This season began filming in May this year. Mat’s absence might or might not be COVID-related.
This will ensure viewers get to see another elimination at the end of week 3, and the announcement of the first two semi finalists.
The one that got away
Fish choice spoils entrée for MKR’s Arrnott and Fuzz
Tonight on MKR, Arrnott (44) and Fuzz (34) from NSW proudly served their Fijian heritage on a plate. The vibrant flavours of the Pacific were a hit around the table, but the team’s choice of fish for their entrée hindered their final score.
Arrnott and Fuzz presented their entrée of Kokoda with Root Crop Crisps. The team had to pivot to dory after their favoured fish for the dish, a fattier deep sea perch, wasn’t available. The critiques were mixed around the table; some teams loved it, while others were critical of the cut and choice of fish.
Judge Manu Feildel said the entrée recipe ticked all the boxes, but their choice of fish and their preparation of the protein had let them down, saying the fish cut meant some pieces were cured better than others. He said it was a “gorgeous dish, wrong seafood” and would have preferred a Spanish mackerel.
The balance of citrus and coconut in the entrée impressed judge Nigella Lawson, but she agreed an oilier fish would have been a better choice and said they should have cut the pieces more evenly.
The team served up a main of Fijian Lobster Curry with Coconut Rice and Island Salsa, a recipe from Fuzz’s mother.
Nigella was surprised with the minimal presentation of the dish but was pleased to see it tasted much better than it looked.
“Who cares how it looks when it tastes so beautiful!” countered Manu.
When Arrnott and Fuzz’s dessert of Vudi Vakasoso with Coconut Ice Cream hit the table, it wasn’t the best-looking dessert of the competition, but it was big on flavour. It was a winner with almost everyone around the table, except Steven and Frena, who are facing elimination at the bottom of the leader board.
The South Australian couple stated they didn’t like the dish, citing bland ice cream, a too-salty sauce and the addition of the banana. Steven and Frena’s dismissal of the dish raised suspicions around the table. “People are saying it’s glorious, but Steven and Frena don’t like it…something’s going on,” mused Alice.
Nigella “adored” the caramel sauce, saying it had an intensity of flavour, but criticised the use of the banana, saying the contrast was lost.
Manu agreed the banana may have been better as a whole on a bed of caramel. He liked the dish but felt the team’s plating was “non existent”.
Scoring 81/110 for their menu, Arrnott and Fuzz settled into third place on the leader board, left determined to do better next time they cook in the competition.
Tomorrow night on MKR: Simmering tensions around the table come to a head at Ashlee and Mat’s instant restaurant. Is the pressure too much for one team?
| Judges’ Scores | Entrée | Main | Dessert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigella Lawson | 7 | 8 | 8 | 23 |
| Manu Feildel | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| Total Score | 44/60 |
| MKR Team Scores | |
|---|---|
| Peter and Alice | 9 |
| Ashlee and Mat | 9 |
| Kate and Mary | 7 |
| Janelle and Monzir | 7 |
| Steven and Frena | 5 |
| Total Score | 37/50 |
Oh dear.
I notice the camera attached to the rear view mirror inside the car is showing a mirror image, so the driver’s seat appears to be on the left. Is that a deliberate ploy by the producers?
1 Like
…to do what?
To make it look better by having driver’s seat on the right of the screen?
How is that “better”?
Simmering tensions boil over
Steven and Frena eliminated; Kate and Mary head straight to the semi-final
Spice wasn’t on tonight’s menu, but it still found its way to the MKR table at Ashlee (36) and Mat’s (39) Margaret River instant restaurant.
After the fallout, South Australia’s Steven and Frena were eliminated while Queensland’s Kate and Mary claimed the first position in the MKR semi-final.
Judge Nigella Lawson said Ashlee and Mat’s menu was refined, a comment that didn’t sit well with Frena, who was looking to get off the bottom of the leader board.
Steven and Frena told the table that Ashlee and Matt’s menu didn’t look too complicated. Hearing this, Alice couldn’t hide her disgust and the tension continued to build around the table.
Ashlee and Mat nervously served their entrée of Marron Bisque with Shaved Asparagus. Cooking a French dish for French chef and judge, Manu Feildel, had the team on edge.
The judges loved the entrée and agreed that while Ashlee and Mat’s dish wasn’t technically a bisque, its flavour was fantastic.
Steven took issue with the dish saying: “To me, it’s just watery tomato soup. Look, I’m going to explain it really well here. Slight taste of sugar, fish and water. That’s how simplistic and boring it was.”
When Frena said the popular entrée was just “OK”, a shocked Alice challenged her, asking what was boring about it.
