My Kitchen Rules (MKR S09 E38) Recap
- Apr 19, 2018
- 10 min read
It's Wednesday night. Kim and Suong are up, and THIS IS MEANT TO BE IT, THE EPISODE THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVEN BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED. If it doesn't live up to the build up, I can guarantee you, this will be the last episode many people will be watching of MKR. Also warning in advanced if I am typing as much as I think I will be, this might be a long post. The episode has barely started, and they're already basically showing everything. What happened to the good old days of suspense and letting the audience just watch an episode experiencing the shock for themselves? I know I'm not the only one sick of this.
The girls are shown meeting their families at the air port. Lot's of kids complaining about eating tinned tuna and rice. Hold on kids, you never know they might take out the competition and make your current diet worth it.
Menu time:
Showing off their fishing skills the girls collect their own barramundi and lobster from tanks and once again they're showing off that they can do anything (go girls!). Back at home the girls start on their ice cream, for their deep fried ice cream. In the last challenge which was ice cream themed I was hoping someone would attempt deep fried ice cream but I know time wise it wasn't possible (takes a long time to freeze, coat, freeze, fry etc.) so I am excited to see how they go tonight with the dessert. Deep fried ice cream is risky as it may not freeze enough in time, but they are also making a coconut jelly which they are worried the table might not enjoy due to its hard texture form the agar agar (jelly derived from algae).
They're putting the ice cream in the freezer before the guests arrive at the house. So far good timing. The guests ring the bell and they all seem somewhat happy. We witness an awkward hug between Sonya and the girls and I feel like this might be setting the tone for the rest of the episode.
The couples have barely sat down and the D-R-A-M-A is already starting with Sonya and Hadil congratulating Henry and Anna being the first team to make it through with a side comment "a hundred per cent better than some cooks left here", and then mocking the girls "the fact that they're sitting here is an insult to anyone that can cook". Jess and Emma have stated they're going to try to ignore it, but we will see how long that lasts.
In the kitchen the girls are smashing through their prep and entree and I hope that they think about their elements on their plating as that can be where they get unstuck. At the table Alex and Emily are commenting on Kim and Suongs last instant restaurant and how they are curious as to whether they'll produce some "obscure meats and Vietnamese food". Hadil responds saying she hopes the table respects it and eats it, which is funny coming from one of the fussiest eaters at the table who known for refusing to eat what's in front of her. Jess then comments "Kim makes the best pie" and Sonya and Hadil comment quietly "at least she knows what a pie is" and "at least she can make a pie". Girls, one thing, either say it out loud or don't say it the table. Keep it for your interview. Straight after this they are shown talking between themselves saying they "can't wait to send them out, they must have missed the memo the circus was down the road, bunch of clowns". Now yes, maybe this was taken out of context and they were talking about something other than the show completely, but I highly doubt it.
Back to the kitchen to show us some more cooking, because you know this is cooking show, the producers don't want us to think they've forgotten. The show the girls prepping their leaves and that's it because the judges have arrived. Manu is in a risky white blazer but as usual he pulls it off. The girls explain their menu and Alex and Emily are concerned with the girls in the time frame, I am too but they usually manage it... just. Nic shows us he struggles to say "Vietnamese" and instead chooses to call it "Vietnam food".
The girls are once again prepping leaves in the kitchen. They have placed three of the beef entree on a skewer which I can see will make serving time easier. At the table Jess and Emma are discussing what they think this dish will consist of obviously unsure (as many of us who are unfamiliar would be) they take a stab that it's sliced beef in a marinade. Sonya and Hadil laugh and pull out their fans to hide their snarky comments of "You don't know anything about anything. You don't know how to cook", I am eye rolling on the couch, it is not necessary at all.
Hadil starts to unravel by saying she has the beef all the time and Manu asks if she's had the actual recipe in particular before. She says she hasn't then she has but is unsure, and Sonya nervously laughs and goes "no we have had it" and Hadil then corrects herself and says "Yeah we have had it but um..". It's not hard, you either have or you haven't. Suong is outside cooking the entree on charcoal letting the smell into the the tent with the contestants letting Sonya and Hadil make more comments about showing who can cook and can't. Unfortunately so far we are seeing tiny short few seconds of cooking, and lots of Sonya and Hadil.
