My Kitchen Rules

Stress levels are sky high as one team will be eliminated at the end of tonight’s instant restaurant on MKR.

The competition began when 12 teams opened their doors to cook and critique each other’s meals. Two groups battled it out. At the end of it all, the bottom six teams found themselves in the danger zone.

And so began the elimination round. In a cut throat strategic war, playing dirty was fair game.

Tonight, it’s back to the Gold Coast to see doctor and lawyer Peter & Gary serve up the last supper. At their last instant restaurant their take on French cuisine started out really well. But when it came to main – the night spiralled out of control. The boys’ time management was completely blown. Will it be their undoing again?

Their score will determine which team will be the first eliminated from the competition. It’s a bitter fight for survival. Who will be the first team to go home?

Off having breakfast again, Manu remembers how they had to wait 3 hours last time and they know that time is of the essence. For entree this evening they are making Moreton Bay bugs with lemon and garlic ith a fresh baguette, Pete hopes the garlic won’t overpower the delicate meat. Oooh they aren’t making the baguettes – they just bought them. Peter already thinks that people will sabotage them tonight but thinks they can beat the kiwis.

They have set up their restaurant when BOOM the power goes out. They call an electrician to fix it – this has to be a set up! Peter starts with dessert which will be a rhubarb creme brulee, Pete thinks that adding rhubarb to the brulee may be a problem, Manu is worried about them. For main course they are serving duck galantine with orange sauce with duck fat roast potatoes and snow peas. Pete is very impressed with the gallantine (the duck is deboned, stuffed andsewn back together)

With an hour to go Gary stuffs the chicken and sews it back together, Peter is on Gary’s back about time. The guests arrive and sit down at the table and everyone has a laugh at the strategic placement of the little kiwi Peter adopted from Meg and Simons placed in the mouth of a shark. Gary goes all snobby again with his champagne and they head back to the kitchen and check on the brulees. They are not set and as Gary goes to put them back in the oven burns himself and gets water over the desserts – a big no no. I think Peter is going to kill him! A hissy fit ensues!

Emma and Andrew are worried about being on the bottom, but things are looking up. The bruless are still not set and therefore thats delaying cooking the duck – deja vu anyone? Pete and Manu arrive and can tell the boys look stressed and hope they don’t have a repeat of last time. Gary reads the menu in French and the look on Manu’s face is priceless, like he’s thinking – you stoopid Auzzees! Everyone around the table is having a good chuckle at them. The brulee is finally out and ducks are in. They start on the bugs and the garlic butter has alot of garlic in it, but they love it.

Entree is served and Manu says it’s definately french inspired with all the garlic, but thinks there is far too much in this dish, plus the bread that has been dumped on the plate is not a baguette. Petes was overcooked and Emma and Andrew feel optimistic. Scott likes his and Megan thinks they wasted a good bug. It’s been an hour since entree they are all getting a bit restless while Gary performs surgery on the duck – removing it’s stitches. They plate up and it looks great.

Manu starts of with – let me correct your French – this is a Ballonttine not a galiuh. Both judges though think the duck is wonderful but the sauce is a let down. Thomas is off – hates the sauce, hates the peas and everyone is on to the game he’s playing. Doesn’t this little twerp realise that by putting everyone down he’s not only jeopardising his future score but people are going to maybe vote higher to compensate for him. On to dessert and it looks great – this will have to be good! Pete asks who’s idea the rhubarb was – as it made it exciting and was a pleasure to eat. Manu thinks it’s wonderful and Emme and Andrew look despondant.

Thomas is off againn with Carla saying they are going to vote strategically again – I wish the public could vote because I think we would all strategically send him packing!

Now for judgement and the boys dont look confident – ohh a twist – they will al head to Kitchen HQ’s for the resuls. So all teams are at HQ and it’s elimination time. If Simon and Meg win – they will be safe from elimination next round.

First the judges

Manu Fieldel –
Entree: 5/10
Main: 5/10 
Dessert: 9/10

Pete Evans –
Entree: 3/10 
Main: 6/10 
Dessert: 9/10

= 37/60

VIC - Thomas & Carla: 7/10

NZ – Simon & Meg: 6/10

TAS – Megan & Andy: 7/10

WA – Emma & Andrew: 6/10

QLD – David & Scott: 6/10

The contestants give them – 32/50. Giving Peter and Gary a score of 69/110

Therefore Emma and Andrew from WA are eliminated. They will be missed, I think they were genuinely nice people unlike some others in the competition.

