The Adelaide pair once again failed to impress the judges, leaving fans divided over whether they were unfairly judged or simply overreached.

Maria and Bailey’s second Instant Restaurant became a night of bruising scores, tough critiques and fiery online debate. (image – Channel 7)

The second time wasn’t the charm for Maria and Bailey, with the Adelaide pair’s ambitious Instant Restaurant falling flat in front of the judges and their fellow contestants on Tuesday night’s My Kitchen Rules.

The duo, who had hoped to silence critics after a rocky start to the competition, instead left with a bruised scorecard of 62 out of 110 — even worse than their first attempt.

Their bold menu of Modern Moussaka, Sous Vide Chicken Skewer with Celeriac Purée and Salsa Verde, and a Dulce de Leche Chocolate Whisky and Pear Tart promised fireworks, but the execution didn’t live up to the vision.

A Greek twist gone bland

Maria leaned on her Greek heritage for the entrée, swapping out the traditional base for a potato rosti. Colin Fassnidge thought the texture showed promise and awarded a seven, but said the flavour was lacking. Manu Feildel was less forgiving, calling it a “bland ragu” and dishing out a five.

Meanwhile, tensions simmered at the table as contestants accused each other of strategic scoring. While some OG teams rallied behind Maria and Bailey, Amy and Lara fanned the flames by questioning whether the scoring had been fair in earlier rounds.

The judges were left underwhelmed while viewers at home turned their ire on fellow contestants accused of playing villain roles. (image – Channel 7)

Chicken skewers without sizzle

Back in the kitchen, Maria scrambled to rescue the chicken with extra seasoning, but the dish failed to wow. While some guests offered kind words, the judges found the chicken dry and uninspiring. Manu liked the purée and salsa verde, giving it a seven, but lamented the lack of char. Colin scored a five and bluntly suggested grilling would have been the smarter method.

Cracks in the dessert

By dessert, disaster struck again. The tart’s base crumbled during plating, forcing a makeshift presentation. Manu and Colin each awarded it a five, saying the idea was ambitious but the flavours confused and the technique fell short.

Colin summed up the night with a brutal one-liner:

“Sadly, that is not redemption for you.”

Bailey admitted the sting of failure:

“It’s really heartbreaking that we’re not as good as we said we were.”

Judges’ Scores

Entrée: Manu 5, Colin 7
Main: Manu 7, Colin 5
Dessert: Manu 5, Colin 5
Total Judges’ Score: 34/60

Team Scores

Mark and Tan: 5
Michael and Rielli: 6
Danielle and Marko: 6
Amy and Lara: 5
Lol and Lil: 6
Total Team Score: 28/50

Grand Total: 62/110

Fans call out “villains”

While the food struggled, it was the antics around the table that had viewers talking online. Many slammed the Gatecrashers, particularly Amy and Lara, labelling them “insufferable”, “bitchy” and “overly confident”. Fans felt the pair were disrespectful towards other contestants and questioned their credibility after claims one of them might have professional cooking experience.

Others criticised the show’s reliance on drama, suggesting producers deliberately cast fiery personalities to spark conflict. Comparisons were even drawn to MAFS, with some saying MKR felt more about squabbles than cooking.

But Maria and Bailey weren’t without support. Several viewers defended the Adelaide cooks, arguing they “tried too hard” to showcase multiple techniques instead of keeping things simple. One said it was “sad because they’re the only ones I like”, while another admitted yelling at their TV for the team to “give that chicken some frickin flame”.

Not all feedback was sympathetic, with some noting the pair’s teamwork left much to be desired. A number of fans felt Maria was too harsh on Bailey, while others suggested they’d prefer not to see them return for another round.

Eyes on the next cook-off

Looking ahead, attention now turns to Mark and Tan, who will present a rustic Thai menu in hopes of climbing the leaderboard and knocking Danielle and Marko from their top spot. Viewers can also expect fresh fireworks, with Manu set to serve up some tough words for Michael.