How much of it is actually real?

My Kitchen Rules 2025 looks set to be a corker.

After the 2024 season achieved the highest audience ratings in more than five years, judge Colin Fassnidge declared that Season 15 of the hit show will feature a dish “that will divide the table and the nation” when it airs on Channel 7 in September 2025.

His fellow judge Manu Feildel, meanwhile, amped up the drama further when he told fans, “We’re in for a very interesting season around the dinner table.”

But amid all the delectable dishes and strong personalities on every season of MKR, there’s a question that fans of the show can’t help but ask.

How much of it is actually real?

New Idea digs deep to delve into what goes on behind the scenes – and give you the answers you’ve been waiting for.
Judges Manu and Colin. (Credit: Channel Seven)

Is My Kitchen Rules scripted?

Rumours have swirled in the past that contestants were paid actors, with some viewers even suggesting that the relationships between teams were fabricated.

Season seven contestant Jordan Bruno dispelled this rumour during the 10th anniversary special when asked about the show’s biggest myths.

“My favourite is, ‘You’re a paid actor on MKR aren’t you? And I was like; one, yes I’ve got lots of talent, two, none of them are acting,” explained Jordan.

While the show isn’t scripted, a detail from Season 10 got everyone talking about acting again.
Jordan dispelled the myth that MKR stars were paid actors. (Credit: Channel 7)
In that season, contestants Pat Calleja and Bianca Braun were portrayed as “frenemies” who could hardly complete a single task without at least one explosive blow-up.

However, the season’s “villains”, brothers Josh and Austin Bonwick, later claimed to reality TV podcast Real Talk with Holly & Ali that the Melbourne duo were not as they seemed on TV.

“The thing is that they are actors, like legit actors,” Austin told the podcast. “If you look at Pat’s Instagram, he’s got photos with Arnold Schwanegger.”

He added that he had seen the pair preparing what they would say on TV.

“Pat and Bianca are sitting there, and Pat’s like, ‘I think I want this one, but let’s pretend to fight about it, ’” he claimed. “It was all fake.”

He added that Pat and Bianca weren’t “frenemies” at all. “Oh no, they’re besties,” he said.

A different contestant on the same season of the show became the subject of an even bigger drama when she became part of a highly-publicised “sex scandal” storyline.
Pat and Bianca (left) and Piper and Veronica (right). (Credit: Channel 7)
Piper O’Neill was separated from her husband when she starred on MKR alongside her best friend Veronica Cristovao, but she became the focus of a salacious plotline when she began dating rival contestant Victor Aeberli.

Veronica told News.com.au the relationship revelation had been edited as if it were a bombshell, but said that most contestants were aware of it.

“Everyone knew what was going on between Victor and Piper,” she said at the time.

“It’s very unfair for Piper. At the end of the day, she was bullied at that table. It’s just very unfair because it’s all public. She’s got a family and two kids, and this is really unfair.”

Piper later lodged a workers’ compensation claim, saying she suffered “psychological injury” due to her portrayal in the series, and Channel 7 was ordered to pay her $425 a week in compensation.

Despite her experience, other contestants are adamant that the drama from MKR is authentic.

Roula and Rachael from season nine explained to the Sydney Morning Herald that their drama with Jess and Emma was 100 per cent real.

“The moment we walked in there, those girls looked up and down at us, and it continued. People are like, ‘Oh my god, this is so scripted’. Well, it’s not scripted. Anything we say to each other in that room is real,” Roula explained.

The doorbell conundrum

The dramatic ringing of the doorbell is an iconic part of MKR, signalling the arrival of the judges.

While fans no doubt thought it odd that every contestant would have the exact same doorbell to begin with, a post-production failure in an episode from 2018 revealed the doorbell was definitely fake, with Manu awkwardly ringing a doorbell with no visible button.

Do the contestants actually cook?

Yes, the contestants really cook. But they don’t get to create their own menus.

During the show’s 10th anniversary special, season two winner Bella was quick to point out the authenticity of the cooking.

“So many people come up to us and ask what it’s really like…you saw what it’s really like, because it’s real,” Bella explained.

While the contestants do cook everything themselves, they don’t always know what they will be cooking.

During the long audition process, contestants are required to submit dozens of potential recipes to the food producers.

Outlining the process to Mamamia, season four winner Steph Mulheron explained, “a lot of teams just copy and paste from the internet, and then submit them. Not knowing that they [producers] choose a three-course meal out of everything you’ve sent through. And then you get told about it at 6am on the day.”
Season Two winner Bella has said the cooking is authentic. (Credit: Instagram/sammyandbellaofficial)

Do the judges eat the food?

Fans of MKR have previously questioned if judges try all the food, and past judge Pete Evans once set the story straight.

“I have never spat out food from MKR, and I have swallowed every single bit that I have ever had on the show,” he explained to the Daily Telegraph.

While the judges do try all the meals, the scenes viewers watch of the judges tasting are not usually the first time they are eating the food.

Talking to AAP, Pete explained, “We usually eat it within a minute or two of it being plated, but because of the logistics, we end up eating another dish later on that’s been sitting there a little bit longer.”

“We eat the food hot in all situations because of the logistics of it, being a TV show, it has to be done off camera,” he added.

“We have already judged the dish previously; otherwise, it’s not fair to the teams.”
Jake & Elle are crowned the My Kitchen Rules champions. Can you tell it’s fake? (Credit: Channel Seven)

Are the instant restaurants filmed at the contestants’ real houses?

Ever watched the show and questioned how all the contestants have enough space in their homes for the instant restaurants?

“There are a lot of teams that have smaller houses or have units that aren’t suitable for instant restaurants,” Steph told Mamamia.

“You’ve got three or four cameras in front of you, lights, there’s about 50 staff behind the scenes, a food team running around, so you need a large space.”

Whilst some teams like Dan and Steph from season four had space in their actual home, other contestants borrowed a friend or family member’s more spacious place for the instant kitchen.

Is the finale pre-recorded?

My Kitchen Rules is pre-recorded way in advance, unlike some Australian reality shows.

Whilst many other shows film grand finales in advance and swear winners to secrecy until the show airs, MKR actually films two different endings.

By filming both endings, MKR contestants only find out if they have won with the rest of Australia when the episode goes to airs.