Quade Liebenberg crowned ‘The Taste Master Junior’ Season 3 winner

The 16-year-old cook walked away with a R200 000 cash prize. Quade Liebenberg from Cape Town has been crowned the winner of The Taste Master Junior Season 3. The 16-year-old cook beat fellow Capetonians Neil du Toit (17) and Jordan Terry (15) in the grand finale, which aired on SABC 2 on Sunday night. Quade Liebenberg wins with gourmet picnic Liebenberg won the competition after impressing the judges with his gourmet picnic basket The final challenge required the three contestants to prepare a gourmet picnic celebrating the cuisines featured throughout the competition. They had to draw on dishes and techniques from different parts of the world, including Italian pasta, French sauces and Asian flavours. The contestants were judged by award-winning head judge Aren Pollack and guest judge Maseehah “Messi” Karodia, winner of the inaugural season of The Taste Master Professional in 2026. Liebenberg’s winning basket featured rosemary focaccia and basil pesto, beef and black bean quesadillas, chicken and apricot sosaties, sweet corn and chickpea salad, and pistachio and walnut baklava. He walked away with a R200 000 cash prize. Liebenberg said winning the competition was a privilege and thanked the people who supported him during the journey. “It’s such a privilege to win The Taste Master Junior Season 3, and I’m so grateful for all the amazing people I met along the way. This journey has shown me that cooking is my passion and my dream, and I know this is only the beginning for me as a chef,” he said. ‘The Taste Master Junior’ Season 3 prizes As the winner, Liebenberg received a R200 000 cash prize from Capitec, a year’s supply of Clover products, a R30 000 Food Lover’s Market voucher and KitchenAid equipment worth R22 000. Du Toit, who finished in second place, received six months’ supply of Clover products and a R20 000 Food Lover’s Market voucher. Terry, who came third, received a three-month supply of Clover products. Head judge Aren Pollack said he was impressed by the contestants’ growing confidence and willingness to take risks. “It’s been incredible watching them move beyond following recipes and start trusting their instincts as young cooks,” he said. He said Liebenberg stood out for his cooking skills, creativity and understanding of the fundamentals. “Most importantly, he delivered at a high-level time and time again, and that consistency made him a deserving champion,” Pollack said. The third season featured 12 young contestants preparing dishes from different countries. TV and radio personality Leigh-Anne Williams hosted the show, with Pollack serving as head judge and mentor.