Platinum award-winning singer and songwriter, restaurateur and acclaimed food enthusiast J’Something will be one of the two judges on M-Net’s sizzling new cooking reality show My Kitchen Rules SA! Based on the popular Australian format, which had M-Net 101 audiences glued to their screens in the channel’s daily reality slot recently, My Kitchen Rules South Africa will showcase a diverse range of local foodie pairs who will have to cook and entertain up a storm in order to go all the way to the final and win some fabulous prizes.
It will be up to J’Something and his fellow judge to navigate some choppy waters as 10 pairs of passionate South Africans put their reputations and their dining rooms on the line to wow with them with their flair for food. In a contest of sheer nerve, grit, determination and a whole lot of confidence, the teams of home cooks will have to serve up the hottest dishes in their homes on one pressure cooker night. Drama and tension boil up; laughter and tears erupt; and the timer ticks without mercy. With a big cash prize on offer, the knives are truly out. The judges as well as the final contestants will ultimately determine who stays and who gets the chop throughout the series.
“We are honoured that J’Something agreed to step into the role of judge on My Kitchen Rules SA, “ says M-Net’s Head of Publicity, Lani Lombard. “He embodies a home cook who was so passionate about food that he turned it into a career for himself. Not only will he be able to relate to the pairs of contestants on the show, but given his vast experience in front of the cameras as well as in countless kitchens around South Africa, he will be right at home at the dinner tables of My Kitchen Rules SA.”
J’Something (Joao Da Fonseca), who started his creative career as the lead singer of local house super group “Mi Casa”, recently showed off his love for food as the host of his own popular cooking show Something’s Cooking on M-Net’s sister channel Mzansi Magic. J’Something has also previously partnered with notable brands to execute campaigns captivating large audiences and is a regular feature at big culinary events such as The Good Food & Wine Show, headlining the event this year in three provinces with the likes of Michelin Star chefs Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen and Marco Pierre-White, also featuring Reza Mahammad, Jenny Morris and Sarah Graham.
“After being approached to appear on a variety of different television shows as a host, I have finally found a series that speaks to my heart and who I am: a show about home cooks,” says J’Something. “That’s ultimately who I am too; a home cook! I am looking for South Africans who take home cooking and give it a big helping of finesse. People who are passionate about food and people that can simply put love on a plate.”
My Kitchen Rules SA, which will be broadcast on M-Net later this year, promises to serve up all kinds of drama and delectable dishes in some serious pressure-cooker settings around South Africa. J’Something will be joined by another formidable name in the South African culinary world, whose identity will be revealed in the next few weeks. Open auditions for My Kitchen Rules South Africa, will take place between 08:00 and 17:00 at the following venues:
Johannesburg – 27 May and 28 May
- International Hotel School
- 4 Kikuyo road, Sunninghill, Sandton
Cape Town – 3 June and 4 June
- International Hotel School
- 2nd Floor, 106 Adderley street, Cape Town
Durban – 3 June and 4 June
- International Hotel School
- 124 Jan Hofmeyr road, Westville, Durban
South Africans auditioning for the show in these cities will have to prepare a cold dish of their choice to bring with them to their audition. For more information about this, as well as how to get a fast track at auditions and more Frequently Asked Questions, go to www.mnet.tv/mkr
My Kitchen Rules SA is produced for M-Net by Endemol Shine Africa.