move on to the “challenge knockout competition” rounds where they wi’ll battle against each other in cooking challenges.

• Season 3 of 'My Kitchen Rules SA' premieres on Mnet (DStv channel 101) on September 19 at 6pm.