Are we buying this?

My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2025’s meat master, Michael, stumbled a little during the second Instant Restaurant round, when his duck was deemed “dry” by the contestants and the judges. While Rielli’s puff pastry was called “perfect”, judge Manu Feidel criticised Michael for not adding a sauce or jus to the Confit Duck Tart with Caramelised Onion entrée.

In the kitchen, Michael said he was “pissed off” and firmly disagreed with the professional chef’s comments. He tells Chattr he believes that Manu is in the wrong, as his duck was cooked well.

“Obviously, Manu and I had some discussions, and I think Manu is just trying to prove a point here. I think he’s got it completely wrong. I mean, he’s just trying to put his foot in the ground and make a stance against me,” Michael claims.

“I think every single person at the table is going to be picking on me. I think every single person at the table is going to be judging me, not based on the food, but based on what our interactions at the table [have been].”

The MKR contestant says he accepts being judged harshly due to his behaviour, because he stands behind his food.

“I know exactly what I deliver. I taste all my food before it goes out, and if they want to lie to themselves, that’s Manu’s fault.”

After Michael received the note from the judges, Rielli told producers that her partner “can’t handle criticism”. However, she doesn’t think that it’s necessarily a negative thing.

“I think Michael just oozes confidence and optimism and positivity, and all of that,” Rielli explains. “So when he gets criticism, he refuses to believe it, because I think he genuinely thinks it’s not true. I don’t think it’s [a] delusion.

“I just think he truly believes that he’s right and they’re wrong. So I don’t think he can take criticism because he doesn’t believe he’s ever wrong.”
Rielli, Michael and Manu in the kitchen. Image: Seven

MKR’s Michael and Rielli believe they can win the competition

While Michael and Rielli received the lowest team score yet, their judges’ score was much higher than their first Instant Restaurant, and they now sit above OG cooks, Lol, Lil, Maria and Bailey.

“We definitely redeemed ourselves,” Michael says, before Rielli adds, “I enjoyed this cook a lot more than the first one.

“I feel like we worked really well together, and I was really happy with what we put out, and I love everything that we cooked. So redemption was 100 per cent there, and it shows in the score as well.”

With Michael and Rielli’s sitting in third place on the MKR Leaderboard, there’s no chance of them going home after this Instant Restaurant round. They’re looking forward to the next challenge, and believe they have what it takes to go all the way.

“100 per cent we could win [MKR],” Rielli says. “[I’m excited for the] drama [to be] put aside [so] the cooking shines.”

Somehow, we think that while Michael and Rielli are still in the competition, there will be plenty more drama to come.