My Kitchen Rules (series 5)

Format changes

The Food Truck — From the Top 12 to Top 9 rounds, teams were divided into two groups of 4 or 5 (depending on the number of teams remaining) and each cooked in a restaurant-like environment. Members of the public were served the dishes and payed for what they believed the meal was worth. The group that made the most money won the challenge whilst the losing group had to compete in a following cook-off to avoid elimination. The semi-trailer, which opened up into two commercial grade kitchens travelled to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for this segment of the competition and was hosted by guest judge and chef, Colin Fassnidge. All money earned at these challenges was donated to charity.

The Jury — For the first four rapid cook-off challenges (Top 12 to Top 9), a jury was present and were able to save or send one of the competing teams to/from elimination. The jury was formed by the teams from the winning group of the Food Truck, and if applicable, the People's Choice winner. A similar concept was once used in 2012, where eliminated teams returned to judge the current team's food.

People Choice Winners — A slight change of rules was used for this season due to the inclusion of the Food Truck. Unlike previous seasons, the winner did not always receive immunity from elimination. To ensure there were even teams for the Food Truck, some winners were given an advantage instead, such as being able to select the teams or ingredients. This was applicable to People's Choice challenges 2 & 4.

Ultimate Instant Restaurant — The Top 5 teams headed back home to compete in an Ultimate Instant Restaurant round. They needed to prepare two dishes for each course and guest teams had the option to choose which dish they wanted to order. This was the first time the series has introduced Instant restaurants after the preliminary rounds.

Teams

Twelve teams commenced in the competition, split into two groups. For this series, five states commenced with two teams, Tasmania with one and for the first time a team from the Australian Capital Territory. Three additional 'gatecrasher' teams from New South Wales and Victoria joined the competition after Round 2 of the instant restaurants, resulting in a total of 15 teams for this year's cast.

In this table, teams numbered 1 or 2 were part of the initial 12 teams—groups 1 and 2. Teams noted with a 'G' joined the competition as the 'gatecrashers' for Round 3. These group statuses are only of significance during the preliminary instant restaurant rounds. All teams are considered independent once these rounds are over.

Instant restaurant

In the instant restaurant round, each episode focused on one team's day of shopping, cooking, hosting and serving opposing teams and judges a three-course dinner. (Entrée, Main and Dessert). All teams give their 'instant restaurant' a name and theme, and will need to decorate the room/space and table setting to match that theme. Teams may only start cooking three hours before the other teams arrive at their house. After the team served all three meals to the judges and their opposition, each team gave them a score out of ten for the overall performance (i.e. food, service, entertainment, etc.). Afterwards, each judge gave a score out of ten for each of the three dishes, totalling a highest possible score of 110 (50 from guest teams and 60 from judges). For Rounds 1 & 2, The initial 12 teams were split into two groups of 6 and the team with the lowest score in their group was eliminated at the end of the round. Results from one group do not affect the results of the other.

Round 1

Episodes 1 to 6

Airdate — 27 January to 4 February 2014

Description — The first six teams are introduced to the competition in the first round of Instant restaurants. One team was represented from each state and also for the first time a team from the Australian Capital Territory. After all six teams have cooked, an elimination was held at the end of the final restaurant. The lowest scoring team was eliminated.

Note:

^1 - 95 is the equal highest instant restaurant score in the show's history. Nic and Rocco from series 3 were first to set the record which was subsequently was beaten by Eva and Debra from series 6.

Round 2

Episodes 7 to 12

Airdate — 5 to 16 February 2014

Description — After the Group 1 round, the second group of teams took to the kitchen. This time, the previous five states introduced a second team, while Tasmania introduced their first. The same format of scoring is repeated, and the lowest scoring team is eliminated.

Round 3 (Gatecrasher round)

Episodes 13 to 18

Airdate — 17 to 25 February 2014

Description — In the third round of instant restaurants, the three lowest scoring safe teams in the first two groups combined, were to compete in another instant restaurant round. From here, three newly introduced 'gatecrasher' teams also joined the round. As per the first two rounds, the same format of scoring is repeated and the lowest scoring team is eliminated .

People's Choice 1: Breakfast at Central

Episode 19

Airdate — 26 February 2014

Location — Central railway station, Sydney

Description — Teams must cook and serve a convenient, on-the-go breakfast for Sydney's commuters at Central Station. The public voted for their favourite dish, with the team receiving the most votes, safe from elimination. Pete and Manu decided on the weakest team to head into the first Sudden Death cook-off.

Food Truck 1: Cronulla, NSW

Episode 20

Airdate — 2 March 2014

Location — North Cronulla Beach, NSW

Description — Teams are split into two groups (white aprons and black aprons) and must each run a restaurant for real paying customers. Each group consists of five teams and must cook an appetiser, two mains and two desserts. One team from each group is assigned as Head Chef and Maître d' and must make sure their group have their food orders ready and in line for service. The group that earns the most money is safe from elimination, while the losing group face a kitchen cook-off.

