My Kitchen Rules NZ explained

Alt Name:My Kitchen Rules New Zealand
Genre:Cooking
Country:New Zealand
Language:English
Num Episodes:59
Runtime:60-120 minutes per episode
Company:Seven Network (2017)
ScreenTime New Zealand (2023)
Last Aired:present
Related:My Kitchen Rules
My Kitchen Rules SA
Num Series:5
Channel:TVNZ

My Kitchen Rules NZ is a New Zealand reality show based on the popular Australian reality television series My Kitchen Rules. The show premiered in New Zealand on TV1 on 24 August 2014.[1]

Season 2 premiered on TV2 on 12 October 2015. On 29 September 2016, Pete Evans and Manu Feildel, hosts of the Australian MKR, were announced as the hosts for the third season of My Kitchen Rules NZ, which began airing on 25 September 2017.[2] Evans and Feildel also judged season 4, which aired in 2018.[3]

In November 2022, the series was renewed for a fifth season, four years after the previous, which will see Manu Feildel returning as host alongside new host and judge Colin Fassnidge, set to air in 2023 on TVNZ 2.[4] [5] The winning team receives 100,000 prize money.[6] [3]

The series was then renewed for a sixth season with Feildel and Fassinidge returning as hosts. The sixth season is set to air April 2024 on TVNZ 2.

Format

Contestants

The New Zealand version of the show initially had teams of two contestants with pre-existing relationships —competing against each other to transform an ordinary home into an instant restaurant complete with theme and table decorations for one pressure-cooker night.

RegionSeries
OneTwoThreeFourFive
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Total131266

Judging panel

The current judging panel consists of celebrity chefs and hosts Pete Evans and Manu Feildel.[7] Filling four spots in the Kitchen HQ judging table are local celebrity chef and former Masterchef NZ Winner, Nadia Lim; former Masterchef NZ judge, Ray McVinnie; 2016 Metropolitan Chef of the Year, Tom Hishon; and acclaimed restaurateur, Sean Connolly.[8]

JudgesSeries
OneTwoThreeFour
Current
Manu FeildelHost/Main
Former
Ray McVinnie
Tom Hishon
Sean Connolly
Nadia Lim
Robert Oliver
Liz Egan
Grace Ramirez
Pete Evans
Ben Bayly
Gareth Stewart

Previous format

Instant restaurant round

Grouped into two, the teams initially are to compete in an instant restaurant round. Each episode focuses on one team's day of cooking, setting up their instant restaurant and serving a three-course dinner—entrée, main, and dessert—for the judges and their opposing teams. Teams could only start cooking three hours before the other teams and judges arrive at their house. After the team served all three meals to the judges and their opposition, each opposing team must rate the total meal out of ten, then each main judge must rate each of the three courses separately out of ten. The lowest scoring team will be then at risk of elimination.

Contestants do not necessarily cook in their own homes. In most cases when this happened it is the home of a family member or friend or a holiday home of one or both members of the team.

Team progress and eliminations:There were variations on format in team progress and elimination process in this round.

Pre-finals round

After the instant restaurant, the remaining teams compete in a four-round format and went from People's Choice directly to Sudden Death.

Finals round

Finals round consists of three rounds: two sets of semifinals, and a grand final. All follow a sudden death cook-off format where in teams will produce a three-course meal for the main judges and for the four guest judges. Teams will be scored their total meal out of ten by the judges and the lower scoring team will be eliminated.

Semifinals

Prior to grand final round, four remaining teams compete in a semifinal round. Teams going head-to-head in this round is determined variously in different series.The final four were divided into two semifinal match-ups based on their rankings in the Final 5 round. Like last time, #1 cooked against #4, and #2 cooked against #3.

Grand final

Winners of each semifinal will go straight through the grand final round, the last stage of the competition. Each team will be scored and the higher scoring team will be declared the My Kitchen Rules champions.

Series 3 Format Change

For Series 3, airing in 2017, a significant change was made to the format, in which the Kitchen HQ rounds were dropped. After the initial instant restaurant round, one team was eliminated. A series of sudden death rounds follow.[9]

Series overview

To date, three series have been broadcast, as summarised below.

