Zola Nene teaches Gordon Ramsay the art of isiZulu cooking in KwaZulu-Natal

In the series that emphasises creating authentic local flavours, Nene and Ramsay cook up a culinary feast for a local isiZulu chief. Their creations included braai’d fish, ushatini (tomato and onion salsa), ujeqe (traditional bread), chakalaka and pap and steak on the braai. “The main features of isiZulu cuisine are simplicity, beef (we are traditionally cattle farmers after all) and maize, in all forms – samp, pap and umbila (mielies on the cob),” explains Nene. “I am a proud Zulu girl so, of course, I’m always excited to share my culture, heritage and cuisine with people,” she added.

When asked about her experience with Ramsay, Nene explains: “My first impression was, wow, he’s really tall! He was so lovely and warm when we met for the first time, really personable and engaging. Gordon was incredible to work with and cook with. We had such fun filming, cooking and eating. Cooking for the chief was also an amazing experience, such an honour to cook for such a revered member of the community.”

After the South African episode, the multi-Michelin-star chef and Ironman athlete continues his adventure across the globe, turning up the heat in Indonesia, Louisiana, Norway, India, Tasmania and Guyana.

“We are exploring seven new regions this season, each with vastly different culinary customs and history,” said Ramsay. “We get the opportunity to learn from the locals and hear their stories, and that gives us a much deeper experience and understanding of the world around us.”

In this new season, Ramsay journeys deep into the landscape of each place he visits, scaling mountains, battling three-metre waves, braving frigid temperatures and bushwhacking his way through the backcountry to forage for some of the finest ingredients in the world. From swimming in great white shark-infested waters to participating in a traditional bull run, Ramsay risks life and limb in his biggest and boldest missions yet in order to achieve edible excellence.

Under the guidance of local experts and food legends he meets along the way, Ramsay partakes in culinary customs and learns about delicious delicacies and fresh flavours unique to each region. Every ingredient he harvests, dish he tastes and person he meets will inspire him to create a recipe from scratch, intended to represent the heart of that culture. Each episode concludes with Ramsay challenging himself during a final big cookout with a local food legend by his side, as they prepare a meal together for locals he met during his journey.

Some of the adventures – culinary and otherwise – that Ramsay experiences this season include:

• Leaping from a helicopter into high waves to harvest mussels along the South African coast;
  
• Risking life and limb by participating in a traditional bull race in a remote West Sumatran rice paddy field;
  
• Braving Tasmania’s stormy waters to hose-dive among the rocks for giant spiny lobsters;
  
• Exploring a bat-infested Indonesian cave system in search of giant prawns;
  
• Racing a four-wheeler through Louisiana’s dangerously muddy back roads to forage for fresh greens and hunt for bullfrogs and crawfish;
  
• Plunging into Norway’s frigid waters to uncover the bounty of ingredients found within the fjords;
  
• And battling strong surf to catch fish using traditional techniques in South India — that is, with a 90-kilogramme net out at sea

“Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted became a firm favourite on the channel when it launched last year and we are thrilled that his latest journey begins right here in South Africa. Chef Zola brings her delightful charm and unique expertise to the table, guiding Ramsay on how to pull off the perfect chakalaka among other distinctly and deliciously local dishes,” said Evert van der Veer, vice president, media networks, The Walt Disney Company Africa.

Episodes include:

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – South Africa

Chef Ramsay gets up close with rhinos, giraffes, zebras and hippos in the dramatic wilderness of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, as he learns the secrets of the traditional cuisine of Zulu warriors and masters using a local braai. He leaps from a helicopter into the raging Indian Ocean, harvests mussels on treacherous rocks and immerses himself in the local township culture, all before cooking with beloved local Chef Zola Nene for a revered Zulu chief.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Tasmania

Chef Ramsay explores isolated Tasmania, off the coast of southern Australia. He uncovers the purity of the island, diving into shark-infested waters for giant saltwater spiny lobsters; avoiding venomous snakes in the bush while foraging for local herbs; and soaring in a seaplane to the rugged interior to fly-fish for trout and extract one-of-a-kind honey, all before facing off against culinary nomad Analiese Gregory to prepare an epic feast.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Louisiana

Chef Ramsay journeys to Louisiana to learn the secrets of Cajun cooking. He meets Eric Cook – a former Marine turned celebrated chef – who sends him off to get lost in the marsh and see what he brings back. In his quest, Ramsay faces down dangerous and delicious creatures from deep in the swamps to the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Does he rise to the challenge, or do his skills end at the “End of the World”?

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Indonesia

Chef Gordon Ramsay’s quest to master the world’s most fascinating cuisines lands him on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where he risks his safety and his pride to acquire the ingredients he needs. Whether working as a deckhand in the open ocean, exploring a daunting cave system, milking buffalo or being dragged behind them, Ramsay finds his commitment to world-class cooking put to the test. With Indonesia’s own top chef, William Wongso, looking over his shoulder, the pressure is high.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Guyana

Chef Ramsay heads deep into the South American rainforest to explore the culinary roots of Guyana. After rappelling from a helicopter into the jungle, he hunts for toothy caiman with his bare hands, fishes for piranha with a bamboo rod and crafts his own arrow to bow fish for arowana. With his newfound bounty of jungle provisions, he will join forces with local rising culinary star Delvin Adams to cook a feast for the local Amerindian tribe.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – India

From the coast to the mountains of southern India, Chef Ramsay unlocks the complex flavors of the region known as the spice trade capital of the world. He battles ocean waves with a giant fishing net, fights the searing sting of fire ants, speeds through hilly dirt roads in a tiny rally car and has his mouth torched by the extremely spicy local fare, all before attempting to impress a women’s collective of artisan cooks with his take on their local cuisine. Tough-as-nails chef, food historian and television host Shri Bala takes Ramsay under her wing and gives him a lesson on India’s celebrated spice history.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Norway

Chef Ramsay channels his inner Viking and embraces the freezing temperatures of Norway in December to discover the elusive flavours of this region’s cuisine. He dives for shellfish in the frigid waters of the fjords, wrangles a stomping herd of reindeer with the Sami people, ferments fish and eats sheep’s head, all before putting his new skills to the test to prepare a Christmas feast with local chef Christopher Haatuft.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted is produced by Studio Ramsay for National Geographic. For Studio Ramsay, executive producers are Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Edwards and Jon Kroll. For National Geographic, executive producer is Betsy Forhan, vice president of production is Kevin Tao Mohs and executive vice president of National Geographic unscripted entertainment is Geoff Daniels.