SABC 2 is set to expand its local lifestyle and food programming with the launch of The Taste Master Mzansi Food Tour, a six-part culinary series premiering on Sunday, 15 November 2026, at 7 pm.
Hosted by award-winning chef Aren Pollack and Messi Karodia, winner of the inaugural Taste Master Professionals competition in 2026, the series explores South Africa's diverse culinary landscape. The production takes viewers across Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Gqeberha, St Francis, Prince Albert and Cape Town, highlighting the people, ingredients, locations and cultural traditions that shape the country's food identity.
Pollack, a graduate of the Prue Leith Culinary Institute and this year's Eat Out Rising Star, joins Johannesburg-born Karodia to uncover the stories behind regional dishes and local food communities. Through their travels, the presenters aim to demonstrate how food connects communities, preserves heritage and reflects South Africa's cultural diversity.
Pollack said the experience had encouraged creative thinking, while Karodia emphasised that food represents much more than everyday consumption, carrying deeper cultural and personal significance.
The series offers broadcasters and content professionals a locally focused lifestyle format that combines culinary exploration, travel and cultural storytelling, while showcasing South Africa's food heritage to a national television audience.
