Cooking for Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge on My Kitchen Rules is no small feat.
They have huge reputations in the culinary world, and contestants often say they’re most excited about meeting the pair when going on the show.
While the chefs are known for their cooking prowess, banter and larger-than-life personalities, it seems some of the contestants didn’t quite experience what they expected to when they met them this season.
Recently eliminated contestants Krysten and Lucy have opened up to WHO about what it was really like cooking for the judges, with Lucy making some particularly candid comments about Manu.
The mother-and-daughter duo didn’t hold back, with Lucy suggesting the French chef has become increasingly critical and even a little angry during his time on the show.
Her comments come amid speculation about Manu’s future on MKR, after the chef admitted he was feeling exhausted and hoped to slow down in the coming years. And while he hasn’t announced any plans to leave, Lucy’s comments certainly add fuel to the fire.
Lucy says her experience with Manu was ‘pretty negative’
While having Colin in the kitchen was a highlight for Lucy, she had a very different impression of his co-judge.
“It was definitely fun to have Colin there,” she told WHO.
But when it came to Manu, Lucy didn’t quite have the same glowing review.
“I think Manu, honestly, is getting a bit sick of his role on MKR, and I think he’s becoming overly critical, and I think, yeah, honestly, a bit angry,” she said.
“To be so transparent, our experience with Manu from the get-go was pretty negative.”
The pair had already faced some tough feedback during their time at Kitchen HQ. In their elimination cook-off against best friends Harrison and Oliver, Krysten and Lucy served an elaborate Indian-inspired banquet.
While Colin was impressed with much of the feast, the judges had reservations about their dessert. Their cardamom buns with orange cream, pistachio-stuffed dates and shortbread came under scrutiny, with Manu saying the buns were too heavy and that the cream wasn’t distributed consistently enough in them.
It was a frustrating result for the pair, particularly given they felt much of their food had been well received. And with their average scores tied with Harrison and Oliver’s, the judges’ final critiques ultimately sent them home.
Krysten says there was ‘no consistency’ in Manu’s feedback
Lucy wasn’t the only one who had reservations about the judging experience. Krysten also felt Manu gave them inconsistent feedback throughout the competition.
“I think the thing is, too, like there was inconsistency in a lot of what Manu said,” she told WHO.
For contestants trying to take on board the judges’ advice and improve with every cook, that can make things particularly tricky.
“So, you know, you hear one comment and you think, right, okay, this is what I need to do, and then you do that, and then you get the opposite advice, and you’re like, yeah, hang on a minute. There’s no winning. There’s no consistency.”
Contestants already have plenty to think about. They’re juggling multiple dishes, a ticking clock and the pressure of cooking in front of two professional chefs.
Manu and Colin are both known for their strong opinions, but Krysten’s comments suggest she and Lucy struggled to understand exactly what the judges wanted from them.
Is Manu leaving My Kitchen Rules?
The comments come at an interesting time for the long-running cooking show. Fans have been questioning whether Manu and Colin are ready to hang up their judging aprons.
Speculation picked up after Colin and Manu appeared on The Dom Harvey Podcast in October, where Manu opened up about his hopes to retire in the next decade.
“I want to be semi-retired, if not retired completely, to be honest with you,” he said, explaining that after working since he was 15, he was feeling exhausted and wanted to slow down.
The chef also wants to travel with his wife. He hopes to spend more time exploring different countries and their food cultures.
Colin has also spoken about wanting more time with his family. However, neither judge has announced plans to leave the show.
In fact, My Kitchen Rules is already returning for 2027. Seven has indicated that both judges are expected back.
For now, viewers will have to wait and see what the future holds for the much-loved judging duo.