Nigella Lawson has been a huge addition to the My Kitchen Rules judging lineup in 2022, but the star power doesn't stop there.
Some of the biggest names in Australia's food industry are joining the 12th season of the Channel 7 cooking show, which kicked off just a week ago with Manu Feildel and Lawson at the helm.
Former MasterChef Australia judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan will be appearing on the show soon, with Preston in particular having a lot to say when he visits Group 2 contestants' homes alongside Feildel once Lawson leaves.
"Don't show off; bring us the food you cook at home that your friends and family love," Preston says of his advice to the contestants. "Also, your instant restaurant is not a place for first-time experimentation. Minimise your risks."
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A new promo (at the bottom of this article) also shows Mehigan tasting dishes alongside Colin Fassnidge, who's famously been a guest judge on My Kitchen Rules for several years. Plus, we also see celebrity chef Curtis Stone drop by to share some wisdom.
Food critic Preston and acclaimed chef Mehigan's involvement on MKR this year comes after they and George Calombaris were replaced on the MasterChef judging panel by Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen in 2020.
The pair then went on to host Plate of Origin with Manu Feildel later that year, which was a Channel 7 cooking show that celebrated cuisine from all over the world.
My Kitchen Rules premiered last week just less than a month after rival cooking show MasterChef Australia ended its Fans & Favourites season.
Australia’s cooking superstars unite 🍽 🙌
— MKR (@mykitchenrules) August 13, 2022
Don’t miss kitchen legends Matt Preston, Curtis Stone, Gary Mehigan and Colin Fassnidge joining forces soon on #MKR!
Join Nigella & Manu - Tonight 7.00pm on @Channel7 and @7plus 📺 pic.twitter.com/C9IJgVXKif
It's not just a string of star-studded guest names that MKR is relying on for strong ratings this year after ex-judge, controversial television personality and chef Pete Evans' contract with Channel 7 was terminated in 2020.
MKR has adopted a changed format which focuses more on the food as opposed to the heightened drama between contestants that viewers have seen in previous years.
“It will be the original MKR we all loved. No drama amongst teams. No mean characters. Just real food, real people and real homes," Feildel previously told TV Tonight.
The French celebrity chef said audiences will instead watch "likeable characters" and there will be "no trickery or set design" as we're invited into the "real home kitchens" of everyday Australians.
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So far we've been introduced to the six teams that form Group 1 on MKR. They are Janelle & Monzir, Peter & Alice, Kate & Mary, Ashlee & Mat, Arrnott & Fuzz, and Steven & Frena.
My Kitchen Rules airs Sunday at 7pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
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