Nyama Battle victor drives off in a brand-new Nissan Navara

• Nyama Battle champion Gershwin Gordon has received a brand-new Nissan Navara Single Cab 2.5DDTi XE 4X2 MT as the ultimate prize in South Africa’s first street food reality TV competition.
• The locally assembled turbo-diesel bakkie delivers 120 kW, 403 Nm, and a 3.5 tonne braked towing capacity – practical muscle for entrepreneurs hauling heavy loads or travelling demanding roads.
• Nyama Battle is SA’s freshest cooking show, and made history as the country’s first prime-time street-food showdown that celebrates township flavours and entrepreneurial spirit.

XX May 2025: Nyama Battle, the South African cooking show with an obsession for local street cuisine, aired its tantalising finale on Sunday 18 May, with winner Gershwin Gordon taking home the grand prize of a brand-new Nissan Navara single cab. Nyama Battle was broadcast weekly on e.tv every Sunday at 5pm from February to May, pitting 12 talented chefs from across the country against each other in a fierce competition for the title of best street-food cook in Mzansi.

Armed with a just a grill, a selection of ingredients, and their talent, contestants turned out premium, mouth-watering kotas, smash burgers, and bunny chows, each with their own delicious twists, and consistently leaving the judges craving more. They were also expected to showcase their business prowess to prove that they’d be able to turn this win into a viable food venture.

Sunday’s finale crowned Gershwin Gordon after a tense cook-off challenge judged by chefs Moses Moloi and Keegan Maistry.

Nissan Africa’s General Manager: Brand and Customer Experience, Tessa Cooke  says, “South Africa’s street-food movement is growing year on year, and it’s been very exciting to see its unique food culture being celebrated in grand style through the Nyama Battle.

“The contestants are amongst the country’s best street-food cooks, and have stepped up to each challenge and gauntlet. Now, after weeks of hard work, we’re proud to award Gershwin Gordon with this incredible prize as a daring local chef who deserves to drive Africa’s most tough and daring vehicle. The Navara will serve him extremely well in all his future business ventures.”

 

Under the hood

The locally produced Navara rolled straight from Nissan’s Rosslyn production line, just 50 kilometres outside Pretoria. Below the bonnet, a powerful 2.5DDTi XE 4X2 MT engine pushes 120 kilowatts at 3,600 rpm, and 403 Nm at 2,000 rpm – more than powerful enough to pull a fully-loaded food truck anywhere in South Africa. The six-speed manual gearbox delivers a smooth driving-experience for deliveries on city roads and makes it a reliable business partner for any entrepreneur. .

As South Africa’s inaugural Nyama Battle king, Gershwin Gordon will now be celebrating his win and his new ride with family and friends, while Nissan resumes a busy product calendar that sees its local product line expand even further. Beyond the recently released Premcar-engineered PRO-4X Warrior, the company is also preparing to unveil it’s anticipated Navara Stealth in July 2025.