Tensions reached fever pitch on My Kitchen Rules this week when host Manu Feildel brutally shut down one contestant.

The fracas came about as gatecrashers Tan and Mark were hosting their first Instant Restaurant, Charmed.

Serving up a menu of Grilled Octopus with Thai-style Chimichurri for entrée, a Chicken Khao Soi main, and Passionfruit Crème Brûlée for dessert, the pair walked away with an impressive 80 out of 100.

However, it wasn’t the quality of the food that rival Michael took umbrage with, but rather the fact that Tan’s family owns two restaurants – despite the fact that Tan is not a chef in either.

Michael made his displeasure known around the table early, taking a subtle dig at his kitchen rival and his impressive main course.

‘Given that Tan owns two restaurants – one of them is Thai and one of them is Asian fusion – I think this is right in his element and I think it’s going to be packed with Thai flavour.

Tensions reached fever pitch on My Kitchen Rules this week when host Manu Feildel brutally shut down one contestant.

Manu quickly interjected: ‘I think it’s family owned,’ but Michael remained unsatisfied.

Speaking to camera, he revealed that he had been doing some digging into Tan’s past.

‘I’ve done some investigative research and I think Tan’s definitely spent a lot of time in the kitchen in his restaurants and that is a huge competitive advantage,’ he said to camera.

‘Right now, I do not trust Tan about not being a chef and if he doesn’t come clean I’m coming in hot, and I’m taking him down.’

Like the rest of the table, Michael was impressed with the dish, saying it was ‘the best main I’ve had in the competition.’

However, this only served to reinforce Michael’s preconceived bias as he, once again, declared to camera: ‘It’s clearly restaurant quality, as expected. What do you know? Big surprise.’

The simmering tensions then boiled over when Michael interrupted Manu’s critique of Tan and Mark’s menu.

‘Tan, is this one of the dishes you serve in your restaurants?’ he asked, much to the chagrin of fellow contestants.

Contestant Michael took umbrage with gatecrashers Tan and Mark’s impressive main, claiming an unfair advantage as Tan’s family own’s two restaurants – despite the fact Tan is not a chef in either

The simmering tensions then boiled over when Michael interrupted Manu’s critique of Tan and Mark’s (pictured) menu, asking Tan to clarify if the dish was served on one of his restaurants.

Manu, becoming visibly frustrated with Michael then shot back with a stern: ‘I thought we went through this already. ‘We’re not going to go back on this conversation every single time you open your mouth.’

‘Yeah, it is,’ Tan replied. ‘Any Thai restaurant should have it on their menus.’

Obviously unimpressed with Michael’s line of questioning, Manu jumped in, asking him why he asked it in the first place.

‘It’s quite obvious this was almost a 10 out of 10 dish prepared by somebody who owns a restaurant,’ Michael protested.

Manu, becoming visibly frustrated with Michael, then shot back with a stern: ‘I thought  we went through this already.

‘We’re not going to go back on this conversation every single time you open your mouth.’

Still not convinced, Michael continued to protest, claiming that it was ‘unfair’.

‘I’m just saying if someone owns a restaurant and they serve a dish in a competition where it’s made for home chefs,’ he said.

‘I think that’s completely unfair but you’ve got your opinion, I’ve got mine.’

‘You either accept the rules and you play with everyone, or you don’t accept the rules and goodbye,’ he continued. ‘You’re either a professional and you don’t belong here – you’re an amateur you belong here. ‘That is it. Done, move on.’

Even Michael’s partner Rielli agreed with the table, telling him: ‘I think the timing couldn’t have been worse. It was disrespectful to Mark and Tan and disrespectful to the judges

With his patience tested, Manu then shut down Michael’s protests.

‘You either accept the rules and you play with everyone, or you don’t accept the rules and goodbye,’ he said.

‘I’m not going to go back to this rule again. You’re either a professional and you don’t belong here – you’re an amateur you belong here.

‘That is it. Done, move on.’

Michael was unquestionably in the minority. Other home cooks labelled his protests as ‘ridiculous’, while Tan called him ‘out of line’.

Even Michael’s partner Rielli agreed with the table, telling him: ‘I think the timing couldn’t have been worse. It was disrespectful to Mark and Tan and disrespectful to the judges.