The Sizzle, the Smoke, the Showdown!
The Sizzle, the Smoke, the Showdown!
CG Braai Challenge 2025
The fires were lit, the tongs were ready, and the excitement was real as our top 10 finalists gathered for this year’s CG Braai Challenge. With Bertus Basson, award-winning chef and restaurateur, and last year’s winner Lindley Hendricks leading the judging panel, the stage was set for a day of flavour, flair, and fierce competition.
We kicked things off with a true South African classic — the boerewors roll. But these weren’t your everyday rolls. Our contestants pulled out all the stops to take this humble dish to gourmet heights, knowing only the best would make it through.
Round two turned up the heat with the perfect steak challenge, where precision, skill, and bold flavour made all the difference. By the end of it, just three braai masters were left standing.
For the final round, the pressure was on. Contestants had two and a half hours to prepare their signature dish, but first came a nail-biting R800 trolley dash through Checkers to grab their ingredients. With spectators cheering them on, the finalists brought their very best to the coals. Dishes were judged on taste, creativity, technique, and presentation — all with that unmistakable South African flair.
And the winner is…..
Huwitt Strydom stole the spotlight with his coffee-rubbed beef ribeye steak and silky red wine reduction. A dish so bold, so perfectly balanced, it left the judges speechless (and very full!).
For his win, Huwitt took home a prize haul worth R30 000, including a luxury 2-night stay at Kol Kol Mountain Lodge, a shiny Weber braai, generous Capegate and Checkers gift cards, a meat hamper, and more.
Want to taste it for yourself? Check out his recipe here
OUR RUNNERS UP
Second place went to Chad Milne, who served up a full-on feast: tenderloin chops with a signature marinade, mutton sausage, toasted cheese bao broodjies, potato salad, and a pasta salad with a twist. His creativity earned him a R2 500 Capegate gift card — and a lot of fans in the crowd.
Third place belonged to Alvirno Coetzee, who brought comfort and flavour with his lamb curry chops and South African-style potato salad. He scored a R1 500 Capegate gift card for his efforts.
A massive shout-out to our main sponsor, Checkers, for helping us make this year’s challenge unforgettable, and thank you to all our other sponsors for contributing to that amazing R30 000 prize.
Until next year, keep those braais fired up and your tongs at the ready — the CG Braai Challenge 2026 might just be your turn to shine.