Simone and Viviana top the MKR leaderboard after their dessert wins big, lifting them above rivals in a dramatic episode.
Monday night’s My Kitchen Rules (MKR) on Channel 7 delivered a high-stakes round in the Ultimate Instant Restaurant series as Simone and Viviana took their Italian-inspired menu to bold new heights. Their evening was a true culinary rollercoaster, with scores swinging from a lowly four to a standout perfect 10.
Despite a turbulent night in the kitchen, dessert ultimately lifted Simone and Viviana to the top of the leaderboard with a commendable 68 out of 100.
– Advertisement –
Their ambitious menu opened with a choice of Prosciutto and Melon Cheesecake or Crostini di Polenta for entrée, followed by Pappardelle with Duck Ragu or Risotto with Scampi and Stracciatella for the main. For dessert, they presented Tiramisu and Sfogliatella Ricca, a traditional Italian pastry filled with custard.
But as the competition intensified, rivalries sharpened. Mike didn’t hold back, bluntly admitting: “Of course I want them to fail. It’s a competition.” Confident his team could outshine their fellow Italians, Mike was firm in his belief that there wasn’t room for both teams in the finals.
Adding to the tension, Maddie confronted Rob and Liam over their allegedly strategic scoring at Caz and Fergus’ last dinner. Liam, however, stood by his actions, saying: “I regret nothing I said at the last Instant Restaurant. I believed it, so I said it.” Maddie quipped back: “I think we agreed to disagree. What can we say?”
When it came to the food, the entrée of Crostini di Polenta drew high praise, with Manu Feildel awarding it a nine and declaring it the best polenta dish he’d tasted in the competition so far. The Prosciutto and Melon Cheesecake, however, landed with a thud, scoring a disappointing four from Colin Fassnidge. Mike added his blunt assessment, labelling it simply as “crap.”
Simone and Viviana hoped their mains would redeem the evening, but the execution didn’t live up to expectations. Manu, reflecting on their past success, offered a lukewarm six for the Pappardelle, saying: “The ravioli that you cooked for us last time was probably in the top three best pasta dishes I’ve ever had in my life… The pasta was maybe too al dente… the ragu could have cooked together a bit more, a bit longer, a bit more seasoning, a bit more love.”
Meanwhile, Colin was initially impressed with the flavour of the risotto, but undercooked rice left him disappointed, scoring the dish a five. Mike didn’t hesitate to add salt to the wound, confidently asserting he makes a better risotto himself.
– Advertisement –
After the challenging feedback on their mains, emotions reached a boiling point. A visibly frustrated Viviana needed a moment to regroup, expressing: “This challenge is destroying. It destroys your mind.” Simone, ever supportive, reassured her partner: “We’re not professional, amore, we’re home cooks. This is hard.”
The evening ended on a high note, as the pair’s desserts garnered near-perfect praise. Colin found the Tiramisu “elegant” and awarded it a nine, while Manu was dazzled by the Sfogliatella Ricca, calling it “a work of art” and granting a flawless 10.
Judges’ Scores
Entrée Main Dessert Total
Manu Feildel 9/10 6/10 10/10 25/30
Colin Fassnidge 4/10 5/10 9/10 18/30
MKR Team Scores
Team Score
Mike and Pete 6/10
– Advertisement –
Janey and Maddie 6/10
Caz and Fergus 6/10
Rob and Liam 7/10
Total 25/40
Ultimate Instant Restaurant Leaderboard
Team Score
Simone and Viviana 68/100
Caz and Fergus 62/100
Rob and Liam 57/100
With Simone and Viviana now in the lead, the stakes rise again on Tuesday night as Mike and Pete don their aprons, determined to prove their worth in the competition.
My Kitchen Rules continues Tuesday, 7.30pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
– Advertisement –