They talked a big game from the very first episode, but My Kitchen Rules’ most outspoken duo have proven they’re the biggest threat in the competition.
Queensland radiologists Kate and Mary, who on Sunday’s opening episode declared themselves a “threat” while Kate also had a dig at her fellow contestants taste palates, have achieved near-perfect scores for their main course and dessert from judges Manu Feildel and Nigella Lawson.
There were high hopes for the “fine-dining” friends, who only faulted on their barramundi entree which was inconsistently cooked and served without crispy skin.
British home cooking queen Lawson, who is Pete Evans’ replacement for 2022, said she understood where they were going with the entree, but that they failed on the execution.
“I eat barramundi a lot when I come (to Australia), it doesn’t exist where I come from,” Lawson told them.
She added: “I think you understood what you were trying to go for and it just needed a bit more acidity and a bit more salt to make it what you wanted to. You don’t want to drown flavors out, but you don’t want to be too timid.”
But the self-confessed “food snobs” bounced back with their main course, with their “perfectly cooked” quail praised by the judges and their fellow contestants.
And they went another step further with their dessert, a macadamia tart with poached pears and creme fraiche, which Feildel dubbed “textbook”.
Kate and Mary’s fellow contestants equally enjoyed their instant restaurant, giving them overall scores of 7s and 8s.
Meanwhile, the judges scored them a combined total of 87, which saw them rocket past Peter and Alice’s score of 54 on the leaderboard.
The winner of the instant restaurant round goes straight through to the semi final, with Kate and Mary potentially scoring high enough to finish on top.
“After our instant restaurant, I think the contestants are going to be double thinking what they do for their restaurants,” Kate said.
“We’re a threat,” Mary added.
My Kitchen Rules continues tonight on Channel 7 at 7.30pm
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