7:30pm – Tuesday, February 28 on Seven

MY KITCHEN RULES is hosted by Pete Evans and Manu Feildel.

Tonight it’s David and Scott’s turn to plate up again. At their last instant restaurant, the Queensland soldiers didn’t live up to their full potential. After a disappointing start to the competition, the boys are ready to redeem themselves and come out guns blazing.

With an explosive Thai-inspired menu, things certainly get off to a spicy start. But will everyone be able to handle the heat?

Thresholds are tested. And Thomas stirs the pot with a shocking proposition. With elimination from the competition at stake, Thomas suggests a covert proposal to one team to keep them safe. Will they take the bait?

The soldiers are having a cup of tea and want three consistent good meals. Scott’s wife is Thai and it’s her menu and he doesn’t want to let her or her heritage down. For entree the boys are making Thai noodle rolls with a prawn and tofu filling and sweet chilli sauce.  Manu says the sauce better not be out of a bottle. For main they are making Thai lamb green curry with rice – exciting! Manu is worried as green curry is the hottest and wondres if people will be able to handle it and thinks it’s a risky move.

Pete is excited about the menu and hopes they can deliver authentic Thai flavours. The other contestants think these two will be strong competitors. Scott is doing the first two dishes, while Dave will do the coconut parfait with a ginger brandy snap for dessert. Manu thinks the parfait is a great idea as it ties into the rest of the menu with the coconut flavour. The boys are doing all the prep and seem to be on time. The boys are making their own sweet chilli so Manu will be happy, but in tasting it the boys almost blow their heads off due to so much chilli.

Scott realises he might polarise people with the heat but wants them to experience how he cooks. Pete is now wondering how people will handle the heat, Scott has put in the equivalent of 100 plus chilli’s – what a fool, I’d die! Even taking the lid off the blender almost knocks him out with the intensity and he can’t even breathe. Scott gets chilli in his eye as he pounds the living daylights out of it. David puts his parfait in the freezer and they are looking really good. The contestants have arrived and people are sitting down and Megan is over Thomas – as he is so chirpy now that not on the bottom and Carla the cow is smug on how she and Thomas voted. Megan doesn’t want to see anyone leave – but think that Thomas and Carla are bottom feeders. Go Megan!

Scott makes the rolls and it looks yummy as the judges arrive. Pete thinks that it smells nice and they sit down and the guests see the menu. Andrew likes it, Gary is nervous and so is Emma about the heat. Some think the curry will be a one pot wonder and alot of people are looking worried about how they are going to handle all the heat of the dishes. Scott starts making the curry and knows he has done it right, but he thinks it packs a punch – if he’s used to Thai food – poor Emma and Gary who can’t handle heat. Peter and Gary don’t like tofu, Megan says they need to get the balance of the sauce right – but she loves chilli. I think she’ll have to for this meal.

Due to the heat in the kitchen and obviously Townsville, the wrappers are dring out and cracking, so they keep making spares – wet tea towel anyone over the top? Actually if you look closely thats what they do. Scotts panicked and Davids feathers are ruffled and as they go to serve the plates realise all but 3 have sauce, when in fact 4 requested the sauce on the side – oh oh! Some one will have to get sauce  and they give it to Emma – why not Thomas – I would have put a whole chilli in his roll, the poor girl is already on the bottom of the ladder. Whatever happend to chivalry – all men get no chilli but stuff the female – nice work from the diggers there. Emma says its because she will be less harsh is the reason and I agree, but still MANNERS!

Pete says the sauce is fantastic and his plate is already clean, Manu asks if they got it from a Thai restaurant? He loves it but thinks he will be sweating all night. Scott tells the table the sauce is about as hot as the curry and Gary almost falls off his chair, the poor love. For Peter, Emma, Gary and Thomas it’s far too strong and it seems Emma couldn’t eat it. Andrew loves Thai Green Curry and hopes they are using the shoulder so it’s tender (they are using the backstrap – a fillet) The boys serve up the currry on banana leaves and it looks good – not sure I’d want to taste it though!

