They tirelessly tried year after year to make it on to the hit SA reality television show The Ultimate Braai Master and finally, on their fourth try, Lee and Keith Page have made the grade as contestants.
Now the Port Elizabeth pair will have to ensure their meat is sufficiently spiced and their side dishes super-scrumptious in the hopes of winning top honours on the popular show.
The couple will battle it out against other teams from across SA on the upcoming 2019 season – the show’s sixth – on e.tv. There’s also a second pair of Port Elizabeth contestants in the form of Holy Smokes – sisters Kathy Bouton and Audrey Atherstone.
Created by SA filmmaker, chef and television personality Justin Bonello, creative director of Cooked in Africa Films, the award-winning show has been running since 2011.
The new season will follow teams on a six-week road trip of a lifetime through SA and neighbouring countries in a bid to claim a car, R500,000 and the title of Ultimate Braai Master.
Lee, 35, and Keith, 37, are from Lorraine and their team name is All Fired Up. They said participating in The Ultimate Braai Master had been their goal for years and that they never gave up on the dream. Lee said their aim was to not be knocked out early, and ultimately to win the title.
“We love travelling, exploring and experiencing new things, cooking and braaiing. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime and there is so much to learn and grow from,” she said.
She said the couple still felt overwhelmed following their selection but that it was all systems go. “It still seems so unreal. We’ve been picked for a reason and we are always up for a challenge.”
The six weeks of filming starts mid-September.
“Both our families will be involved in holding the fort and keeping our business afloat,” Lee said. Keith is self-employed, specialising in sound, lighting and audiovisual services, and Lee works for an online company. Port Elizabeth also had a pair of fiery contestants on the show in 2014, in the form of the Fire Feeders. This team was made up of well-known Bay artist Bretten-Anne “BA” Moolman and fisherman Stuart “Smiler” Smith. The Fire Feeders were among the last five teams left on the show before they were eliminated. The 2018 show finished screening in April and was won by team Salty Flames, made up of Chanel Marais and Nick Perfect. They had no previous braai experience but managed to beat professional chefs and butchers to the win.
Social media manager of Cooked in Africa, Bela Pechau, said viewers loved The Ultimate Braai Master and that most South Africans shared a love for braaiing, which kept Bonello and his team doing what they loved. She said would-be contestants had to do an online entry and answer a series of food-related questions, such as what they would braai for Bonello if he were to come over for dinner. They also had to put together a menu. “Justin, the producers and director go through each entry and narrow them down. They then interview those short-listed in person to gain a perspective of personality, cooking ability and availability.” Next they choose the teams for the upcoming season. Pechau said the Pages were familiar to the pre-production team as they had always been among the entries in recent years.
“They visited the set at the [start of the] last season in Cape St Francis, which was a real treat for them and us because their enthusiasm for the show and braaiing in general are very evident,” Pechau said.
Viewers had much to look forward to come the new season, she said. “We’ve got some epic locations planned and some interesting challenges for the contestants and even some new in-show features. “We’re also going to make things more enjoyable for the viewers by growing our online presence.” The new season of The Ultimate Braai Master will be broadcast from February 2019. All Fired Up shared these tips for a mouth-watering braai: A braai is not a braai without a fire.
Always use wood (not charcoal or brickets). Clean your grid with an onion.
Seasoning is important.Make sure your meat is room temperature when you start braaiing it. Always, always have enough brandy!
See Weekend Post next Saturday for more on the Bay’s second team of contestants.