Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Kitchen Cabinet (TV program)

Kitchen Cabinet is an Australian interview television program that is broadcast on ABC. It is hosted by Annabel Crabb. On the program, Crabb chats with the interview subjects while they prepare a meal together.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
Read time
≈ 4 min
Length
829 w
Citations
6
Source
Kitchen Cabinet
GenreCooking show
Directed byStamatia Maroupas
Trent O’Donnell
Presented byAnnabel Crabb
Country of originAustralia
No. of seasons7
No. of episodes40
Production
ProducerMadeleine Hawcroft
CinematographySusan Lumsdon
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
Release
  • 22 February 2012 (2012-02-22)
  • 2 October 2023 (2023-10-02)

Kitchen Cabinet is an Australian interview television program that is broadcast on ABC. It is hosted by Annabel Crabb. On the program, Crabb chats with the interview subjects while they prepare a meal together.

Format

The format is an informal interview program with Australian politicians over a meal prepared by both Crabb and her guest, normally in the guest's home. Crabb brings a dessert and the guest provides their choice of main meal. It is in the 30-minute format.

On several occasions, there have been two guests, typically with one being a self-confessed non-cook who brings in a helper. Crabb chats with the guest(s) during the preparation, and the meal while they eat.

Crabb being pescetarian has meant that on some occasions the protein for her has been fish-based. Her food preference has also been a factor in her preparation of the desserts.

The show has received mostly positive reviews.12

Episodes

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1622 February 2012 (2012-02-22)28 March 2012 (2012-03-28)
2610 October 2012 (2012-10-10)14 November 2012 (2012-11-14)
382 July 2013 (2013-07-02)5 September 2013 (2013-09-05)
4721 October 2014 (2014-10-21)2 December 2014 (2014-12-02)
5628 October 2015 (2015-10-28)2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)
6626 May 2016 (2016-05-26)30 June 2016 (2016-06-30)
7815 August 2023 (2023-08-15)3 October 2023 (2023-10-03)

Season 1 (2012)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Guest(s)Original release date
11Christopher Pyne and Amanda Vanstone22 February 2012 (2012-02-22)
22Nigel Scullion29 February 2012 (2012-02-29)
33Penny Wong7 March 2012 (2012-03-07)
44Julie Bishop14 March 2012 (2012-03-14)
55Tanya Plibersek21 March 2012 (2012-03-21)
66Dick Adams28 March 2012 (2012-03-28)

Season 2 (2012)

No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestOriginal release date
71Joe Hockey10 October 2012 (2012-10-10)
82Bronwyn Bishop17 October 2012 (2012-10-17)
93Peter Garrett24 October 2012 (2012-10-24)
104Barnaby Joyce31 October 2012 (2012-10-31)
115Louise Pratt7 November 2012 (2012-11-07)
126Christine Milne14 November 2012 (2012-11-14)

Season 3 (2013)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Guest(s)Original release date
131Malcolm Turnbull2 July 2013 (2013-07-02)
142Craig Emerson9 July 2013 (2013-07-09)
153Nick Xenophon16 July 2013 (2013-07-16)
164Jenny Macklin23 July 2013 (2013-07-23)
175Sussan Ley and Bill Heffernan30 July 2013 (2013-07-30)
186Doug Cameron6 August 2013 (2013-08-06)
197Tony Abbott4 September 2013 (2013-09-04)
208Kevin Rudd5 September 2013 (2013-09-05)

Season 4 (2014)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Guest(s)Original release date
211Bob Hawke21 October 2014 (2014-10-21)
222Andrew Robb and Mary Jo Fisher28 October 2014 (2014-10-28)
233Bill Shorten4 November 2014 (2014-11-04)
244Mathias Cormann11 November 2014 (2014-11-11)
255Anna Burke9 November 2014 (2014-11-09)
266Warren Entsch25 November 2014 (2014-11-25)
277Clive Palmer2 December 2014 (2014-12-02)

Season 5 (2015)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Guest(s)Original release date
281Scott Morrison28 October 2015 (2015-10-28)
292Anthony Albanese and Christopher Pyne4 November 2015 (2015-11-04)
303Ricky Muir11 November 2015 (2015-11-11)
314Nova Peris18 November 2015 (2015-11-18)
325Richard Di Natale25 November 2015 (2015-11-25)
336Cory Bernardi2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)

Season 6 (2016)

No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestOriginal release date
341Jacqui Lambie326 May 2016 (2016-05-26)
352Sam Dastyari2 June 2016 (2016-06-02)
363Scott Ludlam9 June 2016 (2016-06-09)
374Michaelia Cash16 June 2016 (2016-06-16)
385Malcolm Turnbull23 June 2016 (2016-06-23)
396Bill Shorten30 June 2016 (2016-06-30)

Season 7 (2023)

Former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, newly-elected Independent MP for the seat of Fowler Dai Le, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe and Labor Sports Minister Anika Wells were all featured in season 7.4

No.
overall
No. in
series
GuestOriginal release date
401Dai Le15 August 2023 (2023-08-15)
412Peter Dutton22 August 2023 (2023-08-22)
423Linda Burney29 August 2023 (2023-08-29)
434Lidia Thorpe5 September 2023 (2023-09-05)
445Karen Andrews12 September 2023 (2023-09-12)
456Jordon Steele-John17 September 2023 (2023-09-17)
467Bridget McKenzie25 September 2023 (2023-09-25)
478Anika Wells2 October 2023 (2023-10-02)

Guests

Crabb has said that her most memorable show was with Senator Nigel Scullion, when he took her collecting crustaceans in the coastal mudflats of the Northern Territory.5

2013 Federal Election Kitchen Cabinet shows

During the 2013 Australian federal election, Crabb taped two shows for Kitchen Cabinet,6 beyond the previously normal 6 episodes, with the leaders of the major opposing parties