My Kitchen Rules New Zealand

MKRNZ is back and so are Pete & Manu. This series is all about the celebration of everything that is great about New Zealand, the people, the place and the produce. At stake this series for the six pairs of home cooks competing, is a $100,000 grand prize and Title of MKRNZ 2018 Champions. But to reach the final they will have to survive a series of gruelling culinary challenges. First up are the Instant Restaurant rounds. All six teams must transform their dining rooms into instant restaurants and a cook three-course meals in their own kitchens to be tasted and scored by the two judges and five rival teams. The five rival teams will score the entire meal out of 10 points and then the judges will score each dish out of 10. At the end of the instant restaurant round the lowest scoring team will be eliminated, so the pressure is on from the start. The first team to cook are Papamoa lovebirds, Sindy & Roger. Tonight they have planned a menu around Sindy’s South African culture and Roger’s Maori Heritage, including some polarising ingredients. Entrée: Fresh Seasonal Ceviche with Crispy Tortillas Main: Grilled Ostrich Fillet Served on Potato Dessert: Rooibos Infused Crème Caramel Crunchie It’s the first time that the other five teams will meet each other and when the Judges arrive there will be a special announcement as the team with the highest Instant Restaurant score will receive a special advantage, so the stakes are now even higher.

After the first instant restaurant in which Papamoa lovebirds Sindy & Roger set the benchmark of 63, the competition turns to Auckland where culinary cousins May & Enna are hosting the Second Instant Restaurant. May & Enna have been labelled the ‘ones to beat’ as they have impressed the other teams around the table with their vast food knowledge. Describing themselves as ‘Chi-wi’s’ a blend of Chinese, Kiwi’s. These two love nothing more than to infuse their cultures together through food resulting in fresh, flavoursome cuisine. Their 3-course menu shows just that. Entrée: Pork & Vege Dumpling in Chilli Broth Oil Main: Crispy Pork Belly with Sweet & Sour Sauce & Bok Choy Dessert: Fried Nai Wong Bao Served with Matcha Ice Cream It’s an ambitious menu with copious amounts of prep to do. Have they bitten of more than they can chew, or will this be the night for the competitions first 10?

With Culinary Cousins May & Enna sitting on top of the scoreboard with an impressive 88, the competition heads to New Plymouth where Dad & Daughter team Liam & Eden will be hosting the next Instant Restaurant. Father Liam and daughter Eden are a formidable team and have already rustled a few feathers around the table with their no nonsense attitude. Trained as Chef 20 years ago, Liam gave up cooking early as he lost his passion for it, and now he is trying to get it back. He is doing this purely to help his daughter as she has a food dream of owning her own Raw food business and their 3 course menu has a nod to this. Entrée: Ravioli with Tomato & Basil Main: Venison Tenderloin with Sour Berry Red Kumara Stack & Pikopiko. Dessert: Raspberry & Rosewater Cheesecake with a Lemon Coconut Ice Cream. It proves to be a roller coaster evening in the kitchen for Liam & Eden and they will need to hold their nerve if they are to threaten May & Enna for the top place on the leader board, and it will all come down to the dessert.

Culinary Cousins May & Enna still sit on top of the leader board with their score of 88, the competition heads to Opotiki where, relations, Pat & Wilz want to showcase their local produce. Flamboyant foodies Pat & Wilz have a love for cooking and want to inspire people to live healthier lives. The feeling amongst the other teams, are that these two are hard to read as they don't give much away. Mysterious and strategic, expectations are high for a delicious 3 course meal. Entrée: Smoked Kahawai on Crostini topped with Chunky Tomato Salad. Main: Pan Fried Snapper on Stir Fried Vegetables & Seared Scallops Dessert: Chocolate Mousse with Hot Choc Shot Can Pat & Wilz deliver a high scoring meal or will the pressure be too much

With May & Enna’s score of 88 keeps them on top of the scoreboard and Pat & Wilz score of 42 seeing them on the bottom, it’s time now for the much anticipated Instant Restaurant of Auckland Dentists Jacqui & Nic. They have shown around the instant restaurant table that they have a huge food knowledge and now it’s time to see if they can cook as well as they talk. Entrée: Scallops with Sweetcorn & Black Pudding. Main: Duck Cooked Two Ways with Potato & Cauliflower Puree, Baby Vege’s & Spiced Sauce. Dessert: Mini Croquembouche With this ambitious menu, the competition ramps up, Jacqui & Nic may have bitten off more than they can chew.

