PHOTOS: Why Greg Czarnecki is dubbed 'Picasso of the plate'

Just his name alone carries a lot of weight within the culinary spaces but Masterchef South Africa judge, Gregory Czarnecki, takes the adage, "you eat with your eyes first", to another level.

Nicknamed the Picasso of the plate, Chef Greg as he is also affectionately known describes his style of cuisine as contemporary minimalist.

"Less is more", he says in one of the programme's episodes where he doubled as a guest chef and set a relay team challenge for the contestants.

Chef Greg spent 12 years at the helm of the multi-award-winning Restaurant at Waterkloof in Somerset West which recently closed its doors as a result of Covid-19. "The coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns made it impossible to keep the business model afloat", Chef Greg told the media at the time.

His plating skills are right there with some of the world's best and we are here to show you. If these pictures don't make you want to lick your screen then we don't know what will.

See for yourselves:

Hake, Champagne, caviar

Blanc Manger of Sea Bass, watercress, almond and yoghurt

Baba au Rhum, Vanille Bleu, fruit de la passion

Milk curd, Granny Smith, raspberry poached kohlrabi, concentrated cape gooseberries, cucumber

Fish and chips

Speaking on his Masterchef SA journey, Chef Greg said it reminded him about the importance of nurturing and guiding people who have a passion for food.

"I also discovered some interesting local producers and enjoyed seeing how contestants interpreted the challenges and their creative minds at work," he told Eat Out Magazine.