Tonight on MKR on Seven and 7plus, Danielle and Marko’s Ultimate Instant Restaurant ended in heartbreak, with the couple scoring just 62 out of 100, landing at the bottom of the leaderboard and at risk of elimination.
The loved-up couple from Perth entered the kitchen confident to showcase a melting pot of their Asian and Serbian heritage.
The menu was ambitious and creative: Asian Scotch Fillet Taco with Slaw and Cevapi and Ajvar on Pita for entrée, mains of Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Honey-Roasted Carrots and Tzatziki and Tamarind and Chilli Lime Snapper with Cajun sauce and Sweet Potato Mash.
For dessert, they served Coconut and Lime Panna Cotta with Cookie Crumble and Hong Kong Egg Tart.
At the table, tensions erupted once again over scoring as Mark probed Maria. Maria, visibly frustrated, snapped: “Is it a competition about us matching the judges’ scores? Because if it is, let me leave now.”
As Mark continued to interject, Maria said: “Right now, I am getting angry and frustrated. I’ve been trying to have a civil conversation with Lol and Lil, and Mark keeps jumping in.”
Overwhelmed, Maria walked out, declaring: “I’ve had enough, I’m not going back there.” Bailey followed, offering support: “They are not worth the tears.”
The pair eventually returned to the table, but the atmosphere remained tense.
When the entrées arrived, reactions were mixed. Colin said the Taco’s beef was “cooked and seasoned well” but questioned its Asian identity, scoring a six: “I was expecting more of the herbs. Good start but ramp it up more.”
Manu scored his entrée a seven, praising the flavours, but found the sausage in the Serbian dish a bit dry.
The mains fared slightly better, but the kitchen stress was getting to Danielle and Marko. “The Ultimate Instant Restaurant is so much harder than I thought it would be,” Danielle admitted.
Colin praised the “beautifully cooked” lamb, noting everything worked together, but the dish needed to step up a level. Manu was impressed by the perfectly cooked fish, but their watery sweet potato mash let them down.
Dessert went downhill. The sesame brittle failed, leaving the Hong Kong Egg Tart plain. Embarrassed, Danielle admitted: “I know it’s not an elevated dish for Ultimate Instant Restaurant.”
The tart scored a three from Manu, who noted: “The flavours were beautiful, but the tart base was undercooked. There was nothing else to talk about. That was not enough, we expect more from everyone at this stage of the competition.”
Colin enjoyed the panna cotta more, scoring a seven, but it was not enough to save the sweethearts from the bottom of the leaderboard.
Wiping away tears, Danielle said: “We’re super disappointed in ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Logan underdogs Lol and Lil were safe from elimination, securing their place in the semi-finals.
