Mother and daughter team Krysten and Lucy were eliminated from My Kitchen Rules on Monday night in a shock decision.
The emotional exit even brought judge Colin Fassnidge close to tears, but the Queensland pair have since revealed he had some heartfelt words for them away from the cameras.
Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au after their elimination, Krysten and Lucy revealed Fassnidge came to see them after the elimination — something they were told judges rarely do.
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“I’m not sure they’re going to play it but Colin actually came to see us after and said, ‘I’m not allowed to have favourites’, but pointed to Lucy and said, ‘But you’re actually my favourite’,” proud mum Krysten said.
“Colin actually came into the room and gave us both a big hug,” she added.
“He was like, ‘I thought you guys were going to win’.
“To have that experience when no cameras are around, like that was genuinely what Colin thought. So, that really meant something.”
The pair admitted they were stunned to find themselves in the bottom two and facing an elimination cook-off against hipster mates Harrison and Oliver.
“We felt pretty comfy in Kitchen HQ because we cook well together,” Krysten said.
“Like, it’s an unfamiliar environment, but we’re actually pretty happy with how we cooked.
“And I think going into the elimination we were a bit shell-shocked because we did not expect to be in the elimination.”
Lucy described being told they were in the bottom two and would have to fight for their place in the competition as “devastating”.
The mother and daughter served up an Indian banquet in the elimination cook-off, which impressed both their fellow contestants and the judges.
“We smashed that main,” Lucy said.
“I remember after we cooked, I think Mum was feeling a bit anxious to see how we went and that’s because she was the driving force in that main.”
But while they were confident in their cooking, waiting for the feedback proved to be an ordeal.
“Honestly, it’s like a nightmare because you’re not allowed your phones or anything like that, and I think I’d forgotten to bring a book,” Lucy said.
“So we were literally sitting there for over an hour, not knowing what’s happening.
“You just feel sick, like, you give yourself a stress headache — it’s so crazy.”
Ultimately, it was their cardamom bun dessert that let them down, costing them their place in the competition.
Self-taught baker Lucy believes her background and experience may have meant their dessert was judged against a higher standard.
The pair had established themselves as strong contenders throughout the competition and were regularly labelled the team to beat.
While Krysten and Lucy said they could not speak for other contestants or whether strategic scoring had played a part, they acknowledged their elimination may have made the competition easier for some of the remaining teams.
“It would be a good idea to try and get rid of us,” Krysten said.
“Even if it wasn’t a conscious decision, I feel like knowing that it would be an easier ride to get us out of the competition might be the difference between scoring someone a five or a six.”
The shock result was made all the more surprising by the fact that Harrison and Oliver had been convinced they were the ones heading home.
Krysten revealed the pair had even started packing up their room before the final decision was announced.
“To be honest, I really thought that we were going to get through as well,” she said.
“So, it was just like shock after shock, and then we were told we were leaving.”
Lucy said she was devastated by the result, particularly given how well she believed they had cooked in the elimination challenge.
“I could not believe it. It just didn’t make sense to me,” Lucy said.
“It’s just sad because there’s teams that are still there who just aren’t as capable in the kitchen and I feel like it’s really clear to see.
“And so it was just pretty devastating.”
Despite their disappointment, Krysten and Lucy were quick to congratulate Harrison and Oliver, describing them as “genuinely nice guys and good cooks”.
Looking back on their time in the competition, Krysten said she was proud not only of their dishes but also of the way they worked together.
“None of our dishes failed, and there was never a harsh word between Lucy and I the whole time,” she said.
“So, I’m really proud of our cooking.
“I would have loved to have gone further in the competition but in terms of our TV experience, our TV experience was excellent and you can’t really want more than that.”
While their MKR journey may be over, Lucy has no plans to put her baking ambitions on hold.
She intends to keep selling her baked goods at market stalls and hopes to have the opportunity to work with Fassnidge again in the future.
My Kitchen Rules returns on Tuesday at 7.30pm on Seven and 7plus.
