Sixteen seasons into My Kitchen Rules, you might think that judge Manu Feildel had seen it all. But no.
“Every year we’re surprised by the contestants and new craziness and new food,” Manu tells TV WEEK.
Manu, who judges alongside Colin Fassnidge, says this season is going to be “a wild one”, with three teams in particular looking likely to create drama. One of those is self-described “classy bogans”, Alisha and Deanne, from Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
“I think it’s the first-ever team that we’ve had of this kind,” Manu says. “They are very energetic, very bubbly, and they’ve got a lot to say.”
There’s food stylist Jane and husband Shane from the Blue Mountains. Manu says the couple come in with “huge expectations”. “They travel the world, and she’s been a stylist for many, many years, so their expectations are set pretty high.”
And then there’s funeral director Angus and his teacher friend, Simon, both from Adelaide.
“Angus and Simon have got a great sense of humour. They’re charming – but they might turn a little,” Manu hints.
Who will rise above the heat to prove themselves this season’s best home cooks and take home the $100,000 prize?
Alisha + Deanne
Alisha and Deanne have been inseparable since high school and are so close they joke they were “switched at birth”. Beautician Alisha is the louder, more unfiltered half of the duo, while recently divorced mum-of-two Deanne is a retail worker with a sharp one-liner always ready. Their cooking is hearty, home-style and big on flavour, with sticky date pudding and birria tacos among their signatures.
Angus + Simon
Angus and Simon met working in a pub 11 years ago and have been taking the mickey out of each other ever since. Funeral director Angus cooks at lightning speed and uses every utensil imaginable, while Simon is methodical and recipe-focused. Angus’s beloved signature is his granny’s mini sausage rolls, while Simon swears by Hainanese chicken rice.
Mary + Golden
Mary and Golden met while studying nursing in the Philippines and moved to Australia together in 2004. Now best friends and both nurses, they dream of opening a food truck serving Filipino street food to hospital workers late at night. Mary is the vocal one, Golden the observant one, and they’re passionate about introducing Australians to the food they grew up with.
Jane + Shane
Food stylist Jane and builder Shane have been married for two years and are raising a blended family with five adult children. Jane learned her craft working alongside some of Australia’s top chefs and describes herself as fiery and unapologetically opinionated, while Shane is the calmer half. After four years travelling through Italy, their food is heavily influenced by Italian cooking, with Shane specialising in handmade pasta and woodfire dishes.
Tiffany + Giancarlo
Tiffany and Giancarlo have been together for almost 20 years but have never felt the need for a wedding or kids. Former flight attendant Tiffany is now a homemaker, while serial entrepreneur Giancarlo works with the family engineering firm and has founded multiple tech companies. He’s also the one who taught Tiffany to cook, although she insists the student has now become the master.
Krysten + Lucy
Krysten and Lucy live on a 12-acre Queensland property where they bake, fish, free-dive and host friends at their fairy-lit smokehouse. Krysten is a self-confessed gym “beast”, mad-keen fisherwoman and co-owner of the family medical practice, while Lucy runs her own micro-bakery and holds the world record for the largest Australian bass caught by an under-16 female angler.
My Kitchen Rules premieres Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Seven.
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