Hekes pumped for MKR semifinal

Monique and Henry Heke are about to cook off against Auckland team William and Zoe in the My Kitchen Rules 2015 semifinal. Photo / Paul Taylor

Flaxmere couple Monique and Henry Heke have their game faces on as they head into the first My Kitchen Rules New Zealand 2015 semifinal tonight.

With just a few more episodes to go until the champion is crowned, the couple plan to pick off their opponents with a stress-induced strategy.

"We're going to try and get the speed wobbles on," Mr Heke said.

"That's our plan to take them out."

The Hekes will go head to head against Auckland team William and Zoe in the first of the two semifinals before the remaining two teams battle it out in the grand final December 15. The Hekes said the rule changes in last night's challenge fuelled an emotional 90 minutes.

"I was a howly bag," Mrs Heke said of her crying.

Known for their banter and the "looks of death" they shoot each other, the gregarious couple found the new rules overwhelming.

"I was mentally down on myself before we even started cooking.

"We didn't know where we were going, who we were cooking for, we just knew it was for 20 people!"

Much to their surprise they were sent back to school, Pakuranga College in Auckland.

Each team cooked one course of a five-course degustation meal for 20 diners, 16 of which were students. "

Mrs Heke said they had little goals along the way, usually telling themselves "don't be the first ones to go home".

The teams were given mere hours to practise dishes before challenges and all teams lived together so there was no escaping.

"You need a lot of patience," Mr Heke said.