My Kitchen Rules stars Danielle and Marko had quite the fall from grace and have found themselves in the elimination cook-off this week.
The gatecrasher couple entered the Channel Seven competition on a high, becoming the highest scoring team and finding themselves immune from the first Kitchen Headquarters challenge.
However, they had a devastating blow when they rejoined the action and found themselves in the bottom two alongside Michael and Rielli.
The Perth natives will be facing off against the opinionated couple in Monday night’s elimination cook-off, and they made some pointed remarks about the judging before going head-to-head with their rivals.
Speaking exclusively to New Idea, Marko gave his candid opinion on Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel’s judging tactics, making a very telling comment about their close involvement in the kitchen.
“Colin and Manu’s feedback has all been firm but fair,” he explained. “It’s really difficult in some situations to take on board what they say, because you have a game plan and you want to stick to it, and they’re throwing a spanner in the works.
“Half the time, it seems like they’re doing it just to mess with you a little bit! It can be perceived that way, so you’ve got to take the information that they’re saying as much as possible, but you’ve also got to understand what got you to the dance and go with that.”
There was also a major judging change during this year’s Kitchen Headquarters, when it was revealed that the rival teams would be scoring each other, as well as Colin and Manu giving their verdicts on the dishes served.
Reflecting on the change, Danielle and Marko admitted they did notice some “low-ball” scoring from teams that weren’t performing as well as they addressed the “strategic” voting controversy.
“We hadn’t seen a lot of strategic scoring, and at the Instant Restaurants, we didn’t know what people were scoring, because that’s all done separately, and then we only find out the team scores,” Danielle dished.
“But I guess maybe there were some people low-balling because when we would average out the scores, we would always be above the average scores. So, maybe not strategic, but just consistent low-balling from some teams, we are assuming.”
The couple admitted it was a “downer” to find themselves in the bottom two after doing so well in the Instant Restaurants, and even said it might actually have been a disadvantage to have been given immunity during the first Kitchen HQ challenge because they had less experience than their rivals.
“In hindsight, I think it’s definitely a disadvantage, but to be honest, we didn’t feel much pressure doing the cook,” Marko explained.
“I think everything sort of went to plan. Rather of it being a disadvantage, it was sort of our mistakes of the flavour profiles we picked that ended us up in the bottom, it is what it is.”
“Everything happens for a reason. We overcomplicated our dish a bit because we wanted to show what we can do, and show different techniques, unfortunately, it backfired because a couple of the flavour combinations didn’t work,” Danielle added.
“But no regrets, everything is a learning curve, and we can use those learnings in our elimination cook.”
Danielle and Marko will be facing off against Michael and Rielli during the elimination cook-off during Monday’s episode (October 20).
Their rivals have certainly made an impression on the Channel Seven show, with Michael ruffling feathers by calling himself the “Meat Master” and not shying away from giving his brazen opinions about the other teams.
When asked how it felt to be against them in the cook-off, Danielle and Marko said they were in a lucky position because they didn’t have any tension with Michael and Rielli, and were instead the peacekeepers of the group.
“Marko and I were in a very lucky position that even though there were that OG and gatecrasher alliances, Marko and I really got along with everyone,” Danielle said.
“We were kind of the mediators, but there definitely was a little bit of tension between some people. But I think everyone is good now, but big characters with different opinions, I guess, don’t always go well.”
Danielle said there were “definitely” some people who didn’t get on during filming, as viewers no doubt already know, having seen Michael and Rielli’s explosive clashes with Mark, and eliminated duo Mel and Jacinta.
There has even been some tension within the teams, with Michael and Rielli in particular coming into conflict during some tense moments in the kitchen.
However, Danielle and Marko insisted they have tried not to let the pressure of the competition get to them, and even went so far as to say that MKR only made their relationship stronger.
“I think [MKR] definitely strengthened our relationship, we spent a lot of time together, and were forced to spend so much time together – more than we normally do,” Marko explained.
“We live together, but we’re both very, very busy, so we can only make so much time for one another at the end of the night. So having every waking moment with each other definitely strengthened our relationship.”
But it remains to be seen whether their strong bond will help them against Michael and Rielli during Monday night’s elimination cook-off, which will air on Channel Seven at 7.30pm.
Last week’s teaser trailer hinted that there would be a major slip-up during the cook-off, which could cost one of the teams their place in the competition.
“Could an incredible slip-up mean the end of the road for one team?” the tense voiceover teased as the sound of a plate clattering to the ground was heard.
Though the moment wasn’t shown on screen, fans theorised that the sound might have been “Meat Master” Michael dropping a dish, but viewers will have to wait and see to be sure.
