MKR Episode 12 Recap: Zoe and Zac survive as Alisha and Deanne are eliminated on Channel 7 – Zoe and Zac have scraped into Kitchen HQ after dessert rescued them from a disastrous main course. The Newcastle friends finished the final Instant Restaurant on 58 points, four clear of South Australian friends Alisha and Deanne, whose My Kitchen Rules journey ended on 54.
The result completes the Instant Restaurant round and sets the field for the next phase of the Channel 7 competition. Krysten and Lucy remain the clear leaders on 92, while Zoe and Zac’s late escape leaves Alisha and Deanne as the only Gatecrasher team eliminated before Kitchen HQ.
Zoe and Zac called their coastal, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Shuck Yeah. Their menu began with Cashew Cream Zucchini Flowers with Caramelised Onions, followed by Crumbed Swordfish with Fennel Salad and Lemon Rosemary Potatoes. They finished with Basil Panna Cotta, Lemon Curd and Strawberries.
MKR Episode 12 Recap: strategy follows the teams to dinner
Before cooking began, Zoe asked her rivals for “no strategy tonight”. Angus openly rejected the request, saying he intended to increase his strategic play. The tension grew when Alisha and Deanne challenged Angus and Simon over claims that the boys wanted them at Kitchen HQ because they would be easier to beat.
Zac said the night was also a chance to answer criticism of Zoe’s pescatarian cooking.
Angus and Simon, they’ve been quite harsh and disrespectful about Zoe being the pescatarian, but tonight they’ll be eating their words.
Zac, MKR contestant
Zucchini flowers start strongly before the swordfish falters
The zucchini-flower entree gave Zoe and Zac a promising opening. Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge liked the light, crisp batter, although both wanted more flavour in the cashew cream and greater caramelisation on the onions. Manu awarded seven out of 10 and Colin gave six.
However, the main course placed the friends in danger. Manu questioned crumbing the swordfish, while the fennel salad was underdressed and weighed down by raw onion and cheese. The lemon rosemary potatoes also missed the mark.
That was a mistake from start to finish.
Colin Fassnidge, MKR judge
Colin scored the main four and Manu gave three, leaving Zoe and Zac dependent on dessert.
Basil panna cotta delivers the points Zoe and Zac need
The basil flavour divided the guest teams, but the judges praised the set of the panna cotta, its lemon curd and the accompanying crumb. Manu and Colin both awarded seven, taking their combined total to 34 out of 60.
The guest teams contributed 24 out of 50. Zoe believed that result undervalued two successful courses.
I don’t believe that 24 is a fair score, considering that our entree and dessert were good.
Zoe, MKR contestant
Zoe and Zac’s MKR Episode 12 scores
| Judge | Entree | Main | Dessert | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manu Feildel | 7/10 | 3/10 | 7/10 | 17/30 |
| Colin Fassnidge | 6/10 | 4/10 | 7/10 | 17/30 |
| Judges’ total | 13/20 | 7/20 | 14/20 | 34/60 |
Guest-team scores
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Alisha and Deanne | 4/10 |
| Sheridan and Ted | 6/10 |
| Angus and Simon | 4/10 |
| Harrison and Oliver | 5/10 |
| Krysten and Lucy | 5/10 |
| Guest total | 24/50 |
The 34 points from Manu and Colin and the 24 guest points gave Zoe and Zac 58 out of 110.
Final MKR Instant Restaurant leaderboard
| Rank | Team | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Krysten and Lucy | 92 | Kitchen HQ |
| 2 | Harrison and Oliver | 82 | Kitchen HQ |
| 3 | Sheridan and Ted | 69 | Kitchen HQ |
| 4 | Zoe and Zac | 58 | Kitchen HQ |
| 5 | Angus and Simon | 55 | Kitchen HQ |
| 6 | Alisha and Deanne | 54 | Eliminated |
Alisha and Deanne leave MKR
Finishing four points behind Zoe and Zac ended Alisha and Deanne’s run. Their farewell balanced emotion with the frank personality that defined their time in the competition.
Looking back, I couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else.
Alisha, MKR contestant
Colin told the friends they had done themselves proud because they were honest and wore their hearts on their sleeves. Manu then presented them with a medal and declared them the loudest people to have appeared on My Kitchen Rules.
MKR continues at 7.30pm Tuesday on Channel 7 and 7plus. The remaining teams enter Kitchen HQ for the first challenge, with two teams facing an elimination cook-off.
Read TV Central’s preview of Zoe and Zac’s final Instant Restaurant, and catch up on the official MKR page on 7plus.