Colour legend:
  • – Winner
  • – Runner-up
    SeriesPremiere dateFinale dateNumber
    Competing teams[10] Host &<br/>Main JudgesGuest Judges
    One[11] 24 August 201429 October 201413Josh & Aaron[12] Sam & Dan[13] Tracey & Niel[14] Ben Bayly
    Gareth Stewart
    Nadia Lim
    Grace Ramirez
    Robert Oliver
    Sean Connolly
    June & Steph[15]
    Jessie & Ricki[16] Theresa & Joelle[17]
    Kelly & Megan[18]
    Aaron & Heather[19]
    Dan & Christie[20]
    Neena & Belinda[21]
    Ian & Sandle[22] Dal & Dai[23] Steve & Maura[24]
    Two[25] 12 October 201515 December 201512Hannah & Cathy[26] Katarina & Natasha[27] William & Zoe[28] Ben & Regan[29] Nadia Lim
    Grace Ramirez
    Robert Oliver
    Liz Egan
    Ruth & Cheryl[30]
    Monique & Henry[31]
    Kimberly & Brooke[32] Lauren & Simon[33]
    Travis & Jeremy[34]
    Laurance & Paul[35]
    Jay & Sarah[36]
    Jess & Stella[37]
    Three25 September 201727 November 20176Jaryd & Ben[38] Charlotte & Maddie[39] Manu Feildel
    Pete Evans
    Nadia Lim
    Sean Connolly
    Ray McVinnie
    Tom Hishon
    Tash & Hera[40]
    Chris & Bex[41]
    Heather & Mitch[42]
    Teal & Sophie[43]

    International broadcast

    CountryNetworkCurrent broadcaster?Source(s)
    AustraliaChannel Seven[44]
    CanadaGusto TV[45]
    United KingdomSky Living[46]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: My Kitchen Rules NZ - Episode One Recap • Throng. Throng. 2015-11-08.
    2. Web site: Pete & Manu to host My Kitchen Rules New Zealand. Kevin. Perry. 30 September 2016. DeciderTV. 30 September 2016.
    3. News: McIlraith . Brianna . Taranaki father and daughter duo's delight over $100,000 My Kitchen Rules win . 10 September 2023 . Stuff . 11 December 2018 . en.
    4. Web site: New Zealand revives My Kitchen Rules. Knox. David. 13 November 2022. TV Tonight. 13 November 2022.
    5. News: Top local chefs take over Aussies' spot on MKR NZ . 10 September 2023 . The New Zealand Herald . 5 March 2023 . en-NZ.
    6. News: Rohan . Lillie . My Kitchen Rules stars Manu Fieldel and Colin Fassnidge on rocky road to friendship . 10 September 2023 . The New Zealand Herald . 12 November 2022 . en-NZ.
    7. Web site: Judges TVNZ OnDemand. mkrnz.co.nz. 2017-10-03.
    8. Web site: MKR NZ Tasting Panel Judges announced • Throng. Throng. 2015-11-08.
    9. Web site: My Kitchen Rules NZ: Lucy's back from the dead to hit on Paleo Pete. thespinoff.co.nz. 2017-11-09.
    10. Web site: Meet the MKR NZ TEAMS My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    11. Web site: MKR NZ Season 1 Teams My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    12. Web site: Josh & Aaron My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    13. Web site: Sam & Dan My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    14. Web site: Tracey & Neil My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    15. Web site: June & Steph My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    16. Web site: Jessie & Ricki My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    17. Web site: Theresa & Joelle My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    18. Web site: Kelly & Megan My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    19. Web site: Aaron & Heather My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    20. Web site: Dan & Christie My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    21. Web site: Neena & Belinda My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    22. Web site: Ian & Sandie My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    23. Web site: Dai & Dal My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    24. Web site: Steve & Maura My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    25. Web site: Meet the MKR NZ TEAMS My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    26. Web site: Hannah & Cathy My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    27. Web site: Katrina & Natasha My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    28. Web site: William & Zoe My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    29. Web site: Ben & Reagan My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-18.
    30. Web site: Ruth & Cheryl My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    31. Web site: Monique & Henry My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    32. Web site: Kimberley & Brooke My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    33. Web site: Lauren & Simon My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    34. Web site: Travis & Jeremy My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    35. Web site: Laurence & Paul My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    36. Web site: Jay & Sarah My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-08.
    37. Web site: Jess & Stella My Kitchen Rules NZ. mkrnz.co.nz. 2015-11-18.
    38. Web site: Jaryd & Ben TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    39. Web site: Charlotte & Maddie TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    40. Web site: Tash & Hera TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    41. Web site: Chris & Bex TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    42. Web site: Heather & Mitch TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    43. Web site: Teal & Sophie TVNZ OnDemand. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-kitchen-rules-new-zealand. 2017-09-25.
    44. Web site: Watch My Kitchen Rules New Zealand Online: Free Streaming & Catch Up TV in Australia . 2024-04-28 . 7plus.com.au . en.
    45. Web site: Sneak Peek My Kitchen Rules New Zealand Starts Tonight. Gusto TV. 5 January 2015. 7 November 2017.
    46. Web site: My Kitchen Rules New Zealand Sky Living. Sky Living. 21 November 2017. 28 November 2017.