Thomas says it looks very green – well it’s a green curry Einstein! Pete is getting into it and Scott asks what protein he usually uses and he says chicken, he wanted to change things up a bit. Of course Pete says he wished he used chicken, but it’s a true green curry – but is it the right dish for a competition? Pete says on the Richter scale out of 10 – it’s a 10, Pete wishes it was an 8 and the rest of the table will wish it was a 4! Manu says there is a hell of a lot of chilli and chicken would have been better. He knows what a green curry is and this is it – will he finish it? Probably not – there is just too much heat. Gary gets whacked by the chillies and Emma is choking, as is Meg and Thomas – they are going to spontaneously combust! Meg can’t eat more than a mouthful, Thomas who apparently hates heat is eating it but thinks it’s bland and finishes it in seconds! He’s a liar – as we all know already!

Now time for dessert – hopefully this will clear all the guests palettes up! The parfaits are all set but they didnt try them – and in MKR that usually means disaster. Pete loves the presentation and thinks it will be a great dessert. The chef’s can’t cut through their dessert and Pete says there is no flavour – it just tastes like cream, Manu is really dissapointed – it’s icy and thats because of a lack of sugar. The guests try it and most think it tastes just like cream. All the guests are talking when Thomas turns to Andrew (who’s on the bottom of the ladder) and says that he thinks the boys will get very average marks. Andrew says he thinks they are smoked! Thomas says he think’s it’s worth a shot to vote strategically, Honourable Andy says he know’s what he’s saying but…. Evil Thomas says it’s worth a punt – your only here once, give them a zero!

Andrew is now thinking what the hell did you give me, about Thomas. Andrew wants to tell him to bugger off and Andrew thinks Thomas is lower than his horrible cheesecake! Now for judgement “

VIC - Thomas & Carla: 5/10

NZ – Simon & Meg: 6/10

TAS – Megan & Andy: 6/10

WA – Emma & Andrew: 3/10 – Remember she got the sweet chilli though

QLD – Peter & Gary: 4/10
= 24/50

Manu Fieldel –
Entree: 8/10
Main: 6/10 
Dessert: 2/10

Pete Evans –
Entree: 9/10 
Main: 6/10 
Dessert: 1/10

That gives the Diggers 56/110

Simon & Meg: 77/110 – NZ
Megan & Andy: 75/100 – TAS
David & Scott: 56/110 – QLD
Thomas & Carla: 49/110 – VIC
Emma & Andrew: 42/110 – WA

Tomorrow night – The last team to participate are the QLDers Peter and Gary.

7:30pm – Monday, February 27 on Seven

MY KITCHEN RULES is hosted by Pete Evans and Manu Feildel.

Explosivity is the key theme here, people. This week, it wasn’t about the shows that were on air; but it was completely, 100% about what the hell was going on inside! Excess Baggage had blow ups and revelations. My Kitchen Rules featured the first four contestants in elimination. Biggest Loser prepares to expel one of their contestants. If any of that doesn’t whet your appetite, then what the hell will?

We began the week with Excess Baggage. This time, they didn’t bother going anywhere to out of reach; planting their arses down in the Hunter Valley; basically where the show films its weekly check ins and soon, eliminations.

It’s a beautiful place, but the challenges aren’t so crash hot! We began with a spirit challenges. Contestants had to assemble and ride bikes through the paddocks to an estate, where they would have to fill 8 team-coloured jugs up with crushed grapes- crushed by them!

The key word here was ‘team-coloured’ jugs. This little rule made the outcome the way it was. Darryn & Lisa showed some fire early, but they ended up coming second to last. The orange, green and grey teams come first, second and third respectively in this challenge- but everyone except the grey, red and blue team used their correctly coloured buckets! They end up winning the prize points.

The next day is the breakthrough experience, and this week it would be Ajay, Matt, Lana and Dipper to take on some aerobatics in 50 year old planes. A scary thought for everyone involved, but moreso Ajay, who has a fear of crashing on just regular flights.

They all completed the challenge without Dr. Tim having to come into the equation too much.