Nigella chimed in, asking if Steven and Frena thought they might be influenced by the fact they were at the bottom of the leader board. But the pair insisted the dish lacked flavour and seasoning.
Manu also questioned Steven and Frena on why their critique differed from the group. Frena then surprised the table with an emotional outburst, accusing Alice of pulling faces while she delivered her critique. Defending Frena, Steven told the group they’re entitled to their opinion.
Overwhelmed by the confrontation, Steven and Frena left the table, returning after Steven had reassured Frena.
Ashlee and Mat proudly presented their main of Venison with Romesco to the table, but the reviews were mixed.
Manu said their main lacked confidence and Mat confirmed he was stressed cooking the meat.
A dishevelled-looking Ashlee and Mat emerged from the kitchen to serve their dessert of Oliebollen. Critiques of the dish left the table divided.
During the judges’ critique, Ashlee began to cry, admitting she was a little disappointed in herself. Ashlee said she considered adding another component to the dish but decided against it. Manu summarised that the dish would be perfect; it just wasn’t a dessert.
Ashlee and Matt scored 69 points, taking fourth place on the leader board, while Steven and Frena were eliminated from the competition.
Tomorrow night on MKR: Judges Manu Feildel and Matt Preston head to Albany in Western Australia for Che and Dave’s spicy instant restaurant as six new teams of home cooks enter the MKR competition.
| Judges’ Scores | Entrée | Main | Dessert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigella Lawson | 9 | 6 | 4 | 19 |
| Manu Feildel | 9 | 6 | 5 | 20 |
| Total Score | 39/60 |
| MKR Team Scores | |
|---|---|
| Peter and Alice | 8 |
| Steven and Frena | |
| Kate and Mary | 7 |
| Janelle and Monzir | 6 |
| Arrnott and Fuzz | 6 |
| Total Score | 30/50 |
Continues 7.30pm tomorrow on Channel 7 and 7plus
On the show’s FB page last night many people criticised Steven and Frena for talking down Ashlee and Matt’s creations and Frena’s reaction to Alice’s comments.
Notice the last stop of group 1 instant restaurants (Margaret River) and the first stop of group 2 (Albany) are in the same SW region of Western Australia. I think it was planned for logistical reasons.
Matt Preston was on Sunrise then The Morning Show today to talk about his debut as MKR judge.
Nigella was great but I don’t mind the idea of rotating judges. Keeps the show fresh.
2 Likes
Is it me or Matt Preston looks like Kyle Sandilands with the beard on.
I agree. Loved Nigella but Matt Preston has been great tonight so far too.
1 Like
Che and Dave bring the heat
Western Australia’s chilli mates set the pace for MKR round two
Tonight on MKR, the second round of instant restaurants began with six new teams and a new judge: internationally-renowned food critic Matt Preston.
West Australian chilli-head mates Che (43) and Dave’s (35) huge risk presenting a chilli-themed menu paid off. The team’s instant restaurant scored 77/110 and set a high bar for the rest of the competition.
Che and Dave served Hot and Sour Tom Yum Soup for their entrée. Critiques from the teams were mixed, with some citing a lack of flavour and heat, saying the team had played it safe.
Judges Manu and Matt both praised the dish. “Amazing soup, I loved it. Hot, tick. It could have been hotter. Sour, tick. It could have been sourer. But the fact that you added that half a lime was genius because if that wasn’t there, the soup, hot and sour, wouldn’t be what you guys were selling,” said Manu.
Matt was a fan of the dish but encouraged the team to be “bolder and brasher” with their remaining dishes for the night.
Che and Dave presented Crispy Skin Barramundi with Hot Thai Green Curry Sauce and Garlic Rice for the main. The flavours of the dish were a hit around the table, with the judges overlooking the failed crispy skin on their fish.
“Che and Dave. Yum. Just yum. I love that you were more confident with your chilli,” said Matt. “I like that your green curry sauce had some proper salty punch. I can forgive the crispy skin. Would’ve loved a bit more garlic, but who cares when the sauce is that good and when the fish is cooked that well?”
Manu agreed, saying the fish was cooked to perfection and awarded the team a perfect 10 for their main.
Riding high on the success of their main, Che and Dave plated up a dessert of Poached Nashi Pear with Watermelon, Peanuts and Chilli Syrup.
Manu was confused by the dish saying the favour combinations didn’t work and the pear should have been the hero of the dish, sharing: “I’m the type of guy who loves to be adventurous in eating and making food. But I also believe in traditional flavours to marry together on a plate. And funnily enough, for me, it just didn’t work as much as I was hoping for.”
