Getting fresh with the ‘Masterchef SA’ pantry manager

Every week MasterChef South Africa fans watch excited contestants fill their baskets with fresh produce ahead of nail-biting cooking sessions, but few know about the secrets of the pantry and the man who runs it.

Food producer Herman Lensing, 37, has overseen the beautifully organised MasterChef SA pantry for five seasons and says stocking it for different cooking challenges requires not only meticulous and creative planning but also a very low tolerance for waste.

“We’re very proud of the sustainability and green set practices we’ve implemented on MasterChef South Africa.

“We work with a dedicated partner, Green Set, who monitors all our waste and ensures it’s handled responsibly.

“A big part of this programme is managing the pantry carefully.

“Unused ingredients are tracked and, where possible, rotated before reaching their best-before dates so they can be donated for human consumption.

“Any ingredients that are no longer safe to use are responsibly redirected, for example to local farms.”

Recycling and keeping an eye on low impact packaging is another impressive hallmark of the show’s pantry operation.

“We actively recycle and measure all our waste to keep operations as efficient as possible.

“One of the things that really sets our pantry apart is that around 80% of our produce is packaging-free, which significantly reduces our environmental impact.

“It’s something the international MasterChef franchise has recognised, which we’re incredibly proud of.

“We also encourage contestants to cook more consciously and minimise waste — it’s something the judges do take into account when evaluating dishes.”

Lensing, a qualified chef who studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch, says his career took an “unexpected turn” into the media early on.

“At just 22, I was appointed as food editor of Sarie magazine, which opened a completely new world for me.

“It allowed me to combine my culinary training with storytelling, publishing and content creation.

“Over the past two decades, I’ve built a career that bridges both worlds — from magazines and cookbooks to television and digital platforms.

“That balance between food and media has truly shaped who I am today.”

Daily Dispatch asked him:

You have achieved so much in the food industry — cookbooks, television shows and awards. What were the three absolute highlights for you?

Being able to continue creating beautiful, high-quality magazines and content in my role as the editor of Sarie Kos remains incredibly rewarding and close to my heart.

Working behind the scenes on an international format like MasterChef South Africa has been a major highlight — it’s a world-class production and pushes you creatively on every level.

Being a judge on Kyknet’s Kokkedoor: Son & See was a full-circle moment and a real honour in my career.

What do you love about your job at MasterChef SA?

What I love most is the collaboration and creative energy.

You’re working with an incredibly talented team to bring ideas to life under pressure, and each challenge requires a different way of thinking.

There’s also something very rewarding about enabling contestants to perform at their best — ensuring they have access to the right ingredients, tools and environment to create something exceptional. It’s intense but incredibly fulfilling.

Where do you source your fresh ingredients?

We source from a wide range of suppliers to ensure both quality and variety.

That includes trusted supermarkets, fresh produce markets, speciality delis, and niche suppliers who can provide more unique or premium ingredients.

It’s important for us to reflect what’s available in the real world while also elevating the pantry to inspire creativity.

Consistency and freshness are absolutely key, so we work closely with suppliers we trust.

Can you tell us a bit about the logistics of stocking the pantry before every shoot?

It’s a highly co-ordinated process.

Planning starts well in advance of each shoot, based on the challenge brief.

We map out exactly what ingredients are needed, source them from multiple suppliers, and ensure everything arrives fresh and on time.

On set, the pantry is meticulously organised so contestants can move quickly and intuitively.

It’s a combination of logistical precision and creative foresight.

How big is the team managing the pantry?

It may come as a surprise, but we actually run a relatively small culinary team.

I oversee all things culinary on the show, supported by three kitchen assistants — and together we really are the heartbeat of the kitchen.

What is your biggest stress on MasterChef SA?

The biggest pressure is ensuring the pantry consistently meets the demands of every challenge.

Each task is different, and contestants often have ambitious ideas, so you need to anticipate their needs before they even walk in.

Timing, availability and variety all must align perfectly.

If something is missing or not up to standard, it can impact the entire challenge — so attention to detail is crucial.

Do contestants have limits to what they can pick from the pantry and do some of them over-pick?

Contestants have free rein to choose from what’s available in the pantry, which adds to the excitement.

However, the strongest contestants are those who plan properly.

Just because you have access to a wide variety of ingredients doesn’t mean you should take everything.

Overcomplicating a dish or selecting too many elements can work against you.

Clarity of vision and good planning always win.

What, so far this season, has been the most interesting pantry set-up?

The nose-to-tail episode. We drew inspiration from The Silence of the Lambs and displayed raw, unprocessed organs in laboratory-style glass vessels, contrasted with beautifully finished dishes made from those same cuts.

It created a dramatic visual narrative and really highlighted the journey from raw ingredient to refined plate.

What have been the most tricky or challenging pantry ingredients you have had to stock?

Building the pantry brings me immense joy, and I spend weeks before the shoot planning each episode in detail.

I make a deliberate effort to introduce different ingredients in every challenge to ensure the food continually evolves and inspires the contestants creatively.

This season, we focused heavily on African excellence and celebrating our own indigenous ingredients.

Many of these are not commercially available, meaning sourcing them often requires a fair amount of research and exploration.

Think mead (fermented honey wine), marula nuts and fruit, num-num berries, tiger nuts, and a variety of indigenous herbs and spices.

One of the episodes focuses on West Africa and its rich spice culture, which required sourcing ingredients from beyond our borders — something that came with its own unique set of challenges.

What ingredients tend to make the contestants most nervous?

Whole, unprocessed proteins tend to make contestants the most nervous.

Many home cooks aren’t used to filleting fish, deboning chickens or working with offal cuts.

When you step into the MasterChef kitchen, you must be able to apply the principles of a professional chef’s environment.

And one of the key principles is working with ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form.

It’s definitely a challenge for many contestants, but it’s also what makes the competition so exciting — and ultimately creates great television.

What common mistakes do contestants make?

A lack of planning is the biggest one.

Contestants sometimes rush into the pantry without a clear idea of what they want to cook, which leads to overcomplicating dishes or choosing ingredients that don’t work well together.

Another common mistake is not thinking about timing — selecting ingredients that require long preparation or cooking times without factoring that into the challenge constraints.

What would your go-to pantry picks be if you were a contestant?

I’d keep it simple and focused. Use good-quality protein, fresh seasonal vegetables, proper butter, citrus, herbs and something for texture like nuts or a crisp element.

I’d always build around strong, clean flavours rather than trying to do too much.

Technique and balance are far more important than complexity.

What are the driving forces behind MasterChef SA which makes it such a successful show?

MasterChef South Africa is a truly world-class production, and a big part of that is working with Homebrew Films.

Its an exceptional production company that genuinely cares about getting every detail right and always strives for the best possible result.

There’s a real passion and pride in what’s being created, and you feel that on set every day.

For me, it’s incredibly special to be part of something of this calibre, where food, storytelling and creativity all come together so beautifully.

* MasterChef South Africa is on e.tv at 6pm on Sundays.