Tonight on MKR, Queensland mother and daughter Krysten and Lucy opened the competition at their Gold Coast hinterland Instant Restaurant, Puggles.
Their bold three-course menu featured Beef Tartare with Quail Egg and Truffle Flatbread for entrée, Paella for main, and a Mango and Coconut Sweet Rice Croissant Puff for dessert.
After a shaky entrée and main, self-taught baker Lucy rose to the occasion with a technically ambitious dessert that judge Manu Feildel declared “definitely the best dish of the night,” helping the pair secure the season’s first leaderboard score of 72 out of 110.
The night began with a surprise at the table when judge Colin Fassnidge revealed he already knew NSW contestant and food stylist Jane. Making it clear there would be no favouritism, Colin told her: “A score’s a score. It doesn’t matter if I know you. You’re all fighting for your own position in this competition.”
Stylish foodies Jane and Shane quickly established themselves as the table’s dining experts. Drawing on her career working with chefs and fine-dining restaurants, Jane warned she would find it difficult not to judge the presentation as well as the food. “You eat with your eyes, so how you plate a dish is very important,” she said.
Their refined approach put them in immediate opposition to South Australia’s self-described “boganic besties” Alisha and Deanne. As Jane critiqued garnishes, plating and consistency throughout the meal, the divide deepened, with Deanne asking: “Are there some food snobs at this table? Absolutely. Only a couple.”
In the kitchen, Krysten and Lucy took a risk with their raw beef and raw egg entrée. While Manu praised its “gorgeous” presentation and good flavour, both judges agreed the tartare needed more moisture, seasoning and sauce. Manu and Colin each scored the dish six.
The pressure intensified during the main course when Colin questioned how long the oversized prawns had been cooking. Krysten removed the seafood before it overcooked, later admitting: “I think we’ve saved it from outright disaster.”
The rescue paid off. Manu said the seafood was cooked well and the giant prawn was “perfect,” while Colin praised the prawns and mussels but noted the paella was a little wet and missing the prized crispy socarrat. Both judges again scored six.
Jane then announced that she was “more of a taster than an eater” as she picked at her dishes and left much of the food on her plate. Her approach drew criticism from around the table.
Dessert did little to close the class divide. Jane said she was “not geared that way” and explained that she didn’t like sweet food, adding, “I’d rather eat a piece of cheese.” Alisha fired back: “Why are you at a competition where there is always going to be a dessert?”
With their hopes resting on dessert, Lucy’s reputation as a baker was on the line. “If the pastry doesn’t have that crunch, this is going to be a disaster,” she admitted.
The Mango and Coconut Sweet Rice Croissant Puff delivered the redemption they needed. Manu praised Lucy for achieving the pastry’s layers, declaring: “Frankly, that was an amazing job.”
Colin loved the sweet, crunchy topping and called it their best course of the night, while wanting more mango and a looser coconut sweet rice. He and Manu each awarded the dessert an eight.
The five guest teams awarded Krysten and Lucy a combined 32 out of 50. Together with the judges’ score of 40 out of 60, the pair finished the first Instant Restaurant with a grand total of 72.
