On last night’s My Kitchen Rules season 16 premiere, the competition got underway with mixed fortunes in the kitchen and early tensions emerging around the dinner table.
Queensland mother and daughter Krysten and Lucy had the honour — or pressure — of opening the My Kitchen Rules competition, welcoming the other teams and judges Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge to their Gold Coast hinterland Instant Restaurant, Puggles.
Their three-course menu began with Beef Tartare with Quail Egg and Truffle Flatbread, followed by paella and a Mango and Coconut Sweet Rice Croissant Puff for dessert.
It was an uneven night for the Queensland pair, with both their entrée and main scoring six from each judge before Lucy’s pastry skills came to the rescue with a dessert that earned an eight from both.
That left Krysten and Lucy with 40 points from the judges and 32 from the other teams, for a total of 72 out of 110.
A shaky start
The first course was always going to be a risk, with Krysten and Lucy serving raw beef and raw egg to the table.
Manu praised the presentation and flavour of the tartare, but felt it needed more moisture, seasoning and sauce. Colin agreed with the six-point score, leaving the pair with plenty of work to do heading into the main.
The paella created its own problems when Colin questioned whether the oversized prawns had been cooking for too long.
Krysten pulled the seafood from the pan before it could overcook, later admitting she thought they had “saved it from outright disaster”.
The decision appeared to pay off, with Manu calling the giant prawn “perfect” and Colin praising the prawns and mussels.
But the paella itself was considered a little too wet and was missing the crispy socarrat the judges were looking for.
Both judges again scored the dish six.
Jane quickly becomes a talking point
Away from the food, the dinner table was already providing plenty for the other contestants to discuss.
Colin revealed he already knew NSW contestant Jane, having worked with the food stylist before, prompting him to make it clear that any existing connection would not affect his judging.
“A score’s a score,” he told her.
Jane and husband Shane soon established themselves as the more experienced diners at the table, with Jane’s background working with chefs and fine-dining restaurants informing much of her commentary.
She was particularly focused on presentation, explaining that she would find it difficult not to judge how dishes looked as well as how they tasted.
That approach quickly put her at odds with South Australian best friends Alisha and Deanne.
As Jane commented on garnishes, plating and consistency, Deanne questioned whether there were already “food snobs” around the table.
The divide became more obvious as the night continued.
“More of a taster than an eater”
Jane also announced that she was “more of a taster than an eater”, picking at the food and leaving much of it on her plate.
That didn’t go unnoticed.
Her approach became a point of conversation around the table, particularly as the contestants had put considerable time and effort into preparing the meal.
Dessert provided another flashpoint.
Jane admitted she didn’t enjoy sweet food, saying she would rather eat a piece of cheese, prompting Alisha to question why she would enter a competition where dessert is inevitably part of the menu.
It was an early indication that the competition won’t simply be decided in the kitchen, with personalities already beginning to clash around the dinner table.
Lucy delivers when it matters
With the first two courses falling short of the judges’ expectations, dessert became particularly important for Krysten and Lucy.
Lucy, a self-taught baker, knew the pastry had to work.
“If the pastry doesn’t have that crunch, this is going to be a disaster,” she admitted.
The Mango and Coconut Sweet Rice Croissant Puff ultimately proved to be the pair’s strongest course of the night.
Manu praised the pastry layers and declared it “definitely the best dish of the night”, while Colin praised the sweet, crunchy topping and called it their best course.
Both judges awarded the dessert eight out of ten.
There were still some reservations, with Colin wanting more mango and a looser coconut sweet rice, but the strong finish gave Krysten and Lucy a score they could work with.
The first score is on the board
The five guest teams awarded Krysten and Lucy a combined 32 out of 50, while Manu and Colin gave them 40 out of 60.
That put the Queensland mother and daughter on 72 out of 110 after the first Instant Restaurant.
Judges’ scores:
| Entrée | Main | Dessert | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manu Feildel | 6/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 20/30 |
| Colin Fassnidge | 6/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 20/30 |
| Judges’ total | 40/60 |
Guest team scores:
- Angus and Simon – 7/10
- Tiffany and Giancarlo – 7/10
- Alisha and Deanne – 6/10
- Mary and Golden – 6/10
Viewers weigh in
The conversation didn’t stop when the credits rolled.
Jane’s approach to the dinner quickly became one of the major talking points, with criticism directed at her comments about the food and her decision to leave much of the meal uneaten.
The tension between Jane and the South Australian pair also attracted attention, with the early clash between the food stylist and the self-described “boganic besties” establishing one of the season’s first rivalries.
One loyal MKR watcher also contacted us after the premiere to question whether there appeared to be more advertising than usual during the program.
Their reaction was particularly strong, telling TV Blackbox:
“I have watched this show from the beginning and I will never watch this again.”
For now, the first score is on the board — and if the opening night is anything to go by, this year’s MKR won’t be short on opinions around the dinner table.
