My Kitchen Rules contestants revealed for 2022, joining judges Nigella Lawson and Manu Feildel
Australia’s favorite cooking show, My Kitchen Rules, is back for 2022 – and this year’s teams have been revealed.
The show is back to its original winning recipe, with judges Manu Feildel and Nigella Lawson in an all-new season premiering at 7 p.m. on Sunday August 7 on Channel 7 and 7plus.
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Manu and Nigella will seek out Australia’s best home cooks, with real people cooking real food in their own homes, serving treasured family recipes to the judges and their fellow contestants.
Joining Manu and Nigella will be TV personality Matt Preston and celebrity chefs and MKR guest judges Colin Fassnidge and Curtis Stone.
Meet the MKR 2022 teams
group one
Peter and Alice, VIC – Dad and Daughter
After five years of working in the family cafe, Alice, 31, wants to spread her wings, while dad Peter, 56, wants to open a tea room, combining his love of baking and entertaining.
“Dad and I have a very rocky but hilarious relationship,” Alice explains.
“We’re very similar in our approach to everything, which is why we often butt heads.
“We’re both very dramatic, so things often blow up in epic situations.”
Peter agrees: “With us it was always on or off, hot or cold – rarely a middle ground.”
Kate and Mary, QLD – Fine Dining
Radiation therapists and close friends Kate and Mary love to host dinner parties and long lunches, bringing people together through food.
They love to cook with high-end ingredients and like to serve simple, simple dishes served on plates to share.
The couple say they don’t believe in wasting time on bad food – and aren’t shy about criticizing other people’s cooking.
“I’m gagged for high-intensity cooking and the chance to critique some of my fellow contestants’ dishes,” Kate admits.
While Kate is a self-taught cook, Mary learned most of her cooking skills from her mother.
“Food was a big part of our family life, from table meals together to entertaining friends and extended family,” she says.
“My mother was always at the center of it all.”
Ashlee and Mat, WA – Foodie Parents
Margaret River’s husband and wife team, Ashlee, 36, and Mat, 39, have eclectic tastes in food, ranging from Dutch, Asian, Italian and more.
Ashlee is the kitchen speedster, while Mat takes a bit more time in the kitchen.
“My children are so greedy; I feel like they judge me every night, so the professionals might as well judge me,” Ashlee jokes.
Describing their team vibe, Ashlee says they’re a perfect combination of “loud and calm, bossy and cold, fast and slow, so we balance each other out.”
Mat has a slightly different take.
“My wife is the boss. That’s it!” he says.
Janelle and Monzir, NSW – Dating Couple
Sassy Baker Janelle, 27, and her partner Monzir, 26, say they have what it takes to win the MKR title.
With their Turkish/Cypriot and Sudanese heritage, this beloved couple say winning the pageant would be the icing on the cake for their romance.
Monzir lives for barbecuing, spicy seasonings, and cooking over hot coals with his two favorite ingredients: chili and peanut butter.
“The Sudanese-spiced barbecue skewers are special to me because my father taught me this dish,” says Monzir.
“It’s a secret family recipe that we love to eat as a family.”
Nicknamed “the Kardashian of cakes,” Janelle runs a successful cake decorating business and has an eye for detail.
“My favorite thing about cakes is that you start with nothing and end up with something beautiful, special and sweet,” she says.
Arrnott and Fuzz, NSW – Fashionista Friends
Besties and colleagues Arrnott, 44, and Fuzz, 34, call themselves ‘Fabulous Fijians’.
Brought together by their love of cooking, food and creativity, the couple also love fashion.
Growing up surrounded by a family that loves to eat, Arrnott and Fuzz learned to cook from much-loved family members and want to showcase their Fijian heritage.
“I don’t think a lot of people are familiar with Fijian cuisine, so we’d like to introduce it to them,” says Arrnott.
“We love to cook seafood because it’s in our DNA.”
“Arrnott and I are loud, colorful, proud human beings who are both rooted in our culture and very proud of our heritage,” adds Fuzz.
“Food is at the center every time we come together, whether to celebrate or sympathize. It’s how we express love.
Steven and Frena, SA – Engaged couple
Lovebirds Steven, 31, and Frena, 25, grew up between Singapore and Malaysia.
Frena loves Chinese, Indonesian and Javanese flavors and has found her way into a kitchen since the age of five.
Steven was born in Australia to British parents and remembers his grandmother’s fantastic roast dinners when he was growing up.