Nathan struggled this week, seeing Tim about his issues rather than train. It may have affected him in the check-in.

The endurance challenge saw the contestants drag hot-air balloons across a field, deflate and pack them, and then blow-dart the hell out of ten balloons. Former clown Ajay helped her team to a victory, but again, the red team didn’t come last! They came second to last.

In check in, well, the scores looked a bit like this;

AJAY & MATT: 90.9

DIPPER & LANA: 88.9

BRANT & JOHN: 83.0

KEVIN & RENAE: 82.0

CHRISTINE & NATHAN: 81.7

KATE & SARAH: 80.6

GABBY & BEN: 75.8

DARRYN & LISA: 75.5

That score was despite Darryn & Lisa winning this week and Lisa losing the most body fat. They obviously have a long road ahead of them and only one week to go before elimination.

This week saw contestants fire up. Lisa is now more vigilant against Darryn’s attacks, and Dipper got a little out of control in a boxing match with Christian.

But The Biggest Loser proved to have the biggest scandal of the week- and it hasn’t even played out on screens yet.

To begin the week, Hayley told them all that this week would be ‘Immunity Week’. The winners of three challenges would win immunity and a 24-hr pass where they could go wherever they wanted for one night away from camp.

Luke won the first challenge after hauling bricks from one pallet to another. A surprise weigh-in which saw Graham gain wait and Bek lose nothing brought down-and-out Lydia good news as she managed to lose nearly as much weight as she did the weigh-in before. This gave her the title of ‘Biggest Loser of the weigh in’ (not the week, as this was a mid-week weigh in) and immunity, with that second 24-hr pass.

After a chocolate eating temptation, Hamish showed his ‘mummy-boys’ side off and consumed nearly a box of chocolate despite knowing no one else was playing! It was a stupid decision frowned down upon everyone (probably even an absent Luke), but it still earned him that third 24-hr pass and what comes with every temptation, a spot of immunity!

The Challenge then aired in full on Thursday, with explosive consequences. All teams had to dig a kayak and an oar out of the ground, take it to the other side of the beach, row out to collect weights representing the contestant’s weight losses each week, and bring them back to shore in order to ‘not lose’. The loser would incur a 1kg weight PENALTY for each member of their team.

All teams worked well, except the white team. Selena was slow, and by the looks of it, she wasn’t helping at all. But Bek and mainly Kasey at one point’s actions proved to be nothing but bullying and overreaction. It caused Selena to storm off and ask her teammates to vote her off if they lost the challenge.

They ended up losing the challenge, as they didn’t even dig out their two items before the other three teams completed the entire task. Despite the team unable to actually ‘vote off’ one of their own (they can only nominate them for elimination), they all seem content in unanimously voting out Selena.

It was a tense challenge which also saw a small scuffle between Hamish and Luke. What better way to celebrate than to dress up and have a party? Harmless fun? Not for one. As we saw on Thursday, some contestants looked a bit wonky and woozy. Someone is providing them alcohol.

That is against the rules.

I’m seeing a lot of activity occurring around an article I created detailing the scandal. All I can say is that you guys MUST watch Monday, as this is where this incident will finally be addressed in full by the show.

To My Kitchen Rules now, and strategy has shown its ugly face. Its elimination week and we see Simon & Meg, Thomas & Carla, Megan & Andy, Peter & Gary, David & Scott and Emma & Andrew facing the chop.

After a shocking first dinner, Thomas & Carla managed to find themselves with a low score at the bottom of the leaderboard. Simon & Meg were able to provide a standout performance, and despite being Kiwi, I’m actually barracking for them here!

Megan & Andy came about, and after managing to beat Thomas & Carla, the Victorian Villains decided to stoop to a new low and provide Emma & Andrew, Thursday’s competitiors, a measly 1/10 based on pure strategy. Sure, their dinner wasn’t crash hot, but it wasn’t worth a 1.

They really do make Dr. Evil look like a cute puppy dog wrapped in cotton candy!

So the knives are out on all three shows, and next week, there looks to be no stopping this brutal train!

