Mzansi’s number one cooking show for the second year in a row, Colour Your Plate with KOO crowned Mzansi’s newest KOOKING star, Karen Van De Merwe , on the season finale that aired on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. The new Colour Your Plate with KOO star’s culinary skills won over Mzansi’s hearts and palates to receive R75,000 in cash, along with the opportunity to be mentored by chef Reuben Riffel to sharpen her culinary skills and continue her journey to creating colourful, flavour-filled and nutritious meals.
More than 700000 enthusiasts tuned into the second season of Colour Your Plate with KOO weekly to cheer for their favourites and learn as much as they can about adding colour to their plates for balanced and nutritious meals courtesy of Mzansi’s no 1 tin stuff KOO
“We are incredibly proud of our Colour Your Plate with KOO season 2 winner; Karen van der Merwe who showcased her impeccable culinary skills throughout the season ultimately winning her the crown. Her win, and the participation of the other talented contestants we have had on the show this season further entrenched our mandate of not only educating South African households on picking up better and healthier eating habits, but also using this platform to highlight the beauty of our wonderful nation’s cultural diversity through a common love for food which has been a part of our heritage for many generations.” said Edna Mohale – Marketing Director: Culinary “This show has given us the opportunity to unearth the talented kitchen maestros our rich country possesses as well as giving their skills the notoriety needed to elevate their talents and expose them to a bevy food enthusiast that will help better their lives and achieve their dreams.”
Karen’s culinary skills were simply unmatched all season long, with fun, bright and exceptionally innovative dishes that wowed the judges and celebrity guest judge every week. Her creativity and culinary prowess ultimately led to her taking the beloved KOO can and being crowned this year’s KOOKING star.
“I am beyond elated to be crowned the winner of Colour Your Plate season 2. This journey has been an incredible experience for me and for the other contestants involved. As much as this was competition, we were all united by our diverse yet uniform love for food which has been a defining factor in our country’s cultural history. KOO has been a part of my life and heritage for generations and being given a platform to showcase my skills using products I grew up enjoying and adding new and exciting ways in my arsenal to prepare staple dishes is something I am most proud of and hope it inspires the next generation of kitchen enthusiasts to be relentless in the pursuit of following their passion and chasing their dreams” said Karen Van De Merwe
Each week’s challenges pushed the contestants to think outside the box and create exciting and innovative dishes using KOO ingredients to create bright and tasty meals. The contestants showcased innovative and exciting ways to elevate SA’s favourite dishes using a plethora of KOO products that have been a part of our heritage for generations. This resulted in unorthodox savory servings such as KOO Pilchards Tempuras and Samp & Beans pasta, to sweet treats such as pineapple tarts and corn custard, that left the show’s judges, (internationally acclaimed chef Reuben Riffel and nutritionist Arthur Ramoroka together with a slew of celebrity guest judges) dazzled by the contestant’s culinary artistry. Viewers were left inspired to incorporate fruit and vegetables into their daily meals, whilst also learning interesting and fun ways for to introduce veggies to their meals, cementing KOO’s nutritional value for the entire family.
You can follow, as well as participate in the conversations online by following @KOO_Food on Twitter and @koofoodsa on Instagram. SA foodies can continue to showcase their KOO meals by using the hashtag # #ColourYourPlatewithKOO. If you missed this season of Colour Your Plate with KOO, subscribe to KOO’s YouTube channel (KOO Food) to catch up & watch exclusive BTS content.
