The Victorian nurses opened Aming Kusina, meaning "our kitchen" in Tagalog, with family recipes and the pressure of becoming the first Filipino team to cook in the 2026 season.

Golden Cooks Through An Emotional Start

The night carried more weight than a normal dinner party. Golden became emotional while preparing dishes connected to her childhood in the Philippines, while Mary tried to keep the kitchen moving through the nerves.

The pair had spent the previous Instant Restaurant mentally rehearsing their own cook. Once the clock started, their plan was clear: introduce the table to Filipino flavours without sanding away the food they grew up eating.

The Okoy Fritters Deliver A Huge Opening

Their entrée of okoy fritters with pepino salad was the night's triumph. The crisp shrimp and vegetable fritters arrived with a refreshing cucumber salad and a pink dipping sauce that immediately won over the judges.

Manu praised the crunch, seasoning and balance, scoring the dish 9/10. Colin went one better with a perfect 10, putting Mary and Golden on 19 points after the first course.

It was the first sign that their traditional menu could compete at the top of the leaderboard.

The "Queens Of Pork" Hit Trouble

For main, the pair served Cebu lechon belly with pandan rice, atchara and a rich liver sauce. The crackling announced itself across the table, and Colin thought the liver element lifted the whole plate.

The problem was the pork underneath. It had stayed in the oven too long, leaving the meat overcooked. Mary had called the pair the "queens of pork" before service, which made the miss sting even more.

Manu awarded 7/10 and Colin gave 6/10. Colin believed the dish had the makings of a 10 if the pork had been cooked for less time.

The Mango Float Divides The Table

Dessert was a mango float ice-cream sandwich, built around a dish Mary and Golden had eaten growing up. The mango and ice cream flavours worked, but the milk bun was too dense and the judges struggled with the overall construction.

Both Manu and Colin scored it 5/10. The lukewarm reaction was difficult for the friends because the dish carried such a strong connection to home, but they remained proud of putting it in front of Australia.

Mary And Golden Score 77

The judges contributed 42/60, while the five guest teams combined for 35/50. That gave Mary and Golden a final score of 77/110.

They finished second on the My Kitchen Rules leaderboard, nine points behind Tiffany and Giancarlo on 86. The result keeps them comfortably above Angus and Simon, Krysten and Lucy, and Alisha and Deanne with one Instant Restaurant still to come.

Jane and Shane are the final original team to open their Instant Restaurant.

My Kitchen Rules continues Monday at 7.30pm on Seven and 7plus.