As we all know, The Biggest Loser has a shock expulsion on Monday. ONE male will be eliminated, and my money is on either Luke or Hamish. With Luke’s alcohol binge during his 24-hr pass made a note of by producers, I would say it is more likely him than mummy’s-boy Hamish.

Due to this scandal, it really is taking the gleam off of the rest of the week, so I’m not so sure how this will affect the next elimination, weigh in, or any other aspect of next week’s dynamics. Maybe Ryan, the last eliminated contestant, will get to come back in for some reason. He is the heaviest contestant ever, so I can see them pulling that trick.

Excess Baggage heads to sunny Gold Coast. It should be a week of fun, sun and all the rest in between that the wonderful Gold Coast can offer- until the first elimination that is!

Speaking of first eliminations, My Kitchen Rules finishes its elimination round, leaving someone out to dry. Currently, it’s Emma & Andrew who are most likely to go, but anything could happen.

So that’s the current state of play, ladies and gentlemen. I do hope you guys stick with these wonderful shows over the next week, and I look forward to seeing you reactions along the way. In the meantime, you can view any of this week’s episodic blogs below.

THE LIBRARY

Monday

The Biggest Loser: Singles Season Seven – Weigh In & Elimination #4

Excess Baggage Season One – Hunter Valley Week Begins (Spirit Challenge #4)

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Thirteen: WA Couple, Thomas & Carla

Tuesday

The Biggest Loser: Singles Season Seven – Immunity Week Challenge #1

Excess Baggage Season One – Breakthrough Experience #4

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Fourteen: NZ Couple, Simon & Meg

Wednesday

The Biggest Loser: Singles Season Seven – Immunity Week Challenge #2 & Temptation #5 (Surprise Weigh In!)

Excess Baggage Season One – Endurance Challenge #4

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Fifteen: TAS Couple, Megan & Andy

Thursday

The Biggest Loser: Singles Season Seven –Challenge #5

Excess Baggage Season One – Check In #4

My Kitchen Rules. Season Three – Episode Sixteen: WA Couple, Emma & Andrew

Friday

The Biggest Loser: Singles Season Seven – Friday Night #2

Three teams have cooked in this elimination round so far. Tonight, it’s back to WA where scientists Emma & Andrew attempt to create a winning formula. Last time they tried to dazzle with their science based instant restaurant. Where they failed was with their balance of flavours.

Will they learn from their mistakes tonight and create a taste explosion? And with the threat of elimination biting at their heels, one team takes the game to a whole different level.

Emma and Andrew start of with making notes for them selves to stick up – the first says “Have you tasted this? TASTE IT” and the second says “1. Season, 2. Sauce, 3. Dress,4. Simple 5. Smile and at the side Where’s the sauce (for Manu)? Great idea!

Off shopping,  they declare that they want to get to the top of the ladder and are trying to do so by an entree Vietnamese chicken and prawn salad with vermicelli and sugar peanuts. Pete says it will all come down to the dressing that has to be salty, hot and sour and thinks it could be an amazing dish. The whole menu is Asian.                            

The restaurant is set and they start cooking and Andrew cuts himself and then juliennes his finger. Main Course is twice cooked duck with pork and prawn wonton soup, mmm yum. Manu says the flavour of the soup is paramount and needs to be strong. The wontons are looking great and I want some soup now!

For dessert the guests will be having coconut rice with tropical salsa, toasted macadamias and coconut. Manu says the rice needs to be cooked perfectly for this dish to work. The dressing sounds great for the salad – fish sauce, chilli, sesame oil, garlic, vinegar and sugar, but Andrew doesn’t seem to be able to get the right balance.

The guests arrive and Meg is expecting it to be great where as Peter doesn’t think it will be much different from last time. Andrew is suspicious of everyone except Megan and Andy as they are in the middle of the score board. Emma is making the salad while Andrew prepares the meats when the judges arrive. The guests look at the menu and Carla thinks it could be a winning menu, as does Megan.

Emma makes a mojito ball with science and they all think it’s fantastic. The mint is massive and Andrew thinks it should be smaller. Entree is served and Pete says that the dressing has no heat and needs salt. Manu really likes it but doesn’t like th presentation, lack of salt and complains about the mint leaves. Thomas doesn’t like the nuts. Andrew wants the duck to be on the bone but Emma says no – oh dear, she’s the one who did the massive mint leaves.