13 minutes to go and Kim starts to plate the entrees, while Suong is cooking. Good time management so far. But once again the footage goes back to the table to show that all the contestants are noticing Sonya and Hadil's comments and how they're trying to wind Jess and Emma up. It's high school mean girl 101, this isn't a classroom, its a cooking competition. PLEASE SHOW US SOME MORE FOOD. I know I am writing about the drama but there isn't much else to write about. Emma leaves the table after hearing one more comment about her said not directly to her and to be honest I couldn't even understand Hadils mumble. Now Sonya and Hadil have a loud voice and start yelling "Bye!" with Sonya saying "Sit down, you think you are a princess? Real princess' wear diamonds not cubic zarconia". Jess responds by yelling back "You think you're funny?" and keeps walking away. Hadil is still yelling at her but to be honest I've stopped listening and hoping there is break coming up.
I am quickly snapped back into attention by hearing "blowfish" being used again by Hadil. Yikes. Emma responds screaming "You look like Bubba Gump" unsure where that was pulled from or the relevance but Hadil replies "seriously is a blowfish gasping for air?", once again I am sick of this. I am not going to write everything that is said but poor Kim and Suong are ready to serve their entree as their time has run out but can hear the fighting and only have one choice and that's to wait. Looks are being brought into the argument and Emma tries to reason with the girls by reminding them that they're waiting for entree which is probably now ruined. To be fair the girls have soup that is going cold with meatballs that are probably going soggy, if this is going to ruin the dish I hope it doesn't effect the scoring. Sonya and Hadil are asked to stop by Josh, Nic and the judges, and Emma returns to the table. All seems calm and then Hadil says "they don't belong in top 8 because they can't cook" I think Manu yells "Hadil" and Stella asks her to stop talking clearly frustrated just like everyone that is watching. Hadil bites back at Stella yelling at her "YOU stop talking, you stop talking, WHY ARE YOU TALKING?", the question we have been yelling at YOU HADIL all night. She's gone from yelling at her victims Jess and Emma to yelling at the whole table. Josh once again tries to calm Hadil by reminding her (for the 50th time now) they are at Kim and Suongs home waiting for food to be served. Hadil starts shrieking "SHUT UP JOSH, SHUT UP JOSH... Don't make me come for you". I feel like I'm watching Jersey Shore not a cooking show.
Stella points out the threat that has been made and Hadil says "We'll come for you too, don't worry". Now Sonya pipes up pointing the fingers at the table "we will come for you, and you, and you... because you're all disrespectful assholes" yep, pot calling the kettle black I think. Manu steps in again saying "Enough", and FINALLY we have an ad break.
Look why did this not get stopped sooner? Oh yeah, for ratings. Producers knew this is something they could promote over and over for almost a whole season. Promoting bullying, threats and vulgar behaviour, at a time slot children are still watching television. It's no better than promoting half the dating shows they have on with naked exes asking for boob jobs, so I guess this what primetime 'family friendly' television is all about now. No wonder Netflix and other streaming networks are starting to take over, at least parents can have some control there.
Back from the break Manu says the line we have been hearing over and over again but with names added to it "Sonya and Hadil you're excused from the table". Now all I am thinking at this point is not "WOW THE SHOCK, SO UNEXPECTED" instead I am thinking I really hope this is edited to make it seem like tonights hosts had the food ready the whole time this fight took place, when really they were still cooking, but this really isn't fair. You can't ask them to cook it all again, and the quality of the food would be compromised. I just hope it is all okay for them.
