At their inner-west Instant Restaurant, Bloody Bellissimo, the Gatecrashers were aiming for a score in the 80s. A menu drawing on Oliver's Italian heritage and Harrison's Australian upbringing would have to get them there, with Krysten and Lucy's 92-point dinner setting a very high bar and Sheridan and Ted sitting on 69.

Angus, meanwhile, was feeling remarkably comfortable. He predicted the newcomers would go home and dismissed them as a bargain-bin version of himself and Simon. Quite a lot of confidence to bring to someone else's dinner.

A Sticky Start For The Ravioli

First up was Venetian liver and onion ravioli, although getting the pasta onto a plate became a challenge before the guests even arrived. The dough stuck to its cling wrap, leaving Oliver to rescue the entrée before service had begun.

He salvaged it, but the prosecco-and-saffron sauce brought another worry. Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge wanted a better balance, with the sharp sauce and the amount of filling holding the dish back.

There was still flavour to enjoy, particularly when the pasta and sauce came together. It was a respectable start rather than a runaway success: six from Manu and seven from Colin, putting the first course on 13 out of 20.

Oliver Puts His Heart On The Plate

The main carried much more than the usual pressure to impress. Oliver learnt to make stuffed squid with his late Nonno, and has kept cooking it every Good Friday since his grandfather died.

Serving 'nduja stuffed squid with polenta bianca meant bringing that tradition into the competition. He wanted to make his grandparents proud, and the weight of it showed. Harrison stayed beside him with encouragement as the emotions caught up with his friend.

The 'nduja's heat divided the diners, but the judges were sold on the tender braised squid and rich sauce. Manu loved the cooking and flavour, while Colin summed it up as “a lot of sauce with a lot of love”.

Both gave the main nine out of 10. That 18 out of 20 was the lift the boys needed after their uneven entrée, and Oliver's relief spilled over. The pair embraced outside after the glowing feedback. For once, the emotional centre of an MKR dinner was the people cooking it.

Pavlova Brings Another Family Connection

Harrison took over the family nostalgia for dessert, serving chocolate pavlova with espresso cream and raspberries, a dish he grew up making with his mum.

The crisp exterior and gooey chocolate centre landed well. The balance needed work, though: the judges wanted less cream and more acidity from the raspberries to cut through the richness.

Two sevens gave dessert 14 out of 20, leaving Manu on 22 out of 30 and Colin on 23. Together, that made 45 out of 60 from the judges.

The table supplied its usual side dish of noise. Sheridan and Ted took issue with Alisha and Deanne's larger-than-life approach, and even Manu declared the women the loudest contestants in the show's 16 years. Apparently, that competition already has its winners.

Happy Tears And Second Place

Alisha and Deanne were the hosts' biggest fans on the scorecards, awarding nine. Angus and Simon, Sheridan and Ted, Zoe and Zac, and Krysten and Lucy each gave seven, adding up to 37 out of 50 from the guest teams.

Combined with the judges' marks, Harrison and Oliver finished on 82 out of 110. They had hit their target, taken second place behind Krysten and Lucy, and put 13 points between themselves and bottom-placed Sheridan and Ted.

Harrison couldn't hold back his relief. “I'm so relieved. I'm so proud of Oliver. These are happy tears,” he said. Angus's prediction would have to wait.

Next, Alisha and Deanne return for their redemption cook, with a surprise threatening to unsettle them and more tension brewing between Zoe and Simon.

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