Together, they make their curry pastes, pastes and condiments from A to Z.
Frena says she has found her “person” in Steven, who makes her feel like she can do anything.
“As a teenager watching MKR in Malaysia, I never thought my skills would be up to snuff, but having a supportive partner means a lot,” she says.
And in very British fashion, Steven says his main food memories are of “having afternoon tea” with Grandma and Dad after school and learning with them how to make scones from scratch.
group two
Che and David, WA – Chilli Companions
Friends of WA Che, 43, and David, 35, love chilli.
Che owns an award-winning hot sauce company and David is revered in the competitive world of chili consumers.
They met on the “chilli scene” – and quickly bonded.
Che is celiac with two celiac children, so learning to cook was imperative.
“I like to make all meals gluten-free to show people that you can make gluten-free foods great,” he says.
As for David, he simply loves to relax after work by cooking.
“Learning to cook for my family is a bonus,” he adds.
Rosie and Hayley, QLD – Aunt and Niece
Rosie, 53, and Hayley, 29, have grown closer as they get older.
Rosie is a breast cancer survivor and her “life is too short” mantra makes her want to make the most of every day.
The couple love to cook casual Italian meals for friends and family, with both citing pasta dishes as their favorite meal.
“I love a good plate of pasta with a nice, simple, fresh homemade tomato sauce with garlic and basil and lots of grated fresh Parmesan cheese on top,” Rosie says.
For Hayley, it’s a simple bolognese.
“It’s a crowd favorite – my friends beg me to cook it,” she says.
“It’s my grandmother’s recipe and I’m proud to be able to cook something from my culture and do it justice.”
Matt and KT, VIC – Best Friends
Matt, 36, and KT, 33, met at a friend’s 18th birthday party and have been friends ever since.
Matt grew up a proud Yamaji man from the Gascoyne area of WA with a nose-to-tail food philosophy.
He and KT are passionate about using native Australian ingredients and transporting their guests to outback Australia at their MKR ‘instant restaurant’.
Matt says his go-to meal for guests would be kangaroo loin with pepperberry juice, parsnip and salt shaker puree, with Brussels sprouts and heirloom carrot chips.
KT chooses the crispy-skinned salmon with tarragon browned butter, pumpkin purée and fennel salad.
“The first dish I made was with my grandmother, Alice,” Matt says.
“She taught me to make a trifle; it was the best I have ever eaten in my life.”
For KT, the first course was spaghetti Bolognese.
“She always made the best spaghetti, and I was determined to make it that good,” KT says.
“Nothing fancy but it has definitely evolved over the years.”
Leanne and Milena, VIC – Italian sisters
Italian sisters Leanne, 50, and Milena, 52, are also best friends.
The feisty couple learned to cook thanks to their mother, who was constantly in the kitchen cooking for her eight children.
The couple love “easy Italian” cooking and make their own salami, pancetta, olives and pasta.
“As a child, I learned to make delicious Italian food and how to make salamis, sauce, olives and bread,” says Leanne.
“I always visited restaurant kitchens to observe the chefs.”
For Milena, there is nothing better than a broccoli pasta dish.
“My family loves it, and it reminds me of being home with my mom,” she says.
Nicky and Jose, SA – Spanish Foodies
Fitness fanatics Nicky, 46, and Jose, 51, live life to the fullest.
They met on the dance floor six years ago and have been together ever since.
Jose is Spanish and grew up around Spanish cuisine. his parents own a restaurant and both of his grandparents trained and worked as chefs.
Nicky, of Polish and German descent, has worked in the hotel industry since she was 15 – and she still does.
“MKR is on the to-do list for Nicky and me,” Jose says.
Nicky adds: “I’m the alpha, he has a very calm and easy going attitude. I am very noisy and find it difficult to sit still. As they say, opposites attract!
Sophie and Katherine, NSW – Classy Friends
Business partners and friends Katherine, 55, and Sophie, 53, met 18 years ago on a camping trip and love to cook and laugh together over a glass of wine or two.
Outspoken moms own The Dinner Ladies, a successful restaurant service that offers ready-to-eat meals.
Katherine is completely self-taught, while Sophie says her mother played a part in her love of cooking.
“We grew many of our vegetables and ate a lot and adventurously every day,” she says.
“She never explicitly taught us, but you learn a lot from hanging out in the kitchen.”
My Kitchen Rules will air at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 7 on Channel Seven and 7plus.
