Controversial team Maria and Bailey have claimed the final spot in the My Kitchen Rules grand final, sending a tearful Lol and Lil home on Sunday night.
The two teams faced off in the kitchen, with judges declaring it a close call.
But ultimately, Maria and Bailey’s choice to perfect simple dishes earned them victory, with the South Australian duo now preparing to take on NSW dads Justin and Will in the show’s final cook-off.
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Looking back on their MKR journey, Lol and Lil told 7NEWS.com.au they felt nervous going up against Maria and Bailey in the semi-final.
“They have produced some strong dishes in the competition,” Lol admitted.
“It was daunting, especially because they know fine dining and their plating is amazing.”
With that in mind, the pair wanted to showcase a different technique and prove they could cook more than just chicken.
“We practised a lot in the downtime,” Lol revealed.
While their main of sous vide lobster earned praise for its flavour, Maria and Bailey’s truffle and porcini tagliatelle with wild mushroom sauce pulled them ahead after the first round.
Colin called the pasta “one of the best mains you’ve cooked for me” adding it was “full of flavour, heart and personality”.
For dessert, Lol and Lil impressed with a double dessert of berry panna cotta and vanilla crème tart.
Lol revealed her late grandmother, who passed away in 2018, had been her greatest inspiration and taught her to bake from a young age.
“I grew up watching her cook,” Lol said.
“It’s where my passion and love for baking comes from.
“She was the most amazing woman and cook — her food was underrated.
“I’m glad I got to share a little bit of what she taught me with the world. She would be our biggest supporter.”
Lol added her grandmother had taught her to put love into everything she baked — something the girls from Logan, Queensland, clearly did on the night.
“I have never seen it, I will probably never see it again but it kind of worked,” Manu said about their ambitious double dessert.
“That pastry was a 10 out of 10 just alone.”
Despite their best efforts, Maria and Bailey, who served an equally impressive duck egg crème caramel, won the night.
“With everything Bailey and I do, we do 100 per cent,” Maria said.
“We believed from day one in our abilities and in our cooking skills.”
Lil said while it was upsetting to be eliminated, they were proud of what they had achieved.
“We put everything into that cook, all the things we learned and we really wanted to just give it our all for the semi-final,” Lil said.
“After the elimination we were upset because we had got so close, but also felt a bit of relief knowing we wouldn’t have to cook under so much pressure again.”
Lol added: “I’m proud of us for holding our own, never failing, never giving up, never giving in.”
Lol and Lil are still working in pest control administration but dream of opening their own food van one day.
“It would be pretty cool to get our desserts out there,” Lol said.
They also revealed despite the drama and tension at the table, they remain close friends with all the contestants, who have a WhatsApp group and plans for a reunion.
On Sunday night, Justin and Will cook-off against Maria and Bailey in the epic grand final.
Who will be crowned MKR champions and take home the life-changing $100,000 prize?
