My Kitchen Rules (MKR) 2024’s Instant Restaurant rounds usually involve the judges popping into the contestant’s kitchens to give some much-needed advice. However, that wasn’t the case for Viviana and Simone.

It’s common for MKR judges to offer crucial advice to contestants. For example, during Maddie and Janey’s Instant Restaurant, Colin Fassnidge told them to focus on flavour over presentation, noting that their entree fell short because they prioritised plating.

Simone and Viviana’s first Instant Restaurant placed them second on the MKR Leadboard, and their next dining event earned them a score of 104, the highest in the show’s history. During an exclusive interview with Chattr, Simone revealed that Manu Fieldel and Colin didn’t help them.

“To be honest, they never came much to us, as compared to the other teams,” he said.

Why didn’t Colin and Manu help Simone and Viviana?

Considering that Simone and Viviana received a record-breaking score of 104 out of 110 in round two of the Instant Restaurants, it’s pretty clear that they weren’t in much need of advice.

However, their first attempt scored them only 74, which could suggest that guidance from the seasoned chefs might have been valuable.

Simone explained to Chattr that Manu and Colin did come into the kitchen while they were preparing their Instant Restaurant meals, but he felt that the judges were confident in his and Viviana’s abilities.

“They knew that we knew what we were doing, and they were not actually giving us input. They would just come in briefly to say hi, give us a hug, and give us some emotional support when we were stressed, no more than that,” he said.

“They never came in and questioned what we were doing or double-checking what we were doing,” he added.

Simone and Viviana on what Manu and Colin are like in person

Colin and Manu have been working side by side on MKR since Season 4, which aired in 2013. Colin originally started as a guest judge but joined Manu for the Instant Restaurant segments in 2020.

The Instant Restaurants sees the MKR Judges sit down for dinner with the contestants when each team prepares a three-course meal.

Simone and Viviana gushed about spending time with Colin and Manu at the table, with Viviana saying that they were “amazing”.

“We’re obsessed with them,” she told Chattr. “Because they’re European, they have a very similar mentality to us.

“When we were talking to them at the dinner table, it felt like we were back home a little bit because they probably understood us better than the other people at the table. That beautiful, nostalgic feeling of talking to someone from Europe was just fantastic.”

Simone added that he enjoyed seeing the dynamic between the esteemed chefs.

“They are genuine and two very good friends; you can tell that they have a very good relationship with each other.”

Aww! We love a wholesome reality show.

Watch MKR on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7.30 pm on 7 and 7plus.

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