In a country where the spiral of spiced meat is practically written into the law books, South Africa’s most prestigious culinary battle is heating up faster than a perfectly stoked braai. The 33rd annual Shoprite/Checkers Championship Boerewors competition is calling all self-proclaimed “wors whisperers” to step up to the grill before entries close on 20 June.
Shoprite and Checkers, the proud custodians of this meaty tradition, are on the hunt for the next boerewors virtuoso to join the hallowed ranks of South Africa’s sausage elite. If you claim to be “Grill Sergeant,” “Jamie Olivewors,” or “Braaian Reynolds,” this might just be your time to shine!
The champion wors-maker won’t just walk away with national fame and eternal bragging rights at every family braai until the end of time. They will also drive off in a brand-new Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 RB AT valued at a whopping R705 800! But perhaps even more prestigious for true boerewors aficionados – their winning recipe will be sold in Shoprite and Checkers stores nationwide, allowing millions to taste their meaty masterpiece.
And speaking of millions – over the past year alone, Shoprite and Checkers butcheries sold nearly 6 million kilograms of Championship Boerewors. That’s 6 000 tonnes of spiral-shaped glory, enough to make 56 million boerewors rolls! If laid end to end, that would circle the entire perimeter of South Africa with enough left over to reach Mauritius – though we’d recommend eating them instead.
Ruard Briel, who claimed the coveted title in 2024, describes the experience as nothing short of transformative: “This competition is a celebration of South Africa – not only the country’s rich food heritage but also the culture we’ve built spending time with friends and family around braai fires. Winning the title of Boerewors Champion, and becoming part of this legacy, was such an honour.”
Briel, who reportedly hasn’t paid for a beer at any braai since winning, added: “All the contestants were treated like royalty, and the experience was unforgettable, which is why I will be entering again.” (What Briel really means is: “I’ve tasted fame and glory, and now I’m addicted.”)
This isn’t some casual backyard competition where you can wing it with a handful of coriander and a prayer. Participants must demonstrate complete mastery of the boerewors craft – from blending the perfect symphony of herbs and spices to processing the meat and producing perfectly stuffed and cooked wors that would make your ouma weep with pride.
A panel of culinary experts from the South African Chefs Association (SACA) will assess all entries with the stern precision of a diamond appraiser. Submitted recipes must comply with traditional boerewors guidelines – this is South Africa, after all, where messing with boerewors traditions is only slightly less controversial than rugby team selections.
After rigorous vetting, judges will shortlist 30 recipes before the heart-pounding elimination narrows the field to the top 10 finalists. These brave souls will then participate in a live cook-off event that combines the pressure of MasterChef with the national significance of a presidential inauguration.
Prizes for those brave enough to enter the ring of fire:
• First prize: A new Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 RB AT and R20 000 in cash (perfect for buying enough meat to practice your craft until 2026)
• Second prize: R50 000 in cash (or approximately 500 premium braais worth of supplies)
• Third prize: R30 000 in cash (enough to build the outdoor kitchen of your dreams)
In South Africa, boerewors isn’t just food – it’s a religion with millions of devoted followers who gather around open flames every weekend to worship at the altar of perfectly braaied meat. The Championship Boerewors competition isn’t merely a contest; it’s a celebration of South African identity, a preservation of culinary heritage, and an acknowledgment that few things unite this diverse nation quite like arguing about who makes the best wors.
From Cape Town to Limpopo, the distinctive aroma of boerewors on the braai transcends all boundaries – economic, cultural, linguistic, and political. It’s the one thing South Africans can agree on: properly made boerewors is sacred.
If you have spent years perfecting your recipe, if friends “coincidentally” show up at your house whenever you mention braaiing, or if you’ve ever been proposed to based solely on your boerewors-making skills, it’s time to put your meat where your mouth is.
Visit the official Championship Boerewors website for more information or to enter before 20 June. Your place in South African culinary history awaits!
Remember: In the words of an anonymous South African philosopher, “Give a man a boerewors and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to make championship boerewors and his weekends will never be his own again.”
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