Another year, another group of brave New Zealanders opening up their homes to Colin and Manu.

My Kitchen Rules New Zealand is back for another year, which means another horde of home cooks will be welcoming a group of total strangers to attend a dinner party like no other. Move over Married at First Sight with your “potatoes, meat, the same old crap” – it’s time for judges Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel to quaff down consommé and knock back gnocchi while a bunch of normies watch on, quaking in fear. Here are the brave souls sharpening their knives in the hopes of winning $100,000 this year.

Emily and Nathan

Look familiar? Rounding out a three course meal of local reality TV franchises (The Bachelorette, FBoy Island and now My Kitchen Rules NZ) is Nathan, entering the competition with his sister Emily. The pair have been cooking together most of their lives, and hope to bring their Malaysian heritage to the plate. Both keen musicians, you may or may not encounter a new local release called ‘The Lemongrass Train’ in episode one. 

Jax and Manz

Their names would get the highest score in a Scrabble competition, but can they get a triple triple from Colin and Manu? Martinborough pals Jax and Manz have been buds for over 20 years, and are into local, seasonal and fresh produce. Not only does Jax have the name of another cooking show legend, but she used to pretend to be Alison Holst when she was a kid. Huge potential – also hoping for a “get your Manz” joke at some point.

Emma and Abbie

This Hamilton pair are both “obsessed with cooking and each other”, and we have high hopes for their instant restaurant Number Five (nee Mambo?). The eldest and youngest of five siblings, they are promising equal measures of bickering and laughing and a sprinkling of both “simple” AND “complex” techniques. In the series teaser, one of them brands another dish as “shit” and we look forward to much more of that sisterly honesty.

Lee and Luke

This mother and son team from Kaiapoi absolutely live to eat. Lee says that food “satisfies her soul” whereas Luke has built an enormous 120k strong social media following reviewing everything from swanky restaurants to Big Macs stuffed with dog roll. Their “Classic Kiwi” instant restaurant is called SH1 (State Highway 1), so here’s hoping for at least one deconstructed steak and cheese pie – hold the dog roll.

Piki and Michael

These King Country cousins (“he’s NOT my husband”, Piki makes clear in episode one) were raised together by Piki’s parents in a home off the grid, so they know a thing or two about living off the land and using local produce. They learned how to cook on their local marae, and are hoping to share strong Māori flavours and a bounty of kaimoana with the judges in their restaurant Mana Kai.

Mark and Andrea

Former rugby player Mark loves “fluffing around with meat” and says that cooking is his favourite way to unwind and destress, which bodes well for the high pressure environment of MKRNZ. His partner Andrea is looking for a “fun new experience” on the show, and is the baker of the pair. Their Instant Restaurant is called Gather  – “good food for good friends”. Or, in this case, good food for total strangers and two celebrity chefs.

My Kitchen Rules NZ airs Tuesdays and Wednesday at 7.30pm TVNZ2, or here on TVNZ+