MKR pair Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay defend restaurant review

The ex-My Kitchen Rules contestants and Perth food reviewers Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay left it to their publicity manager to break the silence on a food fight that has gripped Perth.

The furore began after James and Ramsay penned an unflattering review about West Perth restaurant West End Deli in The Sunday Times' weekend lifestyle magazine STM.

But Deborah Munson, director of The Options Group, which manages the pair, said the "personal attacks" on the TV cooks were unfair due to "incorrect factual information" the restaurant said on social media about their food review.

In the STM review, Ramsay said the pair had left large quantities of food on their plates because of the poorly executed flavours, soggy cheese, overripe watermelon, underripe tomatoes, burnt curry and stingy scallops.

But West End Deli hit back, saying the review was outdated and untrue and accused the pair of spending weeks avoiding paying the bill of $260.

Even prominent Perth foodie Rob Broadfield dished it out to the two reviewers, saying the pair should be sacked if it turned out they fabricated part of their review.

A statement released on Tuesday by Munson claimed a lot of information aimed at her two clients was untrue.

She said the pair attended the restaurant on November 12, not in October, as claimed by West End Deli, and Kelly couldn't pay for the meal on that night because she didn't have her employer's credit card.

"Chloe was then contacted by Kelly on the 16th December asking her to call (West End Deli owner) Graeme Kelly, the first time Chloe had known payment hadn't been processed so, again, the bill was paid, $211 not $260 as originally said, and we have credit card statements to prove this and it wasn't seven weeks of continual cashing as stated by West End deli, [sic]" the statement said.

"Chloe made the payment with Graeme and was most apologetic and there seemed no ill feelings."

Although Munson does admit the pair didn't dine together on November 12, she claims James came to the restaurant at a later date.

"Yes, both Kelly and her fiancee had dinner there on the night in question and no the plates were not cleared 'spotless' as stated due to dissatisfaction with the meal," she said.

"Chloe hadn't been there in November with Kelly due to work commitments but Chloe ... attended thereafter.

"On the 12th January the girls met with STM to discuss the review and were told to re-visit, which they did on the 14th January 2016... West End Deli failed to mention this."

Despite the apparent re-visit, the review was written on the basis of Kelly's original meal - despite Chloe not being in attendance.

Fairfax Media asked why the latter experience was not reviewed as both Kelly and Chloe were present, to which Munson responded "no comment."

"This confirmed what they believed to be a true reflection of Kelly's original experience and was to be written in their review published yesterday (Sunday) in STM, 21st February 16," the statement continued.

Munson said West End Deli failed to mention the reviewers came back to the noshery on January 14.

"When the official photographer arrived to take photos, the restaurant appeared nervous and again this was reported back," she said.

But more confusion exists as to the parting comment on the review.

"'Going for Dinner Take 2' isn't a comment Chloe would have used, considering she wasn't there on the evening in question," Munson said.

"Chloe wasn't there the first time around and she never said it on January 14.

"This has been a personal attack on both ladies due to incorrect factual information and given the majority of their reviews and good standing in their professional life, their business continues to flourish and they show respect and integrity within the industry."

Kelly has been approached for comment.

- with Ray Sparvell

This story originally appeared at the WA Today website.