A subtle change in the kitchen has sparked fresh questions among My Kitchen Rules viewers, with Adelaide best friends Alisha and Deanne once again finding themselves at the centre of a growing debate about how the competition is filmed.
The outspoken duo, affectionately known as the “Classy Bogans”, faced a series of setbacks during their first Instant Restaurant, from overcooked scallops to a sticky date pudding that ended up on the floor. Their second cook brought another round of pressure, but this time it was a change of scenery that caught viewers’ attention.
Some fans questioned why the pair appeared to be cooking in a different kitchen, with others wondering whether the unfamiliar surroundings could have contributed to their mistakes.
However, WHO has reported that there is a straightforward production reason behind the change — and it is a practice that is not unusual for the long-running Seven cooking competition.
Speaking exclusively to the publication, Alisha and Deanne also offered their own perspective on the second cook, insisting that, despite the chaos and criticism, they believed it was their best performance yet.
Yet with their scores falling and tensions continuing to build around the dinner table, the question remains whether the pair can overcome the mounting pressure and prove their critics wrong.
The Kitchen Detail That Caught Viewers’ Attention
During Alisha and Deanne’s first Instant Restaurant, the Adelaide best friends struggled to keep their service running smoothly.
The pair overcooked their scallops, encountered trouble with their dessert and eventually had to step away from the kitchen to collect themselves before continuing.
Their mistakes prompted some viewers to question whether the kitchen was actually their own.
Online, fans speculated that the contestants might have been using unfamiliar equipment and a space they had not had sufficient time to practise in. Some pointed to apparent confusion over appliances, including a Ninja air fryer and a stand mixer, while others questioned whether the oven had been set up in a way the pair understood.
The concerns resurfaced during their next cook, when viewers noticed that the kitchen looked different from the one shown previously.
One fan questioned the change online, while another joked about the plates used during the earlier dinner — a reference to the controversy surrounding Jane and Shane’s tableware in the first round.
For some viewers, the apparent change raised questions about fairness. If contestants are expected to prepare a three-course dinner under intense time pressure, how much does the kitchen itself matter?
The debate quickly extended beyond the appearance of the room to the circumstances in which the contestants are expected to cook.
The Behind-the-Scenes Reason for the Change
According to WHO, the explanation is less dramatic than some viewers suspected.
The publication reported that contestants may be assigned a different kitchen if their own homes do not have enough suitable space to host the competition.
The arrangement allows teams to participate even if their homes cannot comfortably accommodate the contestants, judges, filming crew and the practical requirements of the Instant Restaurant format.
It also means that contestants do not always cook in the kitchens viewers might assume are their own.
Some viewers have suggested that producers select alternative homes for filming, while others have questioned whether contestants receive enough time to familiarise themselves with the space and equipment.
However, the online speculation does not establish that Alisha and Deanne were deliberately placed at a disadvantage. There is no evidence in the report that producers changed their kitchen to make their performance more difficult.
Nevertheless, the practical concern remains understandable: cooking a complicated menu under pressure can become even more challenging when the surroundings are unfamiliar.
Knowing where equipment is kept, understanding how an oven responds and being comfortable with kitchen appliances can make a real difference when every minute counts.
For contestants already dealing with nerves and the scrutiny of their fellow competitors, even a small adjustment can feel significant.
Alisha and Deanne Say Their Second Cook Was Their Best
Despite the difficulties, Alisha and Deanne told WHO that they believed their second cook had been their strongest performance.
“There was so much fun happening in the kitchen and stuff happening at the table,” they said, describing the episode as an enjoyable experience despite the drama.
Their comments offered a different perspective from the criticism that had followed their first Instant Restaurant.
The pair have never tried to present themselves as perfectly polished contestants. Instead, their appeal has rested partly on their outspoken personalities, their friendship and their willingness to laugh at themselves.
Alisha and Deanne explained that they were determined to be genuine rather than change their behaviour simply because they were appearing on television.
“There are a lot of people that are like mine and Dee’s personality, just out there, having a laugh, saying whatever,” Alisha told WHO.
Her comments highlighted the tension between personality-driven reality television and a competition in which cooking ability ultimately determines the scores.
For the pair, being entertaining is part of who they are. But they also want their food to be taken seriously, rather than allowing their personalities to overshadow what they put on the plate.
Round Two Brought Another Setback
Their second Instant Restaurant did not produce the redemption they had hoped for.
In their return cook, the pair served tuna tartare, birria tacos and an apple tart with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.
The entrée showed promise, with judge Colin Fassnidge praising the way the fish had been cut. However, the judges felt the mustard in the mayonnaise overwhelmed the tuna, and both awarded the dish five points.
The main course offered a stronger performance. The generously filled birria tacos received more favourable reactions from the other teams, with one contestant describing them as a significant improvement on the pair’s earlier cooking.
But the judges still wanted crispier tortillas and greater depth of flavour. Manu Feildel awarded the main six points, while Colin gave it seven.
