In a delicious turn of events, the newly crowned My Kitchen Rules 2025 champions, Justin Rolleston and Will Mataka, are transitioning from being judged by celebrity chefs to cooking alongside them. The fan-favourite duo from New South Wales, who clinched the victory by a single point and a $100,000 prize, are now preparing to host their own culinary event.
From Contestants to Kitchen Takeover
The proud dads are set to collaborate with judge Manu Feildel for a special evening at his renowned establishment, Manu’s Bistro Red Lion in Rozelle, located in Sydney's inner west. This unique event, scheduled for Thursday night, will see the former competitors essentially taking over the kitchen.
"We’re basically doing a takeover," Rolleston confirmed with a laugh. "We’re taking over Manu’s kitchen." The pair described the opportunity as a phenomenal "full circle moment" following their intense journey on the Channel 7 cooking competition. The collaboration came about after Feildel himself approached the winners to join forces for one unforgettable night.
An Unforgettable Five-Course Feast
Guests who have paid $200 per ticket are promised a five-course feast that brings "MKR brought to life at your table." The menu will be a fusion of the MKR champions' own creations and some of Feildel's signature dishes.
A standout dish will be the duo's infamous red duck curry from the show, which Rolleston promises will be "insane and full of flavours." Preparing for the event was no small task, with the pair spending an entire day in Feildel's kitchen to get everything perfect. A significant relief for the champions? Their food will not be scored on the night.
Stepping into the Judges' Shoes
While their own dishes are safe from critique, Rolleston and Mataka enjoyed the chance to step into the judges' roles themselves. They spent time learning new techniques from Feildel's expert team and sampled some of the bistro's award-winning offerings.
In a video shared on Instagram, Rolleston specifically targeted the celebrated chicken parmigiana. "I’ve been told the Red Lion bistro has won many awards for their parmi, so we’re going to give it a crack," he joked. His final verdict? A perfect 10 out of 10.
Since their life-changing win, the duo has been busy sharing their passion for food with a wider audience. Rolleston recently launched an Instagram page called The Wild Plate, dedicated to showcasing delicious meals that can be prepared in just 30 minutes. "You don’t need 80 ingredients to make a delicious meal," he advised, proving their culinary influence is set to continue far beyond the MKR kitchen.