With a well executed 3 course menu and a credible score of 81, it still wasn’t good enough for Jacqui & Nic to pip May & Enna from the top of the leader board. Now the competition moves to Dunedin for the final Instant Restaurant where formidable foodies Jess & Cindyare attempting to knock May and Enna from the top spot and claim the advantage. These two great friends love food & entertaining and have been the most vocal around the instant restaurant tables, stating how good they are, how unthreatened they are. So can they walk the walk with a menu like this? Entrée: Beetroot Ravioli with Mint & Walnut Pesto Main: Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Dessert: Mirror Glaze Mousse Dome But will this polarising menu take them to the top or will the pressure of going last be their downfall? As it’s the last instant restaurant, there is a lot at stake, as the lowest scoring team and the end of the night will be eliminated from the competition and the team on top of the leader will receive an advantage going into the next round.

With Pat & Wilz eliminated from the competition, the remaining 5 teams head to Auckland’s Viaduct for a very special Peoples Choice Challenge for the Volvo Ocean Race Stopover. Awaiting the teams are Pete & Manu and a row of BBQ’s! The challenge is to cook for the Volvo Ocean Race sailors and the public using only the Heston Blumenthal BBQ. They will have 90 minutes for preparation the 90 minutes for service. They must produce two dishes and one being seafood. As winners of the Instant Restaurant round Culinary Cousins May & Enna are safe and get rewarded by not having to cook in the challenge and being able to walk around taste the other teams food. JESS & CINDY Fish Tacos Mexican Beef Salad LIAM & EDEN Prawn Caprese Skewers Lamb & Feta Meatballs with Zoodles JACQUI & NIC Whitebait Fritters Harissa Spiced Lamb SINDY & ROGER Salt N Pepper Squid with a Chilli Lime Dressing Mediterranean Lamb Kofta with Tahini Sauce & Pita Bread By the end of the afternoon, one team will be crowned winners via the public vote. Pete & Manu will then taste the remaining dishes and eliminate the team with the lowest scoring dishes.

It’s the second Sudden Death which see’s Jess & Cindy pitted against Jacqui & Nic. At stake is a place in the grand final with Liam and Eden. As like the previous Sudden Death episode, They will be cooking in a real commercial kitchen, right next to each other. Today’s location is the picturesque Abbeville Estate . They are tasked with cooking a three-course lunch for 16 celebrity guests who have paid top dollar to be at the table for a fundraiser for respected Kidscan charity. A charity that creates a brighter future for kids in need. JESS & CINDY Entrée: Crudos con Pebre Main: Chicken Shawarma, Tabbouleh Salad & Hummus Dessert: Peach & Goat Cheese Tarts. JACQUI & NIC Entrée: Paua Ravioli Main: Redemption Duck with Fondant Potatoes on Celeriac Puree Dessert: Custard Cake The pressure is on for the last spot in the Grand Final.

It’s the MKR Grand Final where Father and Daughter Liam & Eden are head to head against Dunedin Foodies Jess & Cindy. A tantalising final as two extremely competitive teams will battle it out for bragging rights. The final is held at the prestigious French Café, which was recently awarded 4th best Restaurant in the world by Trip Advisor. For the final, the contestants will be put to their paces as the judges are after restaurant quality dishes. They are tasked with cooking four courses, an Entrée, a Fish dish, a Meat dish and a Dessert. They need to plate 20 dishes per course for family, friends, ex contestants, guests and a VIP tasting panel. This season see’s the returning of Guest Judges Nadia Lim, Ray McVinnie and Tom Hishon and the inclusion of the French Café’s very own Simon Wright. An extremely captivating final with two polarising teams, Liam & Eden are cooking; First Course: Tuna Tataki Second Course: Scallops and Scampi with beetroot puree and crispy pancetta Third Course: Smoked Beef Fillet with parsnip puree and Broccolini Fourth Course: Raw, Vegan Snickers slice And for Jess & Cindy First Course : Beetroot with Parmesan Mousse. Second:Course Butter Poached Crayfish with Brie Balls. Third Course: Venison & Kumara with Blackberry Red Wine Reduction. Fourth Course: Blue Cheese Cheesecake Who will come out on top and be crowned MKR NZ Grand Champions and walk away with the $100,000 prize. It's a final that is too close to call.