A Margaret River region couple have graced Australian television screens this week for the first episodes of home-cooking competition and reality TV show, My Kitchen Rules.
Husband and wife team Mat and Ashlee Davey are planning to use their love of a wide range of different cuisines to best the competition in the hopes of being the first WA team to win the reality series since it began in 2010.
"I have wanted to apply for years but always chickened out," said Ashlee, 36, of her decision to embark on the journey with Mat, 39.
"My family encouraged me, so I figured this was the year. My kids are such foodies; I feel like they're judging me every night, so the professionals might as well judge me."
Together for 18 years, the parents love entertaining and preparing meals for friends and family.
"We are the perfect combination of loud and quiet, bossy and chill, fast and slow, so we balance each other out," Ashlee said.
"I'm someone who wants something done "now" and Mat is someone who has an "I'll do it later" attitude.
"He loves to help in the kitchen and he's a pretty good cook, but sometimes he makes more work for me by making a mess."
Hosted by judges Nigella Lawson and Manu Feildel, My Kitchen Rules - or MKR - sees State teams battle it out in their home kitchens, preparing meals for judges and fellow contestants.
Lawson said she was thrilled to be part of the show, allowing her to return to Australia and its top quality produce.
"While the focus was on the food, I loved getting to know the teams and having a bit of a nosy-around in their kitchens," she said.
Feildel praised the Daveys for their use of local ingredients and said the nationwide showcase of Australian produce was key to the show's success.
"I love it when the contestants showcase their local ingredients," he said.
"When we were in Western Australia, beautiful fresh marron was on the menu. You just can't beat the beautiful local produce."
Albany-based Che Cooper and David Shorter will also compete for WA, taking part in the second group of contestants to line up for MKR 2022.