Matt commended the team for taking on a brave dessert but was also confused by the flavour combinations: “I think the success of the dish is the textures. When you poach a nashi pear, it almost becomes jellylike. And that’s great with the fresh wet crunch of the watermelon or the crunch of the peanuts. But I think in terms of the flavour, it just gets confused.”
Tomorrow night on MKR: Will Katherine and Sophie’s overly ambitious menu get them one step closer to winning the competition or send them to the bottom of the leader board?
| Judges’ Scores | Entrée | Main | Dessert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manu Feildel | 8 | 10 | 5 | 23 |
| Matt Preston | 7 | 9 | 5 | 21 |
| Total | 44/60 |
| MKR Team Scores | |
|---|---|
| Matt and KT | 6 |
| Leanne and Milena | 7 |
| Nicky and Jose | 8 |
| Rosie and Hayley | 6 |
| Katherine and Sophie | 6 |
| Total Score | 33/50 |
I hope it comes back. It has been great.
And keep it as this short run series. MKR is all about the instant restaurants… all the other stuff they did in between that and the finals served them well when it was rating strongly, but is unnecessary now.
1 Like
Pure curiosity, but is the homes/kitchens the contestants using actually the contestants property? Or are they all leased for fit for purpose filming reasons.
It can be either. They were mostly homes of the contestants or they borrowed a friend’s one. But because a lot of contestants had kitchens and dining rooms that were too small to allow a film crew to film them, they started hiring out bigger houses. I’ve noticed this season that there seem to be a lot of the “dining rooms” that are actually marquees set up in the back yard.
2 Likes
Ambitious menu delivers 10s for posh friends
MKR’s Sophie and Katherine on top of the leader board
Tonight on MKR, posh friends Katherine (55) and Sophie (53) mastered their incredibly ambitious menu to take first place on the leader board with 95/110.
“The Dinner Ladies” started strong with their entrée of Twice-Cooked Octopus with Green Romesco, winning praise around the table and 10s from both judges.
Manu loved the dish: “The octopus was cooked perfectly. And the crumbs, this crunch and the smokiness, the saltiness of it. The whole thing on one fork together, yum. Just bloody yum.”
Matt was also impressed: "That’s spectacular cooking. It shows skill, it shows poise, and it shows balance. And they’re hard to do in this environment with this amount of pressure, especially when you’ve got some really good cooks around this table who are going to be looking at every move.”
Katherine and Sophie returned from the kitchen to serve their main of Roast Spatchcock with 'Nduja, Fresh Corn Polenta and Grilled Radicchio and Jamon Crumb.
Manu felt the team had overcomplicated the dish with too many ingredients: “Just by reading the main course, it’s a mouthful. There are a lot of elements to a dish. The spatchcock did go with all that dish. But then, as much as I love 'nduja, I think it was the thing that shouldn’t have been on there. It was a great dish but nothing like your entrée.”
After the disheartening feedback on their main, Katherine and Sophie rallied to present to their dessert of Fig Leaf Semifreddo with Grilled Figs and Pedro Ximénez.
Like their entrée, the dessert was an instant hit with both judges, who awarded the team 10s.
Matt shared: "I think this is a sort of dessert that divides a table. Yeah? It’s either way too sweet and it’s like it’s, oh, too much. Or else you love it. For me, I’m in the latter camp.
“The semifreddo, which you’ve absolutely managed to capture that tell-tale coconut flavour of fig leaves, adding pistachio, delicious. But the surprise is a little splash of that Pedro Ximenez reduction just, I think, lights up the dish. It tastes like Christmas to me.”
Manu was in awe of the dessert’s presentation and texture: "It’s just like a cloud, like a frozen cloud. And what I loved most about it is it wasn’t over-sweet like an ice cream. I think the three elements on one plate work together. I’ve got nothing negative to say about this dessert. Very happy tonight. Thank you very much.”
Tomorrow night on MKR: Aunty and niece team Rosie and Hayley are leaning on their Italian heritage and simple family recipes and techniques to get them ahead in the competition.
| Judges’ Scores | Entrée | Main | Dessert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manu Feildel | 10 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
| Matt Preston | 10 | 8 | 10 | 28 |
| Total | 55/60 |
| MKR Team Scores | |
|---|---|
| Matt and KT | 9 |
| Leanne and Milena | 8 |
| Nicky and Jose | 8 |
| Rosie and Hayley | 8 |
| Che and Dave | 7 |
| Total Score | 40/50 |
MKR Continues 7.00pm Sunday on Channel 7
Great episode tonight. Some fantastic dishes. Well deserved scores.
I was impressed by Che and Dave and Sophie and Katherine. The two teams delivered what they promised and deserved their high scores. I think Sophie and Katherine would top their group and advance to the semi-final.