The 2016 MKR semi-finalists have been decided with the elimination of Victorian siblings Mitch and Laura
The first team through to the 2016 My Kitchen Rules grand final will be decided tonight (Thursday, April 21 at 7.30pm) when Gianni and Zana and Tasia and Gracia cook in the first semi-final.
Following a competitive round of ultimate instant restaurants, Victorian sisters Tasia and Gracia are sitting at the top of the MKR leaderboard with a history-making ultimate instant restaurant score of 85. The girls are taking on fourth placed Gianni and Zana, who secured their place in the semi with a score of 71.
The sisters ‘wowed’ their fellow teams and judges Pete Evans and Manu Feildel with their ultimate instant restaurant menu. Highlights included a main of Indonesian grilled chicken with sambal and tempeh and an entrée of crystal prawn and ginger dumplings – both dishes scoring perfect 10s from the judges.
Tasia and Gracia’s semi-final opponents, Gianni and Zana, didn’t fare quite as well in the ultimate instant restaurant round. The couple made some careless errors, including forgetting to prep the prawns in their entrée of Adriatic seafood stew.
“I have no issue with eating messy food. The biggest concern I had with that prawn, was that you didn’t clean it properly,” said Pete, who also questioned whether the rustic nature of the dish was a good match with the evening’s fine dining setting.
Manu said the couple’s second entrée of sardines with capers, olives and bread was “wonderful”, but lacked seasoning, a mistake he said he wouldn’t expect a team to make at this point in the competition.
Pete labelled their main of burek cigars with figs and goat’s cheese an “average dish”, but thankfully their second main of spiced lamb loin with chestnut puree and mushroom tart that kept them in contention for the semi-final round.
Manu couldn’t fault the dish. “I absolutely loved it. The lamb is cooked to perfection, beautiful caramelisation on the outside … it’s gorgeous to look at and gorgeous to eat.”
Eliminated siblings Mitch and Laura had success with their entrees in the ultimate instant restaurant round with the judges scoring both dishes a nine. But the team stumbled with technique in their mains.
Their lamb sweetbreads with charred cauliflower and hazelnuts didn’t impress Pete who said the sweetbreads “lacked creaminess”. Manu also faulted their second main of beetroot risotto with pan roasted pheasant saying the rice was a little crunchy and the pheasant was dry as they had cooked it without the skin. The team scored seven and six respectively for their mains.
Mitch and Laura’s fate in the competition was sealed in the dessert round with their poached meringue in orange scented custard with pistachio praline scoring a five. Their porcini and caramel tart with coffee ice cream also scored a five from the judges, giving the brother and sister team an overall score of 60 out of 110.
On Monday night (April 25 at 7.30pm) Western Australia’s mother and son team Anna and Jordan (ultimate instant restaurant score of 72) will face off in the second semi-final against South Australian husband and wife, Carmine and Lauren (ultimate instant restaurant score of 77).
Both teams have had a very different journey to this point in the competition. Carmine and Lauren have survived three tense sudden death cook-offs. By contrast, Anna and Jordan have won People’s Choice twice and have never experienced the pressure of a sudden death cook-off.
The winner from this semi-final will compete in Tuesday’s grand final.
My Kitchen Rules airs:
Thursday, April 21at 7.30pm Semi-final One
Monday, April 25 at 7.30pm Semi-final Two
Tuesday, April 26 at 7.30pm MKR Grand Final