Kitchen Cook-off

Episode 21

Airdate — 3 March 2014

Description — The Kitchen cook-off is divided into two parts.

Rapid cook-off: Meat & 3 Veg — Teams must create a 'Meat & 3 Veg' dish in 45 minutes. The selection of meat (pork, chicken, beef, duck or lamb) was determined by the bench they chose to stand at. Any three vegetables were able to be used. In a new twist, the remaining safe teams became The Jury and were able to save one of the teams through a blind tasting. A second team was saved by Pete and Manu.
Showdown: Family Favourites — The remaining three teams headed into the Showdown, where they were challenged to cook a family favourite meal in one hour. The weakest team from here heads into the Sudden Death cook-off against Uel & Shannelle.

Sudden Death

Episode 22

Airdate — 4 March 2014

Description — The first Sudden Death cook-off for the series. Each team must produce a three-course menu for guest judges and Pete and Manu. Following its success from last year, blind tastings were re-introduced as the judging format. All judges score the entire menu out of 10 and the lower scoring team is eliminated.

People's Choice 2: School Lunch

Episode 23

Airdate — 5 March 2014

Location — Bankstown Public School

Description — For this challenge, teams headed back to primary school to create a healthy lunch for 200 kids. The students voted for their favourite lunch, with one team winning the Children's Choice. On the other end, Pete and Manu sent one team directly into the next Sudden Death cook-off. The Children's Choice winners will gain an advantage at the next Food Truck challenge.

Food Truck 2: Melbourne, Vic

Episode 24

Airdate — 9 March 2014

Location — Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Southbank, Victoria

Description — The Food Truck has arrived in Melbourne, where teams are once again, split into two groups and each running competing restaurants. As winners of the previous People's Choice challenge, Uel and Shannelle were able to handpick their group members and form the white group. The remaining teams were formed as the black group. In the end, the group that earned the least amount of money is sent to the Kitchen cook-off to determine the next team going into Sudden Death.

Kitchen Cook-off

Episode 25

Airdate — 10 March 2014

Description — Two cook-offs were held. Two teams selected by the judges and teams' jury were safe after the rapid cook-off. The remaining three teams headed into the following showdown. The lowest performing team from here heads into the Sudden Death cook-off.

Rapid cook-off: Fridge Favourites — Teams had to create a dish using ingredients from a stranger's fridge. Through Facebook, fans of the show shared their list of ingredients in their fridges and five of them were used in this challenge
Showdown: Judge's Ingredients — For this challenge, teams used ingredients that judges, Pete and Manu use in their own fridge. Each judge had two crates of the same ingredients on offer and contestants were able choose which judge's ingredients they wish to use. As there were only three teams, one of the judge's crates was not used.

Sudden Death

Episode 26

Airdate — 11 March 2014

Description — Two NSW teams must compete in another Sudden Death cook-off, after their low performances during previous challenges. Both teams must serve a three course meal to Pete, Manu and guest judges for a blind tasting. The winner is safe and through to the Top 10. The lower scoring team is eliminated from the competition

People's Choice 3: Italian Festival

Episode 27

Airdate — 12 March 2014

Location — Norton Street, Leichhardt, NSW

Description — Teams headed to Sydney's Norton St in Leichhardt to serve Mediterranean meals for the annual Italian Festival. Teams had a total of 3 hours to shop at the local Italian grocers and market, cook and serve their meals to the festival-goers. The public voted for their favourite dish and the team with the most votes was safe from elimination. The judges sent the weakest team into the next Sudden Death cook-off.

Food Truck 3: Parramatta, NSW

Episode 28

Airdate — 16 March 2014

Location — Parramatta, NSW

Description — The Food Truck has returned to Sydney, and the teams are once again split into two (white aprons vs. black aprons). This time, they are serving multicultural foods of multiple nationalities. Carly and Tresne were selected to be the White groups' Head chef and Maître d', while Uel and Shannelle were selected to be Head Chef and Maître d' for the black group. The group that made the most amount of money is safe and the group that makes the least is sent to Kitchen cook-off to determine the next team going into sudden death.

Kitchen Cook-off

Episode 29

Airdate — 17 March 2014

Description — Chicken or Egg

For the rapid cook-off, teams had 45 minutes to cook either a chicken or egg dish. Two teams cooked with chicken and the other two with eggs. In a special twist the two chicken dishes competed against each other and the same for the two egg dishes. The jury and the judges sent the worst chicken and egg team through to the Showdown. In the Showdown, the two teams will cook another dish with chicken or egg using the opposite ingredient from the previous cook-off.

