After starring on My Kitchen Rules for over 15 years, travelling around the country in a suit and demanding more sauce, Manu Feildel is ready for viewers to see a different side to him. The French-born chef and restaurateur has teamed up with his longtime co-host, Colin Fassnidge, for a brand new show on Channel 7, Off The Grid.
The series, which premieres this week, follows the former frenemies as they road trip across New Zealand, cooking up a storm. Manu tells Yahoo Lifestyle ahead of the launch that Off The Grid is one of the most enjoyable projects he’s ever worked on, mainly because he and Colin were able to fully be themselves.
“I think MKR is a different side of us. The real side of us is what you’re going to see on Off The Grid,” he teases.
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“On MKR, especially nowadays, they let us be a little bit more us. But for a long time, we were the suited, respected judges and professional chefs.
“But this is more light-hearted, which is basically us in a caravan, wearing underpants — or not — and just cooking roughly, hunting, gathering, fishing, having banter, loving each other, and then having an argument about something stupid, and driving along. It’s just the life of two best mates travelling.”
Off The Grid is an ‘off-the-beaten-path food adventure’ where Colin and Manu travel around New Zealand for a month in a caravan. Photo: Instagram/off_the_grid_nz
How Off The Grid was created
Manu explains that the series came about while they were filming MKR in New Zealand in 2023 and spotted a “beat-up little caravan in someone’s garden”.
“We took a photo with us in it and sent it to the executive producer of MKR New Zealand, and said, ‘What about travelling the country next year?’,” he recalls. “We got an answer back saying, ‘Leave it with me’, and then a year later we were doing it, so we’re pretty chuffed.
“We had a lot of freedom to do what we wanted to do to make it entertaining, and it’s pretty natural. It’s just the real Manu and the real Colin on the screen, and the differences between us and the things that we agree on. It was just an easy one to do, to be honest, because we enjoyed it so much.”
From enemies to besties
While Manu describes his current relationship with Colin as an “old married couple”, they certainly weren’t always this close. In fact, the duo “hated” each other before working together on MKR, which Manu admits came down to their age.
“The reason why we didn’t see eye to eye is because we were two young chefs with big egos at the time, and that was the trouble, I suppose,” he remarks.
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“But as you get older, you get more wise, more mature. We’ve been working together for 10 years now, and we’ve got to know each other very well, and we’ve got a lot in common. So when this idea came along, we thought it was going to be a great party, for sure.”
Manu and Colin ‘hated each other’ before filming MKR. Photo: Channel 7
Manu’s top 5 New Zealand experiences
Manu and Colin had plenty of wild adventures in New Zealand while filming Off The Grid, from experiencing the exhilarating power of the Huka Falls Jet in Taupō and clay shooting on the West Coast, to skinny dipping and getting a new tattoo.
Here are Manu’s top 5 New Zealand experiences, all of which will be featured in the series
Sea charter with The Provider
“That was one of my favourites, if not my favourite day of the trip. New Zealand waters are so pristine, and I got to catch the biggest fish that day, a nice fat kingfish.”
Te Pā Tu traditional feast
“Another amazing experience, all the edible native plants, herbs and spices were an eye opener and Irihei Walker, what a culinary artist, especially his confit duck.”
Ziplining on Waiheke Island
“I’m absolutely in love with Waiheke Island, and zip lining over the vines made us want to try some of the island’s great wines.”
Underground rafting with Cave Rafting
“The rafting and the glowworms inside the deep dark cave were beautiful and relaxing and very Jurassic-like, even Colin wanted to stay a tad longer.”
Wai Ariki spa
“Talking about relaxing, rainwater showers, steam rooms, cold and hot spring water baths, and mud body mask was incredible, though I would have preferred to be there with my wife instead of my mate Colin.”
Off The Grid premieres Wednesday, 24 September at 9:15pm on Channel 7
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