Festive feasts

We’re throwing a family dinner, and all the chefs on your favourite DStv cooking series have been asked to bring a dish. Dineo and the Purple Chef are serving the local flavour and Jamie Oliver is keeping it simple. Meanwhile, the sweetest of them all, the MasterChef Junior kids and Bake-Off adults have poured their hearts and souls into making something amazing.

At the “alternative” table, TikTok’s favourite vegan aunty, Tabitha Brown has a treat too. She is serving a new cooking reality show, and local writer and artist, Louis Jansen van Vuuren is also catering to a vegan palette.

It’s a banquet of foodie shows, filled with inspiration and family warmth. Bon appetite.

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What’s cooking?

MasterChef Junior USA

Aged eight to 12, the eager mini chefs cook up a storm for the judges: Gordon Ramsay, Aarón Sanchez, Daphne Oz, and guests, including 21 mums at a baby shower. One day it’s pizza and the next, they’re recreating Gordon's truffle egg yolk ravioli.

Watch MasterChef Junior USA Season 8 Mondays-Thursdays from Monday, 5 December at 19:00 on Me (DStv Channel 115).

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Julia

If you’ve been obsessed with TV chef, Julia Child this year, this documentary celebration of her life and work is the cherry on the cassoulet. Look out for never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos, and first-person interviews and anecdotes about Julia.

Watch Julia on Tuesday, 6 December at 22:00 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 22:00 and on Catch Up.

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Tuin En Spens

Artist and writer, Louis Jansen van Vuuren (author of There’s A Vegan On My Verandah) shares tips for living a vegan lifestyle and stories from his life in France and South Africa, with delicious dishes.

Watch Tuin En Spens on Wednesday, 7 December at 20:00 on VIA (DStv Channel 147).

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It's Compliplated

In each episode of the cooking competition series, social media star, Tabitha Brown challenges four chefs to create dishes that meet a panel of judges’ dietary restrictions and picky palates. In the cooking show, Chopped judge, Maneet Chauhan evaluates the end products.

Watch It's Compliplated Season 1 from Monday, 12 December at 19:50 on The Food Network (DStv Channel 175) and on Catch Up.

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Jamie’s One Pan Wonders Season 1 Xmas Special Part 1 & 2

Lazy chefs, it’s Jamie to the rescue with some no-fuss dishes that won’t even give you washing up to moan over while you feed the hungry hordes. Look out for his roast lamb feast if you’ve banned the spit braai from your house.

Watch Jamie’s One Pan Wonders Season 1 Xmas Special Part 1 on Thursday, 15 & Friday, 16 December at 19:00 on BBC Lifestyle (DStv Channel 174).

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The Great British Bake Off Special: Christmas 2021

Cast members from drama series, It’s A Sin, compete in the 2021 special, and in the 2020 special, we see past Bake Off contestants Helena, Henry, Nancy and Rahul face judge Prue with a Christmas pudding they baked in the microwave. Run away!

Watch The Great British Bake Off Special: Christmas 2020 on Saturday, 17 December at 19:45 & Sunday, 18 December at 20:05, and Christmas 2021 on Saturday, 24 December at 20:00 & Sunday, 25 December at 20:00 on BBC Lifestyle (DStv Channel 174).

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Christmas Special: Ishushu

Do we smell something burning? Not this time! We’ve been watching families and friends create a stir as they’ve thrown down to determine who’s the best cook in the house. Now Dineo and the Purple Chef celebrate the Ishushu way, with delightful family holiday recipes.

Watch Christmas Special: Ishushu on Sunday, 25 December at 13:00 on Moja Love (DStv Channel 157) and on Moja 9.9 (DStv Channel 158)

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Chocolate Perfection

Chef Michel Roux Jr (author of Le Gavroche Cookbook) takes us to see how some of France’s best chocolatiers work their magic (including making a chocolate stiletto shoe), while chatting about the history of Chocolate.

Watch Chocolate Perfection on Friday, 30 December at 22:00 on Curiosity Channel (DStv Channel 185)

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