Only one can survive tonight as eternally platonic pals Betty and David take on flirty flatmates Bek and Ash. We’re reminded that is a classic face-off, though I do need to point out a classic Face Off already exists – thank you Nicolas Cage and John Travolta.
Anyway we’re off to kitchen HQ where the teams will cook three courses each. Joining judges Pete and Manu are other MKR faves including Colin Fassnidge, Karen Martini, Guy Grossi and Liz Egan.
Manu tells the teams there are no second chances in MKR (except this one) and they have to seize the moment. They have an hour and a half to plate the entrée – time starts now!
The girls are cooking mushroom crepes with brie sauce for entrée, Venison on black rice pilaf for main and bringing it home with biscotti featuring pistachio ice cream. They claim their menu is retro – just like the black rice pilaf your Grandma used to make…
Meanwhile, David and Betty are doing a raw beef salad to start, exotic steam fish with banana leaves as main and on the dessert front its chilli salt fruits with green mango/pineapple sorbet.
Kitchen HQ is a real balancing act as both teams work simultaneously on all courses and their fellow – more successful – contestants yell encouragement from the balcony. “I hate you all” laughs Tyson. “Be my wife,” Kyle yells to Bek. It’s very touching.
Manu talks for a while about “the perfect crepe” and let’s be honest; with his accent it sounds like he’s saying something far naughtier. He then tells us it takes him back to his youth… “Mother used to do crepes all the time.” Someone get Manu’s mum an Imodium.
David is having a disaster with burnt rice – #BurntRiceNotNice – and they need to start again. He then burns the pork crackling. Betty’s shoulders begin aching from carrying the team.
The entrees are served, first up David and Betty’s raw beef salad. Everyone likes it but Manu thinks it needs more sauce – get some new material Manu. Next is the mushroom crepes feat. Brie sauce. Colin calls it “beige” and “simple” but what he means is “boring” and “sloppy.” Round one to David and Betty.
You get the feeling the battle will be won and lost in the mains, so this next bit matters. David already seems stressed; he’s sweating a lot and keeps saying “Let’s hustle.” Bek and Ash are focused on not ruining their venison.
Betty does a last minute check on the fish to check it’s cooked, turns out its not – she’s freaking out. It’s a sprint as both teams rush to plate up and the food looks pretty average.
Mains are served. The fish is faulty and the judges are unimpressed. As for the venison, well the girls have actually done well this time. It’s cooked well and the sauce is spot on. Round two to Bek and Ash and dessert will be the decider.
David and Betty are doing chilli salt fruits with two sorbets – because why do one when you can do two? And Bek and Ash are serving up biscotti with pistachio ice cream. Everyone’s waiting to see what David will burn this time. I reckon his bridges with Betty…
Dessert is served. The judges are split on the sorbet dessert – but all agree it’s “intriguing.” As for the Italian biscotti, Guy Grossi – who is Italian by the way – isn’t blown away. That’s gotta be game over.
David and Betty land a grand total of 34/60 and the girls get 31/60 – farewell to flirty flatmates from Perth. Luckily Kyle is still in the competition, so something tells me we’ll be seeing Bek again. Maybe not you Ash.
