Interesting…

Every reality show sparks controversies but this particular season of My Kitchen Rules saw two particular questions arise with fans online:

Should people who don’t eat meat be allowed on the show?
Is it fair that Maria was allowed on the show even though she has a cookie business?

So, to get to the bottom of it, we had a chat with MKR judges and chefs Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel to get their hot take over the drama.
Colin and Manu were more than happy to give their two cents on this season’s drama! (Image: MKR)

Should vegetarians and vegans be cast on MKR?

Earlier this season, Meat Master Michael was pretty vocal when he discovered that Jacinta didn’t eat meat. Michael had made a duck curry and while Jacinta was a good sport and tasted the sauce, she left her cousin Mel handle the actual duck meat.

“My personal reason I don’t eat meat is because it doesn’t really react well with my body,” she told TV WEEK at the time.

“I get reactions and it does actually affect how I feel and I get inflammation and it affects my skin. I just really didn’t want to compromise my health.”

The clash made Michael question whether Jacinta should have been cast on the show in the first place, and sparked a bigger discussion with fans online.
Nutritionist Jacinta admitted that she didn’t eat meat for health reasons. (Image: MKR)
However, according to Colin and Manu, vegetarian and vegan contestants are always welcome on MKR.

“In the world we live in, vegetarianism and religious choices in food is just life,” said Colin.

“It’s a true spanner in the works — and I quite like the spanner in the works — but that’s life.

“The world is made of all different people,” Manu adds. “It doesn’t mean that some should be selected to be on the show and some should not be selected to be on the show.

“Everyone should be part of the competition.”

What do Manu and Colin think of the controversy surrounding Maria’s businesses?

Early on in the MKR season, Mel caused a stir when she revealed that Maria owned a cookie and pastry business. The news had everyone wondering how Maria was allowed to be a part of a show intended for home cooks when she worked in the food industry.

According to Manu and Colin, Maria’s businesses truly aren’t a big deal.

“It’s cookies. It doesn’t mean you can cook!” Manu said. “It means you can bake some cookies.”

“That’s where it stops,” Colin chimes in. “It’s only cookies. We could have a cookie business if we wanted.”
Colin and Manu popped into the TV WEEK office.
This isn’t the first time this question has been asked my fans. Last season’s winner, Simone Prest, was the owner of two restaurants in Brisbane.

In a chat with Yahoo Lifestlye, Simone said that while professional chefs aren’t allowed on the show, people working within the food industry are permitted to go on the sho.

“So basically you can own a food business as long as you don’t work as a chef in it,” he said.

“You’re not allowed to have a chef certificate or a cheffing diploma. But there aren’t any proper specifications, to be honest. In my case, I am front of house in my business and not a trained chef, so I could have joined the show.”