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Ousted Perth cooks refute ‘strategic’ claims

Drasko Jankovic and Bianca Thair. Picture: Ben Crabtree

They were labelled “strategic” in the ultimate instant restaurant rounds but My Kitchen Rules’ Perth duo Drasko Jankovic and Bianca Thair insist they have given fair critiques of their fellow competitors.

The WA newlyweds were sent packing from Seven’s reality cooking series last night after they landed the lowest score — just 51 out of 100 — for their instant restaurant last week.

While Bianca admits the low score was a big blow to their confidence, she insists they never set out to bring down the other teams just to secure a place in the top four.

“In order for us to proceed another team would have to slip up, and very badly, because 51 to us is a very low score so it was an awful predicament to see yourself in,” Bianca tellsAAA . “That was something that was very important to us — we wanted to proceed to the next level based on our skills and wowing the judges, and getting there on our merits, not based on another team slipping out.”

Drasko says he is disappointed with how they have been portrayed in the ultimate instant restaurant rounds.

“The word strategy clearly shouldn’t be used in the same sentence as Bianca and I, because we haven’t voted strategically, we voted very very similar to all the other teams,” he says. “We’re not bitter or anything like that, we’re still very very grateful, we can’t thank MKR enough. It’s just very disappointing to see the way we’ve been negatively portrayed.”

The duo moved to Sydney three weeks ago and Drasko will soon begin his chef apprenticeship at Irish judge Colin Fassnidge’s Paddington restaurant, Four in Hand.

“We’re loving it here, it’s great,” Bianca says. “We’re kind of looking forward to getting on with our lives and getting back to reality.”

“It is probably one of the biggest career changes anyone can make,” Drasko, a former journalist and recruitment consultant, says of becoming a chef. “I’m just so happy being in the kitchen doing what I’m most passionate about.”

WA still has a shot at winning this year’s MKR title, with Perth pals Eva Lean and Debra Ch’ng securing a spot in the top four. While Drasko and Bianca have faith the girls will go far, their money is on British foodies Will Stewart and Steve Flood.

“We’ve said Will and Steve from day one,” Drasko says. “You can just see the determination in both their eyes, they love to have a good time but when it comes to cooking in the kitchen they are more focused than most.”