Thomas thinks the soup seems to ambitious as does Scott. Andrew isn’t happy with his broth so adds palm sugar, salt AND soya sauce – you only need one or the other. He then braises his duck in more soy and the broth – so that will be salty too. He wants the duck fully cooked – but won’t it continue to cook in the soup? Oh my this is a disaster in the making – the twice cooked duck is now thrice cooked as he puts it in the oven. Meg disagrees with the oven.

The duck looks overcooked but they think its under done but realise it will cook more in the soup. Manu says the broth has reduced too much as it tastes like sea water – I knew it! The wontons are overcooked. Pete says it’s basically inedible. Thomas is so happy – the nasty little man, he says this is his chance to get up off the bottom of the ladder. Andrew tastes the broth and he agrees. Megan doesn’t mind it, Peter and Thomas hate it.

The scientists are relying on dessert now, and go to get the rice out but duck blood has somehow got in it and contaminated it. They start the rice again and make the salsa. Andrew realises they better do well on this or they might go home. Emma is happy with the taste of the food but not the presentation – it looks awful. Manu likes the rice and salsa and says it’s good, but not good enough. Pete says the paw paw and passionfruit took over from the coconut rice and it’s average. Carla knows that they will have to vote strategically to stay in the competition.

Carla says it’s like orphanage food, Megan and Meg don’t like it. Now time for judgement. Carla says the dishes were good for us – meaning they might not be last anymore.

VIC – Thomas & Carla: 1/10 – A purely strategic vote, from some truly nasty and bitter people who I hope will soon be out of this competition. I HATE THEM

NZ – Simon & Meg: 4/10

TAS - Megan & Andy: 5/10

QLD – David & Scott: 4/10

QLD – Peter & Gary: 3/10
= 17/50

Manu Fieldel –
Entree: 7/10
Main: 3/10 
Dessert: 4/10

Pete Evans –
Entree: 5/10 
Main: 2/10 
Dessert: 4/10

So the happy go lucky and fun Emma and Andrew have scored 42/110, putting them in last spot. Carla beams and they are laughing about it. I really hate those two with a vengance.

Simon & Meg: 77/110 – NZ – SAFE
Megan & Andy: 75/100 – TAS – SAFE
Thomas & Carla: 49/110 – VIC – SAFE
Emma & Andrew: 42/110

Have I mentioned I HATE THOMAS AND CARLA?

For last nights episode click here.

7:30pm – Thursday, February 23 on Seven

MY KITCHEN RULES is hosted by Pete Evans and Manu Feildel.

Two teams have had a second chance to impress the judges. Now it’s back to Tasmania, where engaged sales reps Megan and Andy are keen to improve on their first instant restaurant performance.

Time management was an issue with their main and their nerves got to them by dessert and they left out key ingredients. They’re determined to redeem themselves but will history repeat itself?

Tonight the duo are going to concentrate on great quality of Tassie seafood in their menu. Entree tonight is seared scallops on pork crackling with salmon roe. Both Pete and Manu want the crackling to be perfect. With the table set again to a cricket theme they start to cook.

Main is bouillabaisse with rouille and croutons -  a traditional soup from Marseilles that is close to Manu’s heart.  Dessert will be sticky date cheesecake with a caramel fudge sauce. Pete thinks the dessert looks to sweet and is not looking forward to it. Megan explains that a rouille is a french style mayonnaise that’s made with capsicum and chilli.

Andy says he wants to show the boys (Peter and Gary) that they can cook because he thinks they come acrosss arrogant. Peter doesn’t think they are winning contestants. The crackling is being made and there is 30 minutes on the clock. Megan doesn’t think there will be enough stock and is panicking over everything – she’s frazzled!

The guests arrive and Carla says she has been to Tasmania once before for a weekend and it was probably 2 days too long – the cow. David and Scott love the cricket theme and Thomas says he doesn’t like cricket – who cares Thomas? Your there for the food – here’s a thought, choke on a set of bails!

Pete and Manu arrive as Megan is stressing out that the crackling isn’t even. They grill the crackling andburn it and are making a balsamic reduction. Peter says that Andrew is the starting point of any silliness, I think he just looks like a great dinner guest. Megan is getting very annoying with her stressing and the plating up is not going well.

