The Queensland brother and sister become the youngest grand finalists in My Kitchen Rules history.
Siblings Jake and Elle take up their place in the grand final against married couple Dan and Steph this Sunday night.
Despite some serious sibling bickering in the kitchen, they managed to record the highest sudden death cook-off score of the series with 51/60 for their smoked kingfish with caper gremolata and quail egg entree, confit rabbit with crumbed kidneys, polenta and herb salad main and yoghurt panna cotta with fresh peaches and thyme syrup dessert to knock out Tasmania’s Mick and Matt.
The two teams first met in the initial instant restaurant round. And it was Mick and Matt’s Anchors Away restaurant which gained the early advantage, scoring the highest score of the round including a perfect 10. After a dream start, it was leadership that let them down and they bowed out in the competition’s second sudden death cook-off. But in Comeback Kitchen they rose from the ashes.
In this second semi-final, the young team set the standard high from the first course, delivering a seamless entrée which Liz Egan said looked “jaw-droppingly professional”. “There are so many wonderful elements there. It’s so well thought out. Clever little dish,” she said.
Grand final foe Dan said of their impending confrontation: “Their kingfish looks absolutely amazing. It’s scary.”
Mick and Matt’s smoked eel chowder entrée was described as a “real labour of love” by Karen Martini, with Guy Grossi adding: “That’s a chowder in every sense of the word – full of flavour. I think the addition of the smoked eel has really added a new dimension.”
The main courses really set the teams apart, however, with some portions of Mick and Matt’s crusted lamb rack with parsnip puree and bullhorn pepper undercooked.
Meanwhile, the Queenslanders main was perfect with Pete Evans saying: “I wouldn’t add or subtract anything.”
While Matt’s white chocolate mousse cake with lemon curd and raspberries lifted the team, their final score of 44/60 wasn’t enough to save them.
Despite the loss, Mick was super proud of their efforts saying, “It’s been a privilege for us to go as far as we have and learn what we have. We’re going home proud that’s for sure; we’re not going home with our heads down.”
Matt added: “It’s fantastic to do something like this with dad. We’re more friends now than father and son so I’m really happy with how far we’ve come together.”
The My Kitchen Rules’ Grand Final between Dan and Steph and Jake and Elle airs Sunday at 6:30pm on Seven.
source 7