Sudden Death

Episode 30

Airdate — 18 March 2014

Description — Two Victorian teams, the twins, Helena and Vikki and the boys, Harry and Christo competed in a Sudden Death cook-off after their low performances at previous challenges. Both teams must cook their best three course meal for host and guest judges for scoring. The twins brought upon their Greek heritage, cooking dishes inspired by their grandmother, whilst the boys took a more casual approach, dishing up their favourite meals as mates. The lower scoring team is eliminated as the winning team advances to the Top 9.

People's Choice 4: Builder's Site BBQ

Episode 31

Airdate — 19 March 2014

Location — Central Park, Sydney

Description — Teams headed into the Central Park development worksite to cook a barbecue lunch for 200 builders. Teams were inspired by a number of cuisines including Asian and South American for their lunches. The worksite builders voted for their favourite dish, with the team receiving the most votes winning the Builder's Choice. This team will gain an advantage at the following Food Truck in Brisbane. The weakest team will go directly into the next Sudden Death cook-off.

Food Truck 4: Brisbane, Qld

Episode 32

Airdate — 23 March 2014

Location — Brisbane, QLD

Description — Teams were back on board the Food Truck, once again split into two groups, running and serving two restaurants for paying customers in Brisbane's CBD. As winners of the previous People's Choice challenge, Chloe, Kelly and the Black group were able to allocate 4 out of 8 main ingredients for their three-course menu. The black group chose Mackerel for the appetiser, squid and lamb for mains and fresh fruit for dessert. The remaining four ingredients were given to the opposing White group, which included, Moreton Bay bugs for appetiser, kangaroo and spatchcock for mains and finally assorted nuts for dessert. As per usual, customers will pay for what they believe the meal is worth, and the losing group will compete in a Kitchen cook-off. This was the last Food Truck challenge and also the largest, serving a total of 150 customers, previous Food Trucks only had 100.

Kitchen Cook-off

Episode 33

Airdate — 24 March 2014

Description — The losing four teams from the Food Truck will face a rapid cook-off. The two best teams selected by the jury and judges will be saved, whilst the bottom two compete in another Showdown. The weakest team from here will head into Sudden Death.

Rapid cook-off: Romantic Meal — For the rapid cook-off, teams were challenged to create a romantic meal in 45 minutes, however after teams retrieved their ingredients, they learnt that for this challenge, only one team member can cook, while the other may only taste and advise.
Showdown: Chocolate — In the Showdown, the losing teams battled it out in a Chocolate challenge, to create their best dish using chocolate. According to the judges, both teams presented a poor dish, making the decision to send one team into Sudden Death more difficult than intended.

Sudden Death

Episode 34

Airdate — 25 March 2014

Description — Two teams go head to head in Sudden Death. Both teams presented a three course meal for guest and host judges for scoring and the lower scoring team is eliminated. From Victoria, Josh and Danielle dubbed the 'scientists' of the competition took upon their molecular gastronomy skills, while New South Wales newlyweds, Uel and Shannelle kept to their Asian heritage for their menus. For Uel and Shannelle, they are the only team so far to have competed in a Sudden Death more than once.

People's Choice 5: Pop-Up Restaurant

Episode 35

Airdate — 26 March 2014

Location — Eveleigh Markets at Carriageworks, Redfern

Description — After gaining all their skills from the Food Truck challenges, teams today opened their own pop-up restaurants serving one main meal to customers. All teams were in charge of cooking, waiting and serving at their own restaurants. Customers dining, paid for what they thought the meal was worth, with the team receiving the most money, winning People's Choice and safe from elimination. Pete and Manu, as always chose the weakest to head straight into Sudden Death. For the middle six teams, the rank order of money earnt became the seeding process for the next cook-off in Kitchen Headquarters.

Kitchen cook-off

Episode 36

Airdate — 30 March 2014

Description

Rapid Cook-off: One on One: — The six teams were to compete head to head with another team in a 30-minute rapid cook-off. The money ranking from the previous challenge determined how the game process will be played out. As Bree and Jessica received the most money out of the six, they were able to choose their opponent, however their opponent determined which protein both teams will use to cook. In this case, Thalia and Bianca were the selected opponent and chose game meats as the protein. Next in line was Cathy and Anna, choosing Helena and Vikki as their opponent. They then chose lamb as the protein. Out of the two remaining teams, Josh and Danielle had made more money than Chloe and Kelly, but since they were left with no choice of opponent, they were able to choose the protein and decided on fish. The three winning teams from each head to head became safe from elimination, while the three losing teams headed into the next Showdown.
Showdown: Entree, Main, Dessert: — As the losing teams from the previous head to head battles, they must now cook one course out of Entree, Main and Dessert in an hour. Only one team can cook one course and this was decided in a verbal first-say-first-go basis between the three teams. The losing team from this Showdown, headed into Sudden Death with Carly and Tresne.

