MKR 2023: meet the gatecrashers

Last Wednesday night MKR saw Coco and Pearls eliminated from the series as three new ‘gatecrasher’ teams were introduced.

Radha and Prabha are fast-tracked to the Semi-Final after securing first place on the leaderboard. Tommy and Rach, the second team on the leaderboard, are fast-tracked to Quarter-Final.

Gatecrashers Aaron and Chris, Amber and Mel, and Patricija and Brigita will now battle it out against the remaining three teams – Sonia and Marcus, Nick and Christian, and Claudean and Anthony – in a new round of instant restaurants.

Aaron & Chris
SA / NSW
BBQ Champions

BBQ buddies Aaron and Chris met on Instagram in 2018 and bonded over their love of meat. Since then, they’ve
raised the stakes by teaming up to take on and win BBQ competitions around Australia. Ex-butcher Aaron runs Australia’s largest BBQ-dedicated YouTube channel. He has a real passion for American-style BBQ and smoking meats. Chris quit his busy job in the corporate world to become a stay-at-home dad when his twin sons were born prematurely at 24 weeks. Known for their epic pork crackling and homemade ice cream, Aaron and Chris hope to create a touring BBQ masterclass to share their love and passion for all things smoke and grill.

How would you describe your personality?
Aaron: Outgoing, fun, focused, impatient and competitive.
Chris: Happy, outgoing and extroverted.

How did you learn to cook?
Aaron: My mum started teaching me as a child, and the rest is self-taught through my years as a butcher.
Chris: Self-taught.

Can you remember the fi rst dish you ever cooked?
Aaron: Spaghetti bolognese.
Chris: Pikelets with jam and cream.

Amber & Mel
NSW
Childhood Friends

Childhood best friends Amber and Mel are self-proclaimed dance mums. They are resilient, persistent and competitive as hell! Amber is quick-witted and not afraid to tell it how it is, like it or not. Mel is the more diplomatic of the two and prides herself on giving constructive criticism. She describes herself as a high-achiever and hopes to add MKR champion to her list of achievements. Mel married into a Lebanese family and hopes to incorporate her in-laws’ recipes with a fusion of her Australian background. When Amber and Mel cook together, their energy is contagious. With wine, some music and a cookbook, the kitchen becomes their stage. They’ve been known to break into song and dance while cooking up a storm.

How would you describe your personality?
Amber: Fun, bubbly, warm, reliable and honest.
Mel: Enthusiastic, friendly and energetic.

How did you learn to cook?
Amber: Growing up, I would bake with Nana. I learned the basics young and self-taught from there.
Mel: I learned from some family members and then self-taught.

What is your go-to main dish for guests?
Amber: A roast of some kind.
Mel: Chicken, halloumi, honey, thyme with rocket salad.

Patricija & Brigita
Qld
Sisters

Intense and opinionated Lithuanian sisters Patricija and Brigita have two things in common: the same birth mother and the ability to elevate the humble potato. Patricija is a criminal defence solicitor and admits she can rub
people the wrong way with her dry sense of humour, lack of emotion and “resting b*tch face.” Brigita is the complete opposite. She is chilled, easy-going and likes to go with the flow. Patricija is an avid MKR fan and loves feeding people but doesn’t eat seafood or lamb. Brigita is more adventurous and eats her steak blue.

Prize money aside, what do you hope to get out of this experience?
Patricija: An opportunity to spend time with my sister, and to learn from talented contestants and the judges. I also wanted to do something out of my comfort zone.
Brigita: To meet new people and make friends, spend time with my sister, travel around Australia and taste some delicious home-cooked meals.

Food vice/guilty pleasure?
Patricija: Coke No Sugar (cold and in a can is preferred), Korean fried chicken and bread.
Brigita: Dessert after dinner.

What does cooking and food mean to you?
Patricija: An expression of love and creativity.
Brigita: Cooking is a pleasurable and creative outlet; you are in the moment and it’s a great way to relax after a long day at work. I love that it also brings people together

Leaderboard

Radha and Prabha 87/110
Tommy and Rach 78/110
Sonia and Marcus 71/110
Nick and Christian 66/110
Claudean and Anthony 53/110
Coco and Pearls 50/110

MKR screens 7:30pm Monday – Wednesday on Seven.