Carla says “Maybe I should have picked up a McDonalds Happy Meal on the way here, as it’s a little small for me.”  Grrrrrrr. Pete and Manu crunch into the crackling and Pete says this is the type of food he is looking for in this competition and Manu says it was so good he just wishes there was more, the only critisism was there was too much crackling to scallop.

Peter and Gary say it’s not practical dish as the pork is so crispy (mmmm) where Simons thinks that they may lose top spot if they continue to cook like this. Peters gone paranoid again and thinks Emma and Andrew can’t be objective if they form a connection to another couple. Manu asks Scott how he feels about the bouillabaisse and he says “A blind date with a Frenchman reccomended to me by a friend that I don’t like”. The blind date part being that he doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into and the friend I don’t like is the soup, as Scott hates soups.

Megan puts the mussels in the soup first and freaks Andy out, all her flustering could jeopardise all this TLC he’s put into this soup, she should just leave him to it. She’s spilling soup over the croutons and she’s losing it! Manu enters the kitchen and he is worried they are calling it a bouillabaisse as traditionally you cook the whole fish in the stock and then blend it so it’s nice and thick. Manu thinks they should of called it Andy’s stew and not bouillabaisse – he’s being a bit protective.

The ‘bouillabaisse” looks amazing and Simon and Meg are worried again that they will be beaten and Peter notices the fact that it’s not thick enough. Manu says “Let’s make it clear it is far from being a bouillabaisse, bouillabaisse has got nothing to do with this. The second thing is, this is far from being a rouille” Oh dear. It’s all good – Manu says this dish is fantastic. Pete loves it and thinks the seafood was cooked amazingly. Wow Andy is going great – poor Meg has only flapped about and made a sauce and croutons so far.

Scott thinks it’s the best seafood he’s had and best meal so far – Peter thinks they must be in a different restaurant as his prawns were overcooked, the scallops under cooked and the crab mushy. Thomas says it tastes like vegetable broth with seafood in it that wasn’t cooked very well. I just want to know if the judges get peeved when they know how to cook seafood and have said it’s fantastic and then have these clowns contradict them. Scott has stopped listening to Thomas as he knows his game.

Now is Meg’s time to shine – her cheesecake. Meg needs 880g of brown sugar for her sauce so when she has poured 900g they can’t decide wether to take out 20g or 50g – oh my goodness. The sauce is going to be so rich and sweet. They are confident they will get 8 or 9 out of 10 for this dish. Pete says this is the dish he has enjoyed the least, Manu said the first bite was nice but then he struggled. Compared to the first two dishes it didn’t hit the same marks – Andy should have done dessert.

The QLD army boys and Emma and Andrew love it while QLD whingers and Thomas and Carla hate it. Now for the judgement – will they beat the Kiwi’s?

VIC – Thomas & Carla: 7/10

NZ - Simon & Meg: 6/10

WA - Emma & Andrew: 6/10

QLD – David & Scott: 7/10

QLD - Peter & Gary: 6/10
= 32/50

Manu Fieldel –
Entree: 8/10
Main: 8/10 
Dessert: 5/10

Pete Evans –
Entree: 9/10 
Main: 9/10 
Dessert: 4/10

Tonight Megan and Andy just lost out to the kiwis by 2 points, scoring 75/110. If Emma and Andrea, Simon andd Meg or the boys gave them what I think they deserved (at least a 7) they would be in front.

The leader board:

Simon & Meg: 77/110 – NZ – SAFE
Megan & Andy: 75/100 – TAS – SAFE
Thomas & Carla: 49/110 – VIC – Haha

7:30pm – Wednesday, February 22 on Seven

Elimination round continues.

MY KITCHEN RULES is hosted by Pete Evans and Manu Feildel.

Simon & Meg are still reeling from their first instant restaurant experience. The Auckland duo were left with egg on their faces after they failed to prove New Zealanders make the best pavlovas. With national pride on the line, they’re desperate to make amends. But will they make the most of their second chance?

