The Marie Claire spread featuring Giles, Ash and Eric. Photo by Niquita Bento.

Watch out Jamie Oliver: three hip South African chefs are well on their way to taking over the title of Naked Chef.

Eric Bulpitt of Faber, Ash Heeger of Ash and Giles Edwards of La Tête took their kit off recently for charity and Marie Claire’s Naked issue.

This year, the magazine’s annual campaign allowed its celebrities to choose a charity of their choice – and our chefs chose The Isabelo Project, an initiative of fellow chef Margot Janse, which produces 1300 meals per day for children at schools in Franschhoek.

“That was the main thing for me,” says Giles. “I’m incredibly awkward, but I thought if I could raise money, it would be great. I didn’t think about how it would all happen!”

Giles says he was instructed not to wear undies and socks on the day, to avoid marks from the elastic. (Helpful to know, should any of you be thinking about nude modelling.) Giles also reveals he has a whole new slew of Instagram followers.

“If I’d been asked to do a naked shoot even two years ago, I would never had the guts to,” said Ash Heeger. “But I thought, new experience, push yourself and it’s for a good cause. So here we are!”

“I actually really enjoyed the experience, however terrifying it was. I’m quite shy, so getting my kit off in front of everyone was quite nightmarish, but the boys were hilarious and the Marie Claire team made us feel so comfortable. Would I do again? Defs.”

Also for the first time this year, Marie Claire is holding an auction of the celebrity portraits, and all proceeds will go to the celebs’ various charities. The event will be held at Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg on Thursday, 13 July 2017. And to make it easier for everyone to donate, the public can go on to the Marie Claire website, select their chosen celebrity and cause, and use SnapScan to make a donation right there and then.

Other celebrities who stripped off this year include Eat Out reviewer and influencer Seth Shezi (bravo, Seth!), DJ Fikile Moeti, radio host Thando Thabethe, TV star K Naomi Noinyane, actors Nomzamo Mbatha, Nicole Fortuin and Omuhle Gela, models Sanele Xaba and Rosette Ncwana, performer Moonchild Sanelly, radio and TV personality Bailey Schneider, digital entrepreneur Yoliswa Mqoco, artist Lady Skollie, fashion designers Lukhanyo Mdingi and Nicholas Coutts, and trail runner Ryan Sandes.

Well done, chefs!

Photo reproduced with kind permission from Marie Claire.
Photographer: Niquita Bento
Make-up: Algria Ferreira
Hair: Jacqui Lupton / Gloss Artist Management
Production: Tarryn Oppel
Jewellery: Arthur Kaplan