Double trouble

Twins Vikki and Helena are using their sisterly bond and their Greek heritage to blitz ahead in this year's series of My Kitchen Rules


Third time may just be a charm for these twin sisters from Melbourne. Having applied three years in a row for Channel Seven’s cooking reality show My Kitchen Rules, Vikki and Helena reveal they are ready to make their mark. Not disheartened by missing out in past years, they say they are armed with what it takes to knock out their competitors and cook up a storm to the finals. And it was on their last trip to the Hellenic Republic that the girls knew that 2014 was going to be their year to shine.
“In Greece, they prepare the food differently to what we do here, so they show you the basics and we pick up ideas from there and put our own twist on it,” Helena tells Neos Kosmos. The 24-year-old has travelled to Greece six times and says she’s making it a mission to go back every year and learn not only more about Greek cuisine, but her heritage and culture.
“They make their own olive oil – everything there is organic and fresh, and natural, whereas here, you don’t get the same flavours, even though we do have amazing produce in Australia,” adds Helena.
“Our love of Greek food has grown from our travels there,” says the other half of the dynamic duo, Vikki, adding that their last visit to Greece was one of the driving factors for applying for My Kitchen Rules – to show Australia how to take traditional recipes and add a unique and modern twist.
Growing up in a close-knit Greek family, the girls were surrounded by their cultural cuisine from an early age, and fell in love with the food of their ancestors. They had a close relationship with their grandmother, who helped raise the girls after they lost their father when they were just 12. After that, they said they had to cook, clean and help their mother around the house. So this is as much for her as it is for them, to say thanks and make her proud.
“Vikki and I grew up really quickly, so we learnt to cook and clean the house and do most of the things to help mum,” explains Helena. “It was like we matured overnight – we went from 12 to 16.”
But she says this tragedy has made them stronger, and made them appreciative to love and live life the fullest.
Helena says “do something that makes you happy” was always the advice given by their grandmother – which couldn’t be more true with their decision to go on My Kitchen Rules. But Vikki is quick to add with a cheeky smile “and find a rich husband, get married and get a good job – that’s what grandma always says”.
On the show – which is now in its fourth year, and will air on Channel Seven following the Australian Open – the girls focus on Mediterranean recipes, but with a particular focus on Greek cuisine. They both admit to taking their grandmother’s traditional recipes and adding their own twist.
“We had to show techniques with different elements in our cooking on the show, we couldn’t just serve up a Greek dish; we had to add an extra spark to make it our own,” says Vikki.
“Vikki and I love experimenting with cooking but the show pushed us to want to go further, and we learnt so much from it,” says Helena.
One of their favourite dishes to cook for friends and family is moussaka – that they say takes them over four hours to create. Why? Because it’s made with love; the same love and passion that is their secret weapon going into the competition.
“Being Greek is an advantage, as we put a lot of love and passion in our food,” says Helena, “and we don’t use a recipe; our grandma has always gone by taste and that’s what we do too.”
But both girls are quick to admit the biggest advantage they have is being twins. Not only do they have the bond that comes with being sisters, but being twins, they can read each other’s minds, work together like no other couples on the show, understand each other’s thoughts, feelings and pre-empt what they need to do. As they say themselves, “we share a brain”.
“Being twins is a massive advantage,” exclaims Helena. “We work really well as a team and – we came into the competition with a positive attitude and confidence – we feel we are a real threat.”
“We can read each other’s facial expressions, we don’t have to talk,” says Vikki. “If you’re not a twin you can’t understand the communication that we have.”
And with seven years of hospitality experience, having worked in restaurants and bars, they see cooking for 12 on the show as a piece of cake.
After chatting to the bubbly girls, I am sure they will bring some laughter and light to the reality TV show. And – for certain – the girls will give a touch of Greek feistiness to their home-cooked delicacies and to the competition.