Meg wants everything presented beautifully and tasting great so they can get consistent scores tonight. For entree Simon and Meg are making whitebait fritters with watercress and horseradish cream. Main course will be pan seared snapper with creamy chowder sauce on a carrot and leek confit. Pete says that NZ has great snapper and seems excited by the menu. Thomas and Carla along with Peter and Gary are going on about how it’s not about making friends and it’s a competition – maybe because no one would want to be their friends.

The clock starts the three hour countdown and they seem confident. They start on the horseradish cream and are tasting everything and have listened to Pete and Manu. Dessert is a feijoa (a well loved fruit in NZ that is a cross between a guava and pineapple) and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. Manu says that not everybody likes feijoa as is a very acquired taste. They are having a little trouble with the ice cream machine but besided that are flying.

The guests arrive and Andrew is impressed by the decor and Peter has bonded with a mini kiwi, making it his kiwi-kerchief. Thomas and Carla are hoping that NZ will bomb out (these two need a slap and are quickly becoming my least favourite). Actually everyone seems to have the knives out tonight, everyone so far has had a little dig here or there.

Simon says that whitebait fritters are a NZ classic and they are looking really relaxed. Manu and Pete arrive and Meg thinks their advantage is that they have listened at all the instant restaurants, not only their own. Pete explains that Aussie fritters are different to NZ ones and the NZ ones just contain egg and seasoning

People are excited about the whitebait but Emma and Gary are not impressed that they will have to look at somethings eyes as they eat it. Thomas doesn’t like horseradish and he wouldn’t order whitebait. Manu is concerned about the mix of watercress and the horseradish. The entree looks great but Simon wants to add water to the salad as it looks wilted – and it is. Manu thinks it’s really nice and liked the roe and horseradish cream, Pete says we told you to focus on presentation so why deliver a plate like that – the salad was dead and lifeless, but he loved the taste of the dish and it’s near perfect.

The guests like the whitebait – even Gary who loved it. David is intimidated, Megan thinks it’s the best entree so far in the competition and Thomas thinks it’s underseasoned and eggy. Megan and the others are seeing right through him and his devious ways. The guests are worried how they are going to serve 12 pieces of fish at the same time and not dry them out – Meg and Simon are searing it and then placing on oven racks that they will then place in oven. Manu enters the kitchen and questions them about the confit and they are doing it in water which means Manu says, not a confit. He’s worried the sauce and veges aren’t done or the sauce, yet the fish is being cooked.

The main is served and Pete asks if they are happy and would they do it differently if they had their time over? Simon says that he’d have cooked the fish closer to serving time and Pete says he would have preffered that. The leek is lovely, the carrot undercooked but Pete likes the dish. Manu says Hallelujah he finally has sauce on his plate, he enjoyed it and used to have a similar dish on his menu and is overall very pleased. Thomas is making faces and saying it tastes like a cabonara sauce and he wouldn’t have it again and of course Carla doesn’t like it. Everyone can see his strategy and are getting over it.

The couple know that alot rides on this dessert after their disasterous pavlovas, but noone seems to know what a feijoa is. Gary says “it’s a fruit dear” to Peter who replies “so are you” haha – I definately prefer these two than Thomas and Carla. Manu has scared people with his description of feijoa but the crumble is ready and the ice cream is to be served at the table due to the heat in the kitchen. Pete says they followed their instincts and it’s remarkable but the ice cream was too icy. Manu says the apple and feijoa were unevenly cooked but it was fantastic. Carla and Thomas don’t like it but it has mixed reviews around the table. Now for judgement:

They have done really well Pete says and he thinks they will go far.

VIC – Thomas & Carla: 5/10 – Thomas wanted a six

TAS – Megan & Andy: 7/10

WA – Emma & Andrew: 7/10

QLD – David & Scott: 8/10

QLD – Peter & Gary: 6/10
=33/50

Manu Fieldel –
Entree: 7/10
Main: 7/10 
Dessert: 7/10

Pete Evans –
Entree: 8/10 
Main: 7/10 
Dessert: 8/10

Simon and Meg have a total of 77/110 and very consistent scores, way up on the 58/110 they got last time.

Simon & Meg: 77/110 – NZ
Thomas & Carla: 49/110 – VIC

For Thomas and Carla’s disaster last night click here