My Kitchen Rules contestants Alisha and Deanne have celebrated a “sweet, sweet karma” moment after rivals Jane and Shane were eliminated following a disastrous pigeon main course.
The New South Wales pair had been praised for the presentation of their ambitious fine-dining menu, but their pigeon was served overcooked and dry, bringing their time in the competition to an end.
South Australian friends Alisha and Deanne had faced criticism from Jane and Shane over their own plating during the episode. They made little effort to hide their satisfaction as the self-assured NSW team’s meal unravelled.
“I don’t know how to put it into words … but amazing. Absolutely perfect,” Deanne said.
Alisha added: “Sweet, sweet karma served up.”
The pigeon was described by Jane as “mummified” after the team discovered it had gone badly wrong. A last-minute attempt to rescue the meat in a pressure cooker failed, leaving the pair to serve the dish as it was, with a claw still on the plate.
“You talked a big game and you desecrated your pigeons,” Alisha said, while fellow contestant Angus compared the bird to something that had “been in the crematorium”.
Judge Colin confirmed that the pigeon was overcooked, while Manu said he could not find a positive aspect of the dish. Jane later retreated to her room, saying she felt like a failure.
The guest teams awarded Jane and Shane 20 points out of 50, including just three from Alisha and Deanne. The judges added 30 out of 60, giving the NSW pair a final score of 50, compared with 68 for Alisha and Deanne.
“I don’t think you could wipe the smile off our face,” Deanne said after the result.
Alisha said the pair had been regarded as underdogs, with other contestants expecting them to leave first.
“We were the underdogs and everyone’s telling us we’re going home first and then we were the ones to take Jane and Shane out … that was amazing,” she said.
Alisha and Deanne will continue in the competition, alongside Angus and Simon and Krysten and Lucy, who will face three new gatecrasher teams. Leaderboard leaders Tiffany and Giancarlo, together with runners-up Mary and Golden, have been fast-tracked to Kitchen HQ.
