The countdown to the new season of My Kitchen Rules is nearly over. But before we embark on another season of what is sure to be filled with great food and of course, a little drama (in and out of the kitchen), we’re meeting all the new teams ahead of the January 29 premiere…
**Fiery friends: Sonya, 34 & Hadil, 30, NSW
What annoys you about each other?
Sonya: Hadil has a tendency to zone out when we’re cooking.
Hadil: Sonya is a perfectionist and over-thinks measurements.
**Tassie truffle farmers: Henry, 26 & Anna, 24, TAS
What do you hope to get out of the competition?
Anna: We really want to showcase our love of truffles.
Henry: It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
**Lifelong mates: Davide, 36 & Marco, 32, WA
What will you bring to the show?
Marco: We have fantastic chemistry when we cook together. We’re always laughing, yelling, fighting, bickering.
Davide: You’ll get every emotion under the sun with us.
Mother and daughter: Pat, 61 & Louisa, 31, NSW
Who influenced your cooking?
Pat: Louisa’s dad passed away 10 years ago. He was a good man and definitely an influence.
Louisa: I think he’d be proud to see some Hungarian food on Australian TV.
**Confident sisters: Georgie, 25 & Alicia, 30, NSW
Should the other contestants be threatened by your team?
Alicia: We talk a big game, but we know that we can do the cooking to prove it.
Georgie: We have what it takes to win this!
**Defence force foodies: Matt, 26 & Aly, 25, QLD
Describe your cooking style…
Aly: A little bit of everything.
Matt: We experiment. If it’s tasty, we’ll run with it. If it isn’t, we’ll never cook it again.
**Russian rulers: Olga, 33 & Valeria, 26, NSW
What made you decide to go on the show?
Olga: Our primary goal is to win the competition – so the other teams had better watch out!
Valeria: We want to win, and we want to win with a bang.
**In-laws: Dan, 27 &Gemma, 38, SA
You’re a bit of an odd mix. Why did you sign up together?
Dan: We’re doing this because both our partners can’t cook.
Gemma: Our families are really close. Dan is like my brother – well, just as annoying as my brother.
**Funny buddies: Stuss, 56 & Steve, 52, QLD
What is your strength in the kitchen?
Steve: Stuss is a great Greek cook.
Stuss: I’m a real Greek. I’ve got a corner store and the house next door.
**Italian brothers: Josh, 36 & Nic, 33, NSW
Are you nervous about cooking for the judges?
Nic: We’re not worried.
Josh: Our instant restaurant will be the best. Italians do it better!
**Hard-working mums: Kim, 38 & Suong, 38, VIC
What do you love most about cooking?
Suong: When I grew up, we didn’t have much to eat. So I always want to make sure my kids are happy and fed.
Kim: We definitely appreciate and understand the value of food.
**Couple of cooks: Ash, 25 & Matty, 26, QLD
How would you rate your cooking skills?
Matty: I can’t cook. Without Ash, I’m stuffed.
Ash: I’m going to have to guide Matty through a lot of things.
**Waitresses: Stella, 21 & Jazzey, 21, WA
Famous last words…
Jazzey: Some people are going to think we’re young, dumb and not serious about food.
Stella: We’re really serious about this competition.
**Sassy sisters: Jess, 31 & Emma, 38, NSW
Are you worried about how you will be portrayed?
Jess: People will think we’re horrible.
Emma: We could win – when we score everyone zero.
**Cruisy combo: Alex, 35 & Emily, 27, QLD
What are your thoughts going into the competition?
Alex: We know what it takes to run a great venue.
Emily: We entertain at home. We entertain at work. We do it every day. This is just on a bigger scale.
**Friends with bite: Roula, 34 & Rachael, 21, VIC
Will you bring any drama to the show?
Roula: I’m loud. I’m vocal, and I can get violent with my words, but not physically violent.
Rachael: We fight, then three seconds later, we’re best friends.
