Appearing in the MKR grand final was already going to be a nerve-wracking experience.
But one of the four cooks chosen to put their skills to the test on Wednesday night’s episode had a major revelation that only added to the tension.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Revelation makes MKR judges gasp
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Janelle shocked judges Manu Feildel, Colin Fassnidge and Curtis Stone, when she revealed that she was meeting her partner Monzir’s family for the very first time during the cook-off.
Janelle met Monzir’s family for the first time during the grand final. Credit: Seven“Wow,” Manu replied, as Janelle called out “hello” and waved to the family members who were watching from a balcony.
Competing cook Mary – one half of Janelle’s rival team – had already become teary as she spoke about the impact the show had on her.
“It’s very emotional,” she told the judges. “I’ve realised that Kate and I, together, can do anything.”
But could the duo walk home with the life-changing $100,000 prize in their pockets?
“Ahead of you is the toughest cooking challenge you’ve ever faced,” Colin told them with a glint in his eye.
Required, was a four-course degustation menu – an entree, a seafood course, a meat course and a dessert – all dished up for 25 people.
And so the competition began.
Mary had already got teary as she spoke about the impact the show had on her. Credit: SevenJanelle told viewers that she and Monzir were aiming to “keep it authentic to who we are as people and cooks”.
For entree, the duo was plating up grilled adana with cacik, sumac and onion salad and bazlama.
Adana is a spicy, sweet, grilled meat, Janelle explained, adding that bazlama is a mixture between a pita bread and a flatbread.
“Essentially our entree is kebabs,” she admitted, adding “to us it’s special”.
On the menu for Kate and Mary’s entree was scampi with smoky chilli oil, gazpacho and fennel salad, with the pair hoping their “luxury” seafood item would butter up the judges.
Both teams suffered some issues with the entree – with team Kate and Mary forgetting to cook a whole tray of scampi and Janelle snapping at Monzir about cleaning the kitchen.
“My stress levels and the pressure that I was feeling was really bleeding out into the atmosphere and causing us to have a little bit of tension,” Janelle admitted.
The judges tasted Mary and Kate’s scampi first, with Colin commenting that it was “perfectly cooked” and Manu saying it was a very “clean entree”.
“When you’re serving a multi-course meal it’s very important that you give yourself somewhere to go,” Curtis added.
The judges. Credit: SevenNext was the adana and Colin commented on the “little kick” he got from the dish.
“This is an explosion of flavours,” Manu said, while Curtis lauded it as a “strong start” and placed Janelle and Monzir ahead of their rivals at that point in the game.
Next was the seafood course.
Kate and Mary were cooking crispy skin salmon with fragrant Thai sauce and flatbread while Janelle and Monzir opted for kataifi prawn with haloumi and watermelon salad.
The seafood course challenged both teams, with Janelle worried her prawns were overcooked and Kate moving her salmon in and out of the oven time and time again.
Janelle and Monzir’s prawn dish was up first for tasting and the judges were impressed.
“The crispness that they’ve achieved here and the cook on the prawn is really wonderful,” Curtis said.
Colin had “one issue” – saying the haloumi didn’t “add anything” to the dish.
Next was Kate and Mary’s salmon – which was “perfectly cooked” according to the judges.
“That’s a little explosion in the mouth,” Colin added.
Manu announced that Kate and Mary were “back on track” after the dish – and had “levelled” the playing field.
Janelle gets to work on the prawns. Credit: SevenFor the main course, Janelle and Monzir opted for Sudanese beef and okra stew with kisra, tursu and shata – Monzir’s mum’s “favourite recipe.”
Kisra is fermented Sudanese bread, tursu is pickled veg and shata is a spicy, fresh chilli sauce, Janelle explained.
Manu expressed some worry about the fact the pair were using brisket – and it wasn’t on the stove with 90 minutes to go.
Kate and Mary, meanwhile, were rustling up a dish of lamb, grain and salsa verde, although Kate said she had got the couple into a “predicament” after cutting up the lamb cutlets into individual portions.
She now feared they wouldn’t cook consistently.
Over in Janelle and Monzir’s kitchen, Janelle had a tense moment as she asked Monzir’s mum if she was cooking the kisra the right way.
Thankfully she received a thumbs-up in response.
Monzir’s mum gives the thumbs-up. Credit: SevenUnfortunately for Kate and Mary, in the “fury” of plating up their meat course, they had forgotten to complete a key stage of their dessert – lemon tart with thyme-infused labneh and candied lemon.
The lemon mixture was still churning away in the food processor – rather than being in the pastry shells where it was meant to be setting.
The duo’s lamb was first up for tasting with the judges and Curtis said it had the “perfect texture”.
Meanwhile, their rivals’ beef and okra stew was described as a “pretty plate of food”.
“The beef, it’s not soft but it’s not tough,” Colin mused, while Curtis said there was “deep character” in the spice.
Colin said after tasting the dish he wanted “to go to Monzir’s mum’s house for dinner”.
Kate and Mary felt they’d ‘brought it back’ with their dessert. Credit: SevenWhile their final dish off the day got off to a rocky start, Kate and Mary later said they thought they’d ‘brought it back’ with their lemon tart.
Janelle and Monzir, meanwhile, created baklava with kaymak ice cream and candied walnuts saying they “had fun” and “enjoyed every bit of it”.
Both teams were very emotional as they presented their final offerings to the judges.
The baklava was first to be tasted by the judges, with Manu describing it as “sweet and savoury”.
Colin, meanwhile, called it “interesting”.
Kate and Mary’s lemon tart also elicited a “wow” from Manu, while Curtis called it “wonderful”.
“I don’t know if I can split them apart,” Manu confessed after tasting it.
Finally, however, a decision had to be made.
The grand finalists. Credit: Geoff Magee/Geoff Magee Photography“We asked them to bring it and they definitely did,” Colin said.
“You conquered every challenge that was thrown at you,” Manu told both teams. “What an achievement.”
Janelle broke down as she told the judges how proud she was to have taken part in the show and paid tribute to her “flawless” partner.
And finally the winner was crowned.
Colin and Curtis gave Kate and Mary’s menu an 8 out of 10, while Manu gave it a 9, for a total of 25 out of 30.
But Janelle and Monzir scored three 9’s for a total of 27 out of 30, just beating out Kate and Mary to win the MKR 2022 competition.
“We won, we actually won,” an overwhelmed Janelle said.
Janelle and Monzir win MKR 2022. Credit: Geoff Magee/Geoff Magee Photography“It doesn’t matter where you came from, you can achieve anything you want.
“There is no limit. This means everything to us.”
“Thank you, Mum, for teaching me and thank you for your support,” Monzir added.
Janelle and Monzir are announced the winners, with Kate and Mary the runners up. Credit: Geoff Magee/Geoff Magee PhotographyKate and Mary said they were proud of their achievements after coming a very close second.
“We are proud of what we have achieved. I think we did the very best we could,” Kate said.
Apart from being crowned the winners of MKR for 2022, Janelle and Monzir have also won $100,000 in prize money.
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