My Kitchen Rules (MKR) fan faves Krysten and Lucy have questioned Manu Feildel’s judging style after their elimination, claiming the chef may sometimes prioritise “entertainment value” over the food itself.
The mother-daughter duo’s MKR journey came to an end after their elimination cook, where their Middle Eastern-inspired dessert became a major talking point for the judges.
Following their exit, Krysten and Lucy opened up about their frustrations with Manu’s feedback, suggesting there may be some “unconscious bias” influencing his decisions.
While the pair had nothing but praise for fellow judge Colin Fassnidge, Lucy claimed Manu’s role on the show has shifted over the years.
“Colin, I think, is fair,” she told Chattr exclusively.
“However, I honestly think Manu has a bit of a TV brain instead of a food critiquing brain and there are definitely moments where he wants to keep people on TV who are good to watch.”
Krysten agreed, claiming Manu appears to have “favourites” throughout the competition.
“I think he definitely has some favourites,” she said.
Lucy went further, suggesting Manu’s focus may extend beyond the plate.
“I honestly think his role is more of a producer on the show now,” she said.
The duo believe their elimination was unfair
The pair said they believe they were “stitched up”, citing an unaired moment as proof they should not have been in the elimination round.
They also revealed they felt their elimination dessert was misunderstood by Manu during the cook.
For the challenge, contestants were asked to create a banquet inspired by a South Asian or Indian theme, which led Krysten and Lucy to create a Middle Eastern-inspired platter featuring multiple elements.
“I don’t think the concept worked for Manu. He was like, ‘It doesn’t make sense’,” Krysten explained.
Lucy said they were confused by the criticism, arguing the dish was designed to represent a style of dining where multiple components come together.
“He was really confused with how it all went together and Mum and I were like, ‘Well, it’s a Middle Eastern platter? What do you mean?’” she said.
Krysten joked: “He needed to be sitting on a Middle Eastern rug to get it, I think.”
The duo also questioned what they felt was inconsistent feedback about the structure of their dessert.
Lucy explained that the brief required contestants to include multiple components, but they were then criticised for doing exactly that.
“The brief of the cook said you have to have three elements, minimum,” she said.
“So we put three things on the platter, then we got roasted for having too many things on the platter.”
Despite their disappointment, Krysten and Lucy said they were proud of the food they created and stood by the concept behind their final dish.
My Kitchen Rules airs on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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