My Kitchen Rules (MKR S09 E36) Recap
- Apr 18, 2018
- 6 min read
So I've decided to start my MKR recaps here, with the 'Super Dinner Parties' round. I did write some recaps for previous episodes which I didn't publish as it wasn't the start of the season. I missed week 2 of the season due to being overseas therefore I had to play catch up and then we had the Commonwealth games. This feels like a good place to get into it.
Still seeing the promos for one team getting kicked out of the competition... Still don't know what to make of it as this show is known for it's hyped up promos with little delivery. Anyway here we go. Super dinner party number one. Two meals per course on a time limit (90 mins entree, 90 mins main and 60 min dessert). Makes sense to add the time limits as surely they'll be going to HQ after this round? Or will it be back to elimination house? This season is all new so it's keeping us on our toes that way.
Jess and Emma are up first, enjoying this as they were last in their instant restaurant round. Still unsure of them as a couple, I like what they bring personality wise, sassy but still funny unlike another couple in the competition (Yes, Hadil and Sonja I'm looking at you). They also know how to laugh at themselves, I feel like most people have changed their opinion of them since the first episode. However their cooking as seemed to be basic home cooking, occasionally well done but overall fairly safe. Hopefully they start showing they are real competitors.
Their menu consists of:
They get into their "ridiculous gowns" (hey at least their honest) and prepare for their dishes. First up their prepping a chocolate creme brûlée which sounds delicious. It doesn't take long for the mirror to come out and a quick makeup check, this is why you have to love them, where do they even hide that mirror?
One of their mains is one of my favourite dishes, lamb shanks! I just hope it stays full of colour and is delicious. I am always rooting for a good lamb shank on the show. "How's my lipstick going is it going everywhere?" "You could do with a top up" wow girls, maybe just worry about it when you're in company with the guests.
The guests are arriving and Olga is sporting a new shorter hair style. Makes her look less scary not going to lie. Just before the door bell rings Jess and Emma have squeezed in enough time to sip on some bubbly. At the door "Lets hope they save some champagne hey?" wouldn't count on it! The usual hugs and kisses at the door... Has anyone else thought it was super strange that at the instant restaurant rounds (especially when they don't know anyone yet) they always give out kisses? I would never do that to people I don't know, but I guess it's become a tradition of the show.
I would like to point out that I LOVE the wine glasses at the table. Sonya and Hadil make a toast to the table, completely unexpected but they rambled about "Congratulating everyone starting off as two and merged as one"..."Hopefully we don't eat each other alive" um. Look girls, if this is your way of making peace before the teams score you, you didn't try too hard and the other teams know the only ones that will be "eating each other alive" are you two by attacking everyone else. Sip your wine and maybe be quiet for a change.
After a few more sips of the champagne (and myself sipping in time with my wine) the judges arrive, which means food will be arriving on the table soon. The table opens their menus and Valeria states that they have "Overdressed" for the occasion, but hey ten years ago this would have been considered fine dining menu, if they do it well it'll be worth the outfit. Next we have Hadil stating that the menu is too simple and not good enough, but then nothing is good enough for her.
Back to the kitchen we go, no disasters yet but we will see how we go. They are frying the arancini balls and then placing them in the oven, maybe this will run the risk of drying them out? The table is talking about the challenges of having a clock to work against, and with half the table previously experiencing this already in elimination kitchen, those teams may have the advantage. Once again Sonya and Hadil reckon this "will be a walk in the park" even though they don't have this advantage. Time will tell girls. They then tell the table "Our eye is definitely on the prize" "I don't care how we get it" basically erasing their 'kind' words at the beginning of the night and back to the game players we know.
The girls have placed carrot on the place to hold the scallop shells but if it isn't there to be eaten I'm sure there will be a comment on its place on the plate. Tasting time. As they are tasting Manu eats the carrot infront of him to which Emily asks "did he just eat the carrot?" maybe my prediction is right. Pete's sauce with his arancini ball was too intense and it looked it when they showed the pot, there is also little pumpkin in the balls. Manu's time now and he states the scallops weren't seared properly, the puree was well done, dry chorizo and he doesn't understand the carrot (knew it, a classic mistake). The teams taste, and the overall feel is that they didn't perform well. The Italians weren't happy with the balls and sauce, Anna comes out with another classic line "Didn't blow my marbles" which Manu questions.
Back to the kitchen the girls begin their mains. The shanks look good. Emma is cutting up some camembert cheese to go with her Moreton Bay Bugs and she states that they've never tried this combination before... again another red flag we see over and over ever season. If you haven't tried it why are you cooking it?
Back to the table we have story time between Henry and Jazzey the unconfirmed by Henry but confirmed by Jazzey couple at the table. Wasn't a great story but he loved it. We finally find a flaw in Sonya she can't say 'camembert' instead distinctly pronouncing the 'B-E-R-T' and even Kim and Suong are having a giggle with Jazzey left asking "Who's Bert?".
As the girls are serving up main, the rice and bugs aren't going well and the shanks are falling apart which ends up in Emma plating up by herself screaming at Jess who is sobbing in the corner.
The girls arrive at the table with their mains with Jess still in tears. Sonya and Hadil claim "Not surprised to see them crack under pressure" "Big girls don't cry", hmm we will see girls.
The shanks look so good, full of colour and falling off the bone. The bugs look not so pleasing. Manu asks the girls their inspo for the dish to which they claim it's their twist on a lobster mornay, and Manu is upfront and tells them that it makes no sense and their bug was undercooked. Petes lamb shank was cooked well and the only negative he had was it was missing a little seasoning.
"That camembert is going to give me nightmares for the rest of my life" claims Hadil with Sonya grinning like it's the best news she's heard all season. Hadil then attempts to tell the table but she "just can't" which Manu says "You're finishing any of your sentences" clearly starting to get frustrated. Olga and Valeria said the lamb shank was a close to a fail even though everyone else at the table enjoyed it.
Dessert time. The girls have to start their apple pie from scratch, but it's okay they're deconstructing it without a pastry.. (so maybe it's more a crumble?). For the creme brûlée Emma is using a blow torch which turns into a flame thrower which she can't control. Almost lucky there isn't a fire the way she's throwing it around and her facial expressions are insane "it's not worth it!". They manage to plate and have put raspberries on their 'apple pies' might be another eyebrow raiser.
Straight away Sonya and Hadil point out my above statement, that it's a crumble not a pie. I guess we finally agree on something. Pete also called it a crumble, but he loved the textures and the flavours stating the Creme anglaise was one of the best of the competition. Manu questions the girls on the chocolate they used in their creme brûlée, as the milk chocolate didn't leave a nice texture. Overall he gave it a fail. The teams backed up the judges comments once again.
Scoring time. All the teams scored them below average which combined to be 28/70 which isn't much of a surprise so they'll be relying on the judges. They scored as followed:
Pete - Entree (Arancini) 3, Main (Lamb Shank) 6, Dessert (Apple pie) 8.
Manu - Entree (Scallops) 5, Main (Bugs) 1, Dessert (Creme Brûlée) 1.
Total 52.
Overall the girls feel embarrassed and apologise. Next up is Henry and Anna. I'm excited as they haven't disappointed yet and their last instant restaurant was one of the best we've seen.
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