In a very emotional elimination, best friends deliver fantastic dishes as they face off against each other in MKR’s Kitchen Headquarters.
Having forged a strong friendship since the start of the competition, it was a bittersweet win for WA’s Eva and Debra tonight as they sent their Queensland friends Sheri and Emilie home with a four-point win.
The night started with the teams affectionately calling “I miss you” to one another from their respective kitchens.
Deb said: “Today is a tough day because we're versus Sheri and Emilie. However, it's a competition and we need to put our friendship aside for that $250,000 we’re here for.”
Eva and Debra were back to their organised best, a tactic which they employed in their redemption round instant restaurant with great success earning them the highest score in MKR history.
The battle of the entrees was a tight one with Emile and Sheri’s beef carpaccio with truffle mayonnaise earning great feedback from the judges.
Guest judge Karen Martini said: “The beef is beautifully seasoned. The beetroots have a lovely sweetness to them that works really well with that delicious beef flavour.” With Liz Egan adding: “They’ve done so well. The perfect seasoning.”
Eva and Debra’s entrée of steamed mussels with lemongrass, ginger and chilli was also a hit with the judges. Karen says it’s “the type of food you get excited about.”
The main prep time sees both teams into stress overload with Emilie trying to cook pasta while making all of her individual desserts as well. Meanwhile, the observing teams are concerned when Sheri dumps all of her prawns into a cold pan to cook.
The resulting prawn linguine is not the conquest they are hoping it to be when served to the judges. Colin Fassnidge laments his prawns are undercooked.
“There’s two parts to this dish, the pasta and the sauce,” says Pete Evans. “And I don’t think they’ve cooked them together. The flavour itself is there, but it’s not wowing us.”
Manu Feildel agrees saying: “It’s not a bad dish; it just hasn’t hit the high we’re after.”
Meanwhile, mum’s chicken curry served by their foes attracts some glowing critiques with both Karen and Liz keen to meet mum!
Dessert becomes a cliff-hanger when Sheri and Emilie’s cherry crostata with ginger cream clearly out rates Eva and Debra’s steamed banana cake with salted caramel.
“It’s simple but they’ve done it beautifully. Every element works beautifully together and I think they’ve done a really good job,” says Liz of the crostata. Pete adds: “It’s confident cooking and the fact they managed to make so many of these individually, that’s a big task in itself. “
The final score was 45 to 41.
While disappointed to be out of the competition, Emilie said they gained so much more than they expected throughout the competition. “We may be leaving tonight but we’re not walking away with nothing; we have friendships to walk away with.”
In the next People's Choice challenge, the remaining teams embark on a pub crawl with a difference.