Alisha and Deanne’s hopes of redemption have crumbled on My Kitchen Rules, with a disastrous apple tart sending the South Australian best friends to the bottom of the leaderboard.
Returning to their Adelaide Instant Restaurant, Hot Mess, the self-described “classy bogans” were determined to improve on their first-round score of 68 and prove they could deliver more than big personalities.
Their menu featured tuna tartare, birria tacos and apple tart with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.
“Not only do Dee and I look like tens, but we also can serve up tens,” Alisha joked ahead of service.
Their confidence took an early hit when too much Dijon mustard overwhelmed the mayonnaise for their tuna tartare. Despite praise from Colin Fassnidge for the beautifully cut fish, both judges awarded the entrée five points, with Manu Feildel saying the dish failed to bring its elements together.
The birria tacos offered a chance to recover, impressing the other teams with generous fillings of beef and cheese. Simon called the dish “a big improvement on their last cook”, while the judges wanted crispier tortillas and greater depth of flavour. The main earned six points from Manu and seven from Colin.
Alisha was left frustrated, believing the dish deserved more.
“I’m not feeling good. Just feeling frustrated. I believed that our main definitely deserved a ten.”
Dessert proved disastrous. After their pastry crumbled during preparation, the pair pressed it into the tin, but the thick pastry remained undercooked and the apples were only half-cooked.
“The pastry hasn’t been rolled thin enough; it’s undercooked; it’s not even a tart,” Manu said.
Colin was equally unimpressed, declaring the final course “a hot mess”. Despite praise for the caramel sauce and ice cream, Manu awarded dessert three points and Colin four.
With 30 points from the judges and 24 from the other teams, Alisha and Deanne finished on 54/110, well short of their previous 68.
The result left them at the bottom of the Instant Restaurant Round 2 leaderboard, securing Sheridan and Ted’s safety.
“Bottom of the leaderboard again,” Deanne said.
“You know what? I’m starting to get a pillow and a blanket down here.”
The pair’s outspoken personalities have also divided viewers, with the latest online discussion ranging from encouragement to criticism of their behaviour. In a follow-up interview, Alisha acknowledged the tart was an “epic fail”, while Deanne questioned whether the dessert warranted such a low score.
With two Instant Restaurants still to come, their competition hopes remain alive. Colin reminded them:
“As we know, you’ve picked people off before. It’s definitely not over yet.”
Away from the kitchen, tensions continued between Angus and Simon and Zoe and Zac, after Simon called Zoe “the weakest link at the table”. Zoe challenged the comments as disrespectful and asked for an apology, but Simon refused.
“No chance. I think you’re being phoney.”
The Instant Restaurant Round 2 leaderboard:
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Krysten and Lucy | 92 |
| Harrison and Oliver | 82 |
| Sheridan and Ted | 69 |
| Alisha and Deanne | 54 |
| Angus and Simon | Yet to cook |
| Zoe and Zac | Yet to cook |
