Tonight on My Kitchen Rules, Jane and Shane’s ambitious fine-dining menu unravelled spectacularly, sending the stylish foodies out of the competition on a score of 50 and saving rivals Alisha and Deanne from elimination.
At their Blue Mountains Instant Restaurant, Lyst Haus, Jane and Shane revealed a menu of Duck Chawanmushi with King Crab and Caviar, Master Stock Pigeon with Chilli Cucumber, Samphire and Shallot Pancake, and a Tomato Sour for dessert.
When the Duck Chawanmushi landed, its presentation was outstanding. Golden declared it looked like a 10 out of 10, while Angus predicted Alisha and Deanne should start packing their bags.
But the tables quickly turned. The custard was inconsistently set, and its texture proved confronting, with Alisha audibly gagging at the smell. “I’m actually feeling some hope,” she said as she and Deanne glimpsed a chance to remain in the competition.
Judge Manu Feildel praised the “absolutely amazing” presentation and delicious flavour profile, but said the technique was wrong. Fellow judge Colin Fassnidge agreed, saying the luxurious crab and caviar worked, but the custard underneath had failed to set.
The main course brought disaster. Jane and Shane discovered their pigeon was badly overcooked and dry, with Jane declaring: “The pigeon is mummified.” Distraught, she stormed off to compose herself, admitting: “I feel like an absolute failure.”
A pressure-cooker rescue attempt failed, but the pair had no choice but to serve the bird, claw and all.
“You talked a big game and you desecrated your pigeons,” Alisha told them, while Angus said his bird looked as though it had “been in the crematorium”. Colin confirmed the pigeon was overcooked, while Manu said he couldn’t find anything positive to say about it.
Jane and Shane’s Tomato Sour delivered their strongest course of the night. The tomato mascarpone gelato, strawberry and amaretto jam, peppercorn meringue and finger lime earned sevens from both judges, but it was not enough to save them.
The guest teams awarded Jane and Shane 20 out of 50, with Alisha and Deanne scoring them three. The judges added 30 out of 60, leaving the pair with a grand total of 50 – well short of Alisha and Deanne’s 68.
Colin confirmed Jane and Shane had been eliminated. “I just know that we’ll never cook another pigeon,” Jane said as they farewelled the competition, while a relieved Alisha and Deanne kept their place.
At the top of the Leaderboard, Tiffany and Giancarlo and runners-up Mary and Golden were fast-tracked to Kitchen HQ. Alisha and Deanne, Angus and Simon, and Krysten and Lucy will now face three new gatecrasher teams: hipster mates Harrison and Oliver, mum and son Sheridan and Ted, and sassy friends Zac and Zoe.
