\u201cIt was not very good at the beginning when we first met,\u201d Clarissa told 7NEWS.com.au.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today \u201cWe had to both find our boundaries.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took us a few years to understand how each other cooks.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat to say and what not to say to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n While Manu uses specific knives for certain foods and is very technically skilled, Clarissa explains she will grab whatever knife is closest to her.<\/p>\n But after years of cooking together, the culinary pair have learnt to complement each other in the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re pretty good now \u2014 we\u2019ve learnt our boundaries,\u201d Clarissa said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he cooks, I do the cleaning and washing up after.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when I cook, Manu is my sous-chef. He does all the cutting because he works five times faster with his knife!\u201d<\/p>\n With Manu\u2019s busy schedule, Clarissa does most of the cooking at home \u2014 which can include a quick stir-fry or one pot pasta for dinner.<\/p>\n But Sunday mornings are family time in the kitchen in the Feildel house.<\/p>\n Manu and Clarissa share a 10-year-old daughter, Charlee.<\/p>\n Manu\u2019s son from a previous relationship, 20-year-old Jonti, is learning how to cook and often calls Clarissa for recipes and guidance.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s more Manu that cooks with the kids,\u201d Clarissa revealed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the Sunday morning crepes everyone looks forward to because they get to have Nutella.\u201d<\/p>\n Manu and Clarissa first met at Sydney\u2019s Ivy Nightclub in 2011. After a four-year engagement, the pair tied the knot in January 2018.<\/p>\n She previously worked in marketing and PR but cooking has always been with her \u2014 even before she met Manu.<\/p>\n Clarissa left her home in Malaysia when she was 18 to study in Western Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cThe closest thing I could actually get to kind of feeling that I\u2019m still home was through food,\u201d Clarissa said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that was the one of the first things I learnt after leaving home.<\/p>\n \u201cCooking was something that gave me joy and gave me a connection to my mum and dad, and being home.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I started there.\u201d<\/p>\n Clarissa\u2019s book with Manu, More Please, was her first venture into taking her home food to a larger audience than her family dinner table.<\/p>\n She is also now hosts a cooking segment on Channel 7\u2019s Better Homes and Gardens<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cManu has taught me so much \u2026 like putting butter in everything!\u201d Clarissa said.<\/p>\n \u201cI put it in my fried rice, I put butter in my sambal.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve incorporated in my cuisine.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way my mum would\u2019ve put butter in her dishes, but it does work!\u201d<\/p>\n My Kitchen Rules airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Download](\"https:\/\/7news.com.au\/static\/media\/right-red-arrow.92bca5db.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/98c3abc7a77a7f3e599bb55d0e01d67fb376ed1f.png\")
The pair have learnt to work together in the kitchen. Credit: Instagram![\"Walking](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e0bf71974a5978cf5cf5eb97155ef7c8f9f4e006.png\")
Walking the red carpet at the 2025 Logies. Credit: Instagram<\/p>\n![\"Manu](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/74acb8f4942b68650bba75e689b76d46d9919e7c.png\")
Manu with his children – Jonti and Charlee. Credit: Instagram![\"Charlee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/802018e430018dfea4647a39dee263688f49a5a6.png\")
Charlee makes a special appearance on Sunrise with her mum. Credit: Instagram<\/p>\n