Mycroft and Bonello made the announcement live on SABC3’s Expresso Morning Show, having selected the 14 final teams and one Wild Card team from a national pool of 45 finalists.

Says Mycroft: “As a family brand with a proud history of supporting ‘local’, Pick ‘n Pay is especially thrilled with the way South Africans have responded to the competition’s second Season, and the talent and originality that’s been on display at each of the regional auditions. Ultimate Braai Master successfully combines three quintessentially South African passions – braaiing hearty, local fare with friends and family in the great outdoors. Pick n Pay has elected to play its Wild Card by selecting a semi-finalist team that demonstrated a high degree of originality and spirit at the Johannesburg audition. Following on from the incredible performance of last year’s Wild Card Gal Power team, we’re confident that this year’s Wild Card team will prove that braaiing is as much about the spirit of the braai as it is about creating great meals on the open fire.”

The 2013 teams to make it into South Africa’s toughest outdoor reality TV cooking competition include:

- Team Coal Play: a couple from Cape Town, Western Cape, braai master Kate George and braai buddy, Jonno Proudfoot;
- Team West Coast Bros: brothers from Lamberts Bay, Western Cape, braai master Etienne Gersbach and braai buddy Hein “Karl” Gersbach;
- Team Boerie Brothers: life partners of 16 years from McGregor, Western Cape, braai master Collin du Plessis and braai Buddy Matt Bronkhorst;
- Team Quince Cooks: married couple from Observatory, Western Cape, braai master Quenten Alberts and braai buddy Sandy Alberts;
- Team Kasi Guys: nephews from GaRankuwa, Pretoria, Gauteng, braai master Martin Sebelebele and braai buddy Ziza Masemola;
- Team YingYang: an engaged couple from Pretoria, Gauteng, braai master Shaun Cavanagh and braai buddy Samantha van Niekerk;
- Team Mojo: a married couple from Johannesburg, Gauteng, braai master Ashok Naidoo and braai buddy Jolene Arries Naidoo;
- Team GoodBetterBraai: a long distance couple from Port Nolloth, Northern Cape and Windhoek, Namibia, braai master Jacques Bester and braai buddy Nadia Botha;
- Team Spectacular: friends from Johannesburg, Gauteng, braai master Nonkululeko Zibuyile Zondo and braai buddy Lebo Thebe;
- Team Huiskombuis Boys : friends and life mentors from Cape Town, Western Cape, braai master Kyle Hodgson and braai buddy, Rudy Gibbons;
- Team Berry Bright Food Fanatics: mother and daughter from Robertson and Ashton, Western Cape, braai master Nicole Buirman and braai buddy Suzanne Nel;
- Team Sumting Fresh: friends from Ennerdale, Gauteng, braai master Andrew Leeuw and braai buddy Nomthandazo Sithole;
- Team Braaight Brothers: brothers from Cape Town, Western Cape, braai master Tomas Cunnama and braai buddy Daniel Cunnama; and
- Team Smoke Sweat &ampamp Tears: friends from Fish Hoek, Western Cape, braai master Chris Kastern and braai buddy Simon Good.

The 14 teams are joined by Pick 'n Pay’s Wild Card team, Darkies Unleashed, represented by Braai Master, Thabiso Motloung, an internal auditor and his financial analyst Braai Buddy, Motebejane Mofokeng, both from Katlehong in Gauteng.

Says Bonello: “Season one of Ultimate Braai Master succeeded in exposing the rich pool of braai talent that exists at a grass roots level across the country, while also setting new benchmarks in terms of the calibre of food that can be prepared and enjoyed on the braai. This year’s semi finalist and finalist selection has been extremely tough, but I’m confident that the individual talent and eclectic mix of skills demonstrated by this year’s top teams promises to deliver an entertaining and nail-biting TV Series as competitors race and cook their way to securing the country’s top braai accolade.”

Supported by Coca-Cola, Standard Bank, Renault Koleos, and BIC Firelighters, the second season of Ultimate Braai Master premiers on SABC3 on Wednesday, 18 September at 20:30, promising to take viewers on an extreme 8000km culinary adventure before culminating in the crowning of the 2013 winning team. The winner will walk away with the title, R500 000 in cash, a Renault Koleos SUV 4 x 4 valued at R340 000 plus a number of other great prizes.

Filming begins on Monday, 6 May when Bonello, the 30 contestants and Ultimate Braai Master judges, Bertus Basson (executive chef and owner of Overture restaurant in Stellenbosch) and Marthinus Ferreira (executive chef and owner of dw eleven-13 restaurant in Johannesburg) will join Cooked in Africa Films’ 70-strong production crew for the official start of the competition, which will require contestants to self-drive, camp and cook in extreme conditions across 13 remote locations over a 60-day period.

The winning team will be announced in the final episode of Ultimate Braai Master, which will be screened on SABC3 on Wednesday, 11 December. Some of the most memorable recipes from the series will be packaged into a second commemorative Ultimate Braai Master cookbook from Bonello, in time for Summer.