My Kitchen Rules contestants Alisha and Deanne have defended their low score after an apple tart dessert disaster left the South Australian mums at the bottom of the leaderboard.
The pair’s Hot Mess instant restaurant impressed with its entrée and main course, but received only 24 points from the other teams after the final course went wrong.
Deanne acknowledged that the dessert had been a disappointment, but questioned whether it warranted such a severe reaction.
“I don’t think it was that bad of a flop, besides some of the dessert mishaps. Who doesn’t like nice fresh crunchy apples?” she said.
“Looking back to what we scored the first round; it does seem quite low.”
Alisha agreed that the apple tart had been an “epic fail”, while suggesting the judges and contestants had focused too heavily on the final course rather than the meal as a whole.
“But there was a lot of pressure and outside noise,” she said. “I think we could have got a bit better, but I think people were judging the dessert, not the entire meal.”
Alisha and Deanne face pressure from Colin Fassnidge
The outspoken duo said they had approached their second cook feeling more “cool, calm and collected” and determined to improve after their first attempt.
“We wanted to show them what we’ve got, so we were bit more focused rather than just having a laugh,” Deanne said.
However, their confidence was tested when judge Colin Fassnidge entered the kitchen during the cook. The pair had previously clashed with him and described his appearance as “intimidating”.
“When you’ve got a judge coming in and questioning what you’re doing, it makes you worried and second guess yourself,” Alisha said.
She added: “If we don’t take their opinions on board, are we going to get judged for not listening? It’s very tricky: You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.”
Deanne said unexpected visits from the judges added to the pressure of the competition, particularly when contestants were already trying to manage their dishes and communicate under time constraints.
“One minute you’re talking and doing your thing, and then they pop in the kitchen. I think it’s more stressful when they just come out of nowhere,” she said.
The pair have also faced criticism from other contestants over their outspoken personalities. Sheridan, who is competing with her son Ted, previously called Alisha and Deanne loud and asked them to stop putting their hands up when they spoke.
Alisha said the remarks had not unsettled them, claiming they were accustomed to being judged for their “loud personalities”.
“We’d already heard it all in the first round and we’re not going to sit here and be put down again,” she said.
Alisha and Deanne’s comments came as tensions continued between the original My Kitchen Rules teams and the gatecrashers, with contestants openly questioning one another’s approach to the competition.
