Think you’re a BraaiBoss?

The full programme for the KhakiBush BraaiBoss Challenge at this year’s Royal Show is in — and this is definitely about more than throwing a steak on the fire!

Prelim 3 takes place on Saturday, 10 October, and Prelim 4 on Sunday, 11 October, at the KhakiBush Bull Pen at the new Royal Showgrounds at Tweedie.

Each day starts at 09:30, with contestants facing a fast-moving series of open-fire cooking challenges:

09:30 – Light the fires
Bread and coffee preparation begins.

10:15 – Coffee Challenge
Prepare coffee using the fire — no electrical equipment allowed.

10:45 – Bread Challenge
Any style of bread, presented plain with no garnish or butter. Contestants also need to keep their bread in mind for later challenges.

11:00 – Breakfast Challenge
Prepare and present an open-fire breakfast.

11:30 – Braai Snack Challenge
Create and present a braai snack before moving straight into the next test.

12:00 – Shisanyama/Roast Challenge
The brief? “Blow our minds.” Contestants must produce a standout braai meal.

13:00 – Chicken Challenge
Prepare and present a chicken dish cooked over the fire.

13:30 – Steak Challenge
Cook steak to the judges’ specified level of doneness.

14:00 – Braai Broodjie / Creative Wrap Challenge
The final twist: use leftovers from the day to create something new.

14:30 – Final scoring and awards

And the pressure is real: there’s no pre-preparation, contestants have to keep moving as one challenge follows another, and judging considers taste, time management, cleanliness, creativity, uniqueness and gees.

Each preliminary winner advances to the next stage of the 2026 BraaiBoss Challenge, with more than R30,000 in prizes lined up for the overall winner and runner-up.

AND THERE MAY STILL BE ONE OR TWO PLACES AVAILABLE FOR THE ROYAL SHOW ROUNDS!

BraaiBoss is for amateur cooks — no professional chefs or people employed in the food/cooking industry — and contestants may represent their companies and display their branding.

If you’re the person everyone puts in charge of the fire, this could be your chance to prove why.

👉 ENTER HERE:
https://www.khakibush.com/braaibosschallenge

📅 Prelim 3: Saturday, 10 October
📅 Prelim 4: Sunday, 11 October
📍 KhakiBush Bull Pen, Royal Showgrounds at Tweedie
🔥 Competition: 09:30–14:30

Eight challenges. One fire. Plenty of pressure. Are you ready to become the next BraaiBoss?