As a fireman, Ian Wright knows how to handle a bit of heat. But the Lower Hutt contestant, along with his partner Sandie Dunsford, admits the My Kitchen Rules New Zealand competition has been hotter than he could have ever imagined.
Dubbed the “Fireman and his Flame”, the couple, who have been together four years since separating from their former spouses, are letting the Weekly in on a few set secrets from the MKR instant restaurants – and you won’t believe what’s real and what’s not!
“It’s been the most surreal experience,” Ian begins.
He claims there is a lot the viewers don’t see in the lead up to the MKR cameras visiting contestants’ homes. Ian and Sandie, for example, had to knock down an entire wall in their house just so they could fit everyone in – after all, there were the eight other contestants, two judges and around 30 crew members.
“There are people everywhere, all the time,” says Ian. “A camera is always in your face,” adds Sandie. “Or lights, or equipment.”
The pair hit the shops in preparation for their first instant restaurant.
As well as a home remodel, Sandie had to undergo an emergency wardrobe makeover.
“I couldn’t wear half of my clothes because of the green and blue screens,” she explains. “They use one or the other for the backgrounds they need, so you can’t wear anything with green or blue in it, which is pretty much all I have!”
The couple’s MKR journey didn’t start smoothly. After spontaneously deciding to apply, Ian and Sandie faced a mad dash to find a camera on which to film an audition video.
“That was bad enough,” smiles Sandie. “Then we had to figure out how to work it!”
Next came an interview over internet video service Skype – but the duo admit they didn’t know how to use that either.
“We had five minutes until the producers were due to call, and we couldn’t log in,” remembers Ian, shaking his head. “Luckily, we managed to sort it out with only one minute to go!”
And after their place in the show was confirmed, sleepless nights ensued. “We’d be awake every night between 2 and 4am, thinking about food, different flavour combinations and different techniques,” Ian says.
The couple have named their instant restaurant Ignite.
Now, with their group’s instant restaurants well underway, the cooking has finally begun – much to the pair’s relief.
“Walking up the drive to [fellow contestants] Aaron and Heather’s place, we were all just shocked at the hugeness of it all – we couldn’t believe it was real!” says Sandie.
So far, they’re getting along well with Aaron and Heather, as well as the other contestants – Christchurch cuties Jessie and Ricki, corporate dads Josh and Aaron, and Hawke’s Bay sisters Kelly and Megan – and insist there’s no nastiness at all.
“Some people would call Josh and Aaron arrogant,” concedes Ian. “But I don’t find that at all. I get them. They’re salt of the earth, those two.”
It was at Aaron and Heather’s Polynesian-themed restaurant that the pair got to know the other teams, and after sitting at the table for an incredible nine hours – and devouring three fantastic courses – they realised it was game on.
“It was our restaurant the next day, so we were nervous,” admits Ian.
Waking at 4am, Sandie put the final touches on her meticulous run sheets and lists for their restaurant, which they’ve named Ignite.
“I’d gone to the supermarket the week before, so I knew where everything was,” she explains. “I’d written lists according to what aisle things were in!”
From the second the MKR clock started counting down, everything shown was real, the pair insists.
“You’d think it was all smoke and mirrors, but all the time frames are what you see on the telly,” says Ian. “The contestants arrive at 4pm, Ben and Gareth arrive at 5pm, and the entrée has to be out at 6.30pm, followed by mains at 8 and dessert at 9.”
“And we really do leave and get changed,” laughs Sandie
Despite the sleepless nights, Ian and Sandie have been putting in the hard yards on MKR.
Aside from a little mishap with a lost ingredient which caused momentary panic, Ian and Sandie say everything went according to plan – but the pair had to get used to producers stopping them midway through their cooking to ask questions.
“Balancing the cooking and the TV stuff was hard,” Sandie admits. “If the cameras don’t catch something, you have to say it again, or you have to wait for the team to be ready to chop or drain something!”
Now, with three instant restaurants to go until the competition moves to Kitchen HQ, Ian and Sandy have picked Christchurch duo Jessie and Ricki as the dark horses of the competition – but they believe Josh and Aaron will be strong, confident and organised.
“They’re like a two-man wolf pack,” smiles Ian. “I can’t wait to see what they dish up.”
And now they can relax through the remaining nights, it’s a good chance to reflect on how they’ve worked together in the kitchen so far.
“Surprisingly, I haven’t got on Sandie’s nerves!” Ian exclaims. “When we’re apart, we don’t seem to manage well, but together, we’re at our best.”