Sudden Death

Episode 37

Airdate — 31 March 2014

Description — SA mums face Carly & Tresne in a Sudden Death cook-off. Teams cooked a three-course menu for guest and host judges, the winning team advances to the Top 7 Finals Decider, while the losing team is eliminated. Both teams received excellent feedback for their entree and dessert however both fell short on their main and had issues cooking their meat. The judges scores resulted in a one-point difference between the winner and loser. For Carly and Tresne, it was their second time competing in a Sudden Death elimination.

Farmer's Challenge

Episode 38

Airdate — 1 April 2014

Description — In Kitchen Headquarters, teams cooked meals for the farmers and suppliers of the fresh produce used by the show. It was a celebratory feast to honour and acknowledge their great efforts. Teams had 90 minutes to prepare their dishes right under the watchful eye of the farmers, who all voted for their favourite meal. Judges, Pete and Manu chose the winning team, to be safe from the next two eliminations. The farmers' vote count of the remaining six teams allocated them into two Knock-out groups. 2nd, 4th and 6th place will face off in Group 1 and 1st, 3rd and 5th for Group 2.

Note:

^1 - Due to urgent family matters at home, Chloe and Kelly were absent and did not compete in this challenge.

Knock-out: Group 1

Episode 39

Airdate — 2 April 2014

Description — The Knock-out round is split into three parts; The first part was a skills test which required teams to fillet a fish in 10 minutes. The team that did the best job gained an advantage of allocating a main ingredient for themselves and the other teams to use in the second challenge. These included; brains, lemon & limes and ocean trout. Teams must produce a dish with their allocated ingredient in one hour, one team is safe while the other two go into a final Sudden Death round. For this, teams must produce their signature dish for scoring by the guest and host judges, the lower scoring team is eliminated. The two surviving teams advance to the Top 5 finals round.

Knock-out: Group 2

Episode 40

Airdate — 7 April 2014

Description — The next three teams competed in Group 2 of the knock-outs to secure the last two remaining spots in the Top 5. The first skills test, required teams to successfully truss a piece of beef. Whichever team did the neatest and most successful job gained the advantage to allocate a main ingredient for themselves and the other teams to cook with. Ingredients on offer included, beef, skate wings and chocolate. With their allocated ingredient, teams had one hour to create a dish for judging. One team is safe while the other two head into a final Sudden Death round. Teams must now cook their signature dish to host and guest judges for scoring, the lower scoring team was eliminated while the surviving team takes the last spot in the Top 5.

Ultimate Instant Restaurant

Episodes 41 to 45

Airdate — 8 to 23 April 2014

Instant restaurant hosting order

1. Paul & Blair (Episode 41, 8 April 2014)
2. Chloe & Kelly (Episode 42, 9 April 2014)
3. Thalia & Bianca (Episode 43, 21 April 2014)
4. Bree & Jessica (Episode 44, 22 April 2014)
5. Helena & Vikki (Episode 45, 23 April 2014)

Description — The Top 5 teams headed around the country again to compete in an Ultimate Instant restaurant round. All five teams invited their fellow opposing finalists to their homes for a three-course dinner. Unlike the initial rounds, teams now have to cook two dishes of each course and guest teams were able to select any one of each course. Pete and Manu each tried one of the two options, which means they do not score the same dish. The lowest scoring team for this round is eliminated as the top 4 are ranked into the semi-finals.

Note: The numbers next to the judges scores (1 or 2), indicate which course option was judged

Semifinal 1

Episode 46

Airdate — 27 April 2014

Description — Paul and Blair face-off Chloe and Kelly in the first semifinal. Teams must cook a three-course meal for guest judges and Pete and Manu, following the Sudden Death format. The winning team advances into the Grand Final as the losing team is eliminated.

Semifinal 2

Episode 47

Airdate — 28 April 2014

Description — The final spot in the Grand final is up for grabs during the second semi-final. Bree and Jessica take on Helena and Vikki for the last time in a three-course Sudden death cook-off. The losing team is eliminated as the winner heads into the Grand Final to face Chloe and Kelly.

Grand Final

Episode 48

Airdate — 29 April 2014

Description — In the final cook-off for the series, the top 2 teams face-off in the ultimate Grand Final. Teams must cook a 5 course meal and serve 20 plates for each course to all eliminated teams, friends and family. Guest judges returned for the final verdict of awarding the $250,000 prize to the winners.

Ratings

Colour key:

     – Highest rating during the series     – Lowest rating during the series     – An elimination was held in this episode     – Finals week

Notes:

1. ^ South Australian viewers excluded.

^a Ratings data used is from OzTAM and represents the consolidated viewership from the 5 largest Australian metropolitan centres (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide).