The MasterChef winner who ate her way around the world

Kamini Pather has always loved food and started out eating at her family's kitchen counter before evolving into a really good cook, and winning MasterChef South Africa Photo: Aubrey Johnsson

Growing up in South Africa, Kamini Pather was always surround­ed by food. The fifth generation South African is of South Indian origin – her forefathers came to the country as indentured labourers, staying after their contracts ended.

As a result of her ethnic makeup, her childhood memories were redolent of the spices and flavours of her forefathers’ homeland. She remembers each meal being infused with little touches that made it all the more memorable, like oats with cinnamon, apple pie with extra spices and the family’s homemade spice masala.