Tonight, modern Italians Simone and Viviana made MKR history with the highest Instant Restaurant score in the show’s 14-year history.
The best friends served precision on a plate, resulting in a total score of 104 out of 110, including a near perfect 58 out of 60 from judges Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge.
Cooking for redemption after a dessert disaster unravelled their first Instant Restaurant score, Simone and Viviana’s cuisine, creativity and technique eclipsed even their own high expectations.
Their entrée of Beef Tartare with Crumbed Yolk and Crostini put a twist on a traditional French dish. The risk paid off, with the inclusion of apple in the tartare and use of lasagne sheets instead of bread impressing the judges.
Manu admitted: “I’m a classic guy when it comes to French food. Why apple? Why have I not thought about this before? It is clever.”
Colin also “loved the apple with the beef.”
The main – Simone’s own creation of Prawn and Potato Ravioli with Prawn Bisque – wowed the whole table. Manu declared it the “best dish” on MKR, leaving Simone speechless, and Viviana so proud of her friend.
After initially questioning the addition of potato in the dish, Manu admitted it made complete sense: “I am jealous of people like you that can make pasta like this because I can’t.”
Colin agreed: “It’s not a normal dish but I tell you, after today, it should be.”
Simone and Viviana’s nerves were high taking on a complicated dessert of Millefoglie: a puff pastry layered with cream, with origins in France and Italy.
The “gorgeous” dessert was a total hit, and according to Colin: “the crown on the meal we got tonight. You should be so proud of yourselves.”
Wiping away tears, Viviana said: “This is the best critique we could possibly get. It means the world to us,” while Simone was left lost for words sharing: “I can’t manage my emotions right now. I’m just freezing. I feel like this is the highest emotion that I felt in my life. Thank you.”
While MKR history was rewritten in the kitchen, tension at the table boiled over as Janey and Lawrence continued to clash. Janey admitted she thought Lawrence was rude at the previous Instant Restaurant, calling her arrogant, while Lawrence maintained Janey managed to offend everyone in one single night; clarifying that while he used the word arrogant, he did not call her arrogant.
As daughter Maddie defended her mum, Pete came in as peacemaker declaring: “No matter what has been said. One thing I’m pretty sure of is that a daughter doesn’t want to see her mother feel like she’s attacked. How about we have a bit of a reset, and we go for something lighter.”
After almost leaving the table, Janey acknowledged: “It’s not the Lawrence show. It’s My Kitchen Rules. Keep the stirring for the kitchen.”