Manu states that this is the first and the last time he will be doing that... "Have fun and be adult doing this". I can assure that many will be hoping this is the last season as this isn't the MKR we loved nine years ago. The girls take off in a taxi and I am glad they didn't have a personal Renault and driver show up. Pete announces that the girls were ready with their food over ten minutes ago and that they should take that into account. If this is true, then I am even more disappointed that Sonya and Hadil weren't excused ten minutes prior. I am hoping the soup was boiling hot beforehand and is still a pleasant hot temperature. The beef on the other hand would probably be cold. Kim and Suong go to deliver the entree to empty seats and I bet can only be wondering what has happened, but also are probably relieved.
Entree comments are positive. Manu's beef was juicy and moist and was better than he has had in restaurants. Petes soup was delicious and the broth was full of flavour with moist and fatty meatballs. The teams at the table are only positive about the dishes which they had to be, you couldn't complain about it after what just happened. I would like to point out we are 40 minutes into a 71 minute episode and we have only just seen entrees. I hope the rest is filled with cooking and no drama, the rest of the teams at the table are all usually light hearted and love a laugh so I am positive it'll be good vibes from now on.
The ladies are now cooking their lobster and pull out a VB to marinade it, because it was the only beer in the house "nice and cheap". Got to love these two. The fried ice cream is currently in the process of being crumbed, however as I guessed at the start it is not hard enough but the girls try to make it work. The table is currently laughing at what happened earlier on asking where the popcorn was even the Russians are making jokes. The correct attitude and are having a toast to the remainder of the night.
Pete enters the kitchen (hopefully stopping the clock) to explain why the table is missing two guests and asks them to keep cooking well. The girls start poaching their fish and they aren't happy with the consistency with the liquid.
Henry asks the table "What do you do when you're at home by yourselves" immediately realising how creepy that is, with the judges laughing with him. Emma redirects the question to him and his response is "getting the kit off for a bit and walking around" but it's okay everyone he keeps it PG (only could expect that from him) Jazzy is at the end of the table fanning her imagination. Kim and Suong are plating up, slightly behind on last course but we know they'll get it done.
They plate it all up, worried about presentation, but there's something about asian food that makes it look pretty on a plate even if it has been thrown on. Manu's lobster is cooked "amazingly" and thinks the dish is delicious but lacking the tamarin and the sauce was too thick. Pete's fish was cooked well and it melted in the mouth, but he wasn't happy with the large amount of rice in the bowl as it didn't leave much of the sauce or caramel flavour behind. Stella says the lobster dish took her places. Olga and Valeria weren't fans of the barramundi dish though.
The girls are back in the kitchen cracking on their dessert. They are going to deep fry the ice cream, but it has not frozen in time in the freezer... something we could all see happening. Kim decides that they'll just have to serve the ice cream like that, with lychees on the side and she will deep fry some banana instead. These girls think fast in the kitchen and I hope it works for them even though I know there will be some disappointment. The jelly is being served with jackfruit and lychee with a sauce. One that has gone to plan for them. The girls are working hard to serve the melting ice cream but it still looks yummy.
Manu doesn't find the agar jelly texture pleasant, but enjoyed the softer coconut layer and the coconut sauce. Pete describes the dish as being dry mush because they obviously left the coating on the ice cream. He didn't enjoy much of it and called it a "disappointing dessert". Around the table no one's a fan of either desserts, the jelly because of the texture and the ice cream had soaked into the crumb so many were left with no ice cream at all.
Scoring time and the guests have scored varying between average and just above average. To compensate for Sony and Hadil not being there they have added the average of the guest scores to the total which leaves with a combined score of 46.
The judges scores are as follows:
Pete: Entree (Soup) 10, Main (barramundi) 7, Dessert (fried ice cream) 1.
Manu: Entree (Beef) 9, Main (Lobster) 8, Dessert (jelly) 4.
Grand total score: 85, putting them through and one point off the top of the leader board.
Stella and Jazzey are next to cook and I can't wait to see what crazy combinations they create this time. Hopefully it works better for them than their last instant restaurant.
Will Sonya and Hadil return? Well I'm saying yes because they were only 'excused from the table' not the competition. But at the moment they are the only team I want to see eliminated from this round.
I think this GIF of Nic sums up my feelings right now:
See you all Sunday for a sneaky glass and reality binge.
xx
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