Four Bay of Plenty contestants in this year's My Kitchen Rules NZ

Tauranga will be represented by Sindy Coetzee and Roger Smith, who enjoy serving "AfroKiwi" cuisine. Photo / Supplied / TVNZ

There will be four Bay of Plenty contestants in this year's My Kitchen Rules New Zealand.

The popular cooking show returns to TVNZ 2 on October 7.

Tauranga will be represented by Sindy Coetzee, 35, and Roger Smith, 42.

The "lovebirds from Pāpāmoa" met through work three years ago and following some flirting at the coffee machine, became inseparable.

They now run their own construction business together and are said to enjoy blending their heritage through food and serving "AfroKiwi" cuisine. Coetzee is from South Africa.

"We absolutely love to cook and, naturally, thinking that we could cook better than the previous contestants on MKR NZ, I thought it would be fun to apply and show New Zealand some of the amazing cultural dishes we cook at home with both a Kiwi and African twist," she said.

"I really didn't think anything would come of it, but it did, which is super exciting.

"We think we can win. We plan to win, we practised to win, and we have hoped and prayed to win."

Smith said he and Coetzee work well together, both in the kitchen and in business.

"We complement each other in everything we do and are both very driven people. We constantly help, motivate, inspire and support one another."

He said they are looking forward to showing celebrity chefs Pete Evans and Manu Feildel (the judges of MKR NZ) the beautiful white beaches of the Bay, as well as its seafood and the postcard backdrop of Mount Maunganui.

Meanwhile, Whakatāne cousins Pat Salmon, 31, and Wilz Ross, 29, will also be vying for the $100,000 prize money.

"It is our hope that we win the hearts of the nation because we are proud Māori/Kiwi boys from the East Coast who bring flair and imagination, and good television," Ross told NZME's Spy.

"We wish to uplift people to be the best they can, and this is the intention we bring with us on this journey."

Whakatāne cousins Pat Salmon and Wilz Ross. Photo / Supplied / TVNZ

The pair serve fusion kai and warned fans not to judge a book by its cover.

Salmon said they bring great conversation and humour — and are interesting to look at.

"The moko I wear is a representation of what I practise in life," Salmon said.

"It represents the duality and balance of light and dark and the human and divine elements within us all. These markings contain esoteric knowledge that I will pass on to my children."

Salmon, a father of three, cooks with his kids as much as possible. He hopes when they watch him and Ross, they will realise that they have the ability to do anything they want.

And they reckon their chilled nature can take the sting out of reality TV's notoriously competitive streak.

"We definitely will bring some surprises to the competition," said Ross.

"We are observant, but also want to get to know the other contestants as much as possible. We come packed full of fun, drama and lots of good watching."

The fourth season of MKR NZ premieres at 7.30pm on October 7.