The biggest disappointment came with dessert.
After the pastry crumbled during preparation, Alisha and Deanne pressed it into the tart tin in an attempt to salvage the dish. The finished pastry remained too thick and undercooked, while the apples had not cooked through properly.
Manu was blunt in his assessment, saying the pastry had not been rolled thinly enough and was undercooked.
The dessert earned just three points from Manu and four from Colin.
The pair finished with 30 points from the judges and 24 from their fellow contestants, giving them a total of 54 out of 110 — down from their first-round score of 68.
The result pushed them to the bottom of the Round Two leaderboard at that stage of the competition.
For a team hoping to silence its critics, the outcome was difficult to accept, particularly after they had entered the cook feeling more confident.
“There Was a Lot of Pressure”: The Frustration Behind the Scores
Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au after the episode, the pair acknowledged that their apple tart had been a major failure, but questioned whether the overall score adequately reflected the rest of the meal.
Alisha admitted that the dessert had been an “epic fail”, while arguing that the judges and contestants appeared to have focused heavily on the final course.
“There was a lot of pressure and outside noise,” she said.
Deanne also questioned whether the final result was too harsh, saying that although the dessert had problems, she did not believe it had been as disastrous as the score suggested.
The pair entered their second cook hoping to show that they could improve on their first performance. They said they were more focused and determined to demonstrate their cooking ability, rather than allowing the fun and chaos of the experience to take over.
Their confidence was tested again when Colin visited their kitchen during preparation.
Alisha admitted that having a judge enter unexpectedly and question what they were doing made her second-guess herself.
She explained that contestants can feel caught between following their own instincts and worrying that they will be penalised for not taking the judges’ advice on board.
Deanne agreed that the unexpected visits added another layer of stress to an already demanding challenge.
The experience highlights one of the difficulties of My Kitchen Rules: contestants must manage the food, the clock, the equipment and the pressure of having their decisions scrutinised while they are still cooking.
For Alisha and Deanne, those pressures arrived alongside the public debate about their kitchen and the criticism of their personalities.
The “Classy Bogans” Have Faced More Than Cooking Criticism
Since the beginning of the competition, Alisha and Deanne have attracted strong reactions from both their fellow contestants and viewers.
Their loud, playful personalities have made them memorable, but have also drawn criticism at the dinner table.
Some contestants have openly questioned their behaviour, while viewers have disagreed over whether the pair are being unfairly judged or simply struggling to deliver consistent food.
The kitchen debate has added another layer to that discussion.
Supporters have argued that the conditions in which contestants cook should be considered when assessing their performance. Others maintain that every team faces pressure and that the scores must ultimately reflect the quality of the dishes served.
The disagreement became particularly visible after the pair’s second cook, when some fans considered the final score harsh while others felt the dessert justified the judges’ assessment.
Alisha and Deanne have remained unapologetic about their personalities, insisting they are presenting themselves as they really are rather than performing a carefully constructed television persona.
That honesty has helped them develop a following, even as their results have placed them under growing scrutiny.
Could the Kitchen Change Have Made a Difference?
The questions surrounding the kitchen highlight an issue that is easy to overlook when watching a cooking competition.
Professional chefs often work in environments they know well, with familiar appliances and equipment arranged to suit their routines. Contestants on My Kitchen Rules, however, must adapt to the production’s hosting arrangements while preparing dishes under strict time limits.
When a team cooks in a space it does not use every day, small practical challenges can become more noticeable.
That does not mean the contestants are automatically disadvantaged, and the available reporting does not establish that the kitchen change caused Alisha and Deanne’s mistakes. Their second cook involved identifiable problems with flavour, pastry preparation and the cooking of the apples.
Still, the issue raises a reasonable question about the balance between creating a television programme and ensuring that contestants can demonstrate their abilities under fair conditions.
Some viewers have argued that contestants should have more time to practise with unfamiliar equipment before beginning service. Others point out that adapting to different environments is part of the challenge.
The production explanation offers context, but it has not ended the debate.
Their Competition Hopes Are Still Alive
Despite finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard after their second cook, Alisha and Deanne have not necessarily reached the end of their My Kitchen Rules journey.
At the time of the latest episode, further Instant Restaurants remained to be completed, meaning the competition was still unfolding.
Their lower score has placed them under pressure, but the result does not erase the earlier progress they made or settle the question of whether they can recover in the rounds ahead.
For now, the pair face two challenges: convincing the judges that they can deliver consistently strong food and navigating a competition in which personalities and relationships have become almost as prominent as the cooking itself.
The kitchen switch may have caught viewers’ attention, but the larger story is about how contestants handle pressure when the conditions, expectations and criticism all seem to be working against them.
Alisha and Deanne believe their second cook was their best. The scores suggest there is still work to do.
And with tensions continuing to simmer around the My Kitchen Rules table, their next performance could prove crucial to whether the “Classy Bogans” can turn the conversation around.