A night of high drama on My Kitchen Rules saw Rielli’s pastry skills outshine Michael’s bold meat claims in front of the judges.

Michael and Rielli returned to the spotlight on My Kitchen Rules Tuesday night, hosting their second Instant Restaurant with a French-inspired menu that promised fireworks in and out of the kitchen.

My Kitchen Rules contestants Michael and Rielli served up a French-inspired menu that sparked heated debate both at the table and online. (image – Channel 7)

Determined to redeem themselves after an uneven first showing, the self-proclaimed meat-master and dessert queen served up a three-course spread of Confit Duck Tart with Caramelised Onion, Pistachio-Crusted Lamb Rack with Leek Purée and Crispy Potatoes, and a Paris-Brest with Hazelnut Praline Cream.

Their bold decision to cook French classics for judge Manu Feildel had the other teams whispering – was it gutsy, or was it reckless?

“I have absolutely nailed this duck. It is perfect,” Michael declared in the kitchen, full of confidence.

Pastry perfection steals the show

The entrée landed with impact, especially thanks to Rielli’s perfectly layered pastry.

Manu described it as “top notch,” “a lesson on making puff pastry” and simply “perfect.”

Colin Fassnidge agreed:

“A lot of work went into that pastry, and you can taste it.”

However, he felt the duck lacked moisture, leaving Michael bristling at the criticism.

The main dish saw Michael back himself again, claiming his lamb rack was cooked exactly right. Rival Mark wasn’t convinced, calling it undercooked, prompting Michael to fire back: “That is exactly how lamb should be cooked, take a lesson from the meat-master.”

Colin sided with Michael on doneness, calling it “beautiful and pink,” but was blunt about the plate overall, labelling it “meat and three veg” that was “missing the sparkle.” Manu praised the lamb but reminded the pair: “You cannot serve a piece of meat without a sauce.”

Tactical scoring accusations overshadowed the French feast as Michael and Rielli fought to stay in the competition. (image – Channel 7)

For dessert, Rielli rose to the occasion. The Paris-Brest proved a winner, earning Manu’s top praise and a near-perfect score.

“The pastry was perfect,” Manu said, awarding a nine.
Colin added it was a “very Moorish dessert” and gave it an eight.

Scores on the board

Manu’s final tally came to 24 out of 30, with Colin awarding 22 out of 30, leaving Michael and Rielli on 72 out of 110 overall.

Despite a strong showing from the judges, their guest team score fell flat – just 26 out of 50, the lowest yet. Michael and Rielli suspected Amy, Lara, Mark, and Tan deliberately lowballed them, calling the result “disappointing.”

Leaderboard standings now see Danielle and Marko in front with 84 points, followed by Mark and Tan on 80, Michael and Rielli on 72, Lol and Lil on 69, and Maria and Bailey trailing on 62.

Around the table

Away from the food, the dinner table delivered plenty of spice. Amy set the tone with a cheeky warning before mains: “He’d better put his meat where his mouth is.”

Conversation also circled back to Mark’s infamous walkout at Lol and Lil’s Instant Restaurant. Maria jabbed: “You get what you give,” while Bailey compared the feuding cooks to schoolchildren.

Adding a touch of humour to the night, Michael’s shoey bet backfired when Mark and Tan scored higher, meaning he’ll be drinking from Manu’s shoe at the next Instant Restaurant.

Viewer Reaction:

Viewer reaction was fiery, with many slamming what they saw as tactical scoring. A common gripe was that the 26/50 guest tally felt like a popularity contest rather than a measure of cooking, with several insisting Michael and Rielli would have landed closer to 80 if teams had scored on merit. The suggestion that rival pairs strategically lowballed — particularly Amy and Lara and Mark and Tan — came up again and again.

Plenty of chatter centred on technique. The “where’s the sauce?” chorus was loud, with some viewers arguing the lamb looked underdone and the fat under-rendered, while others backed the judges’ view that it was “beautiful and pink.” The confit duck divided the couch, too — several thought it dried out in the time between shredding and plating.

If there was one clear win, it was pastry. Rielli’s puff drew near-universal applause, with many calling the Paris-Brest the dish of the night and suggesting the dessert alone salvaged the team’s standing. A few even daydreamed about her opening a bakery after that effort.

The rivalry subplot raged on. Viewers took aim at swagger from multiple contestants, saying early chest-beating only invites harsher critique. The “meat master” tagline was widely mocked, spawning drinking games every time someone said “redemption.” There was also a sense that the French menu in front of Manu Feildel was a gutsy gamble — admired by some, questioned by others.

Production notes didn’t escape scrutiny either. Product placement got a ribbing (air-fried potatoes versus duck fat was a hot mini-debate), and the volume of ad breaks had people grumbling. Still, the shoey forfeit earned a few laughs, with some declaring they’d rather down a boot than cop another round of tactical fours.

Looking ahead, anticipation for Amy and Lara’s cook is sky-high. Viewers expect either a blockbuster score or a blow-up, with several predicting chaos based on promo clips and hoping the judging resets the balance after a fractious round of guest scoring.

What’s next?

With a safe spot at Kitchen HQ now secured, Michael and Rielli can breathe easier – but tensions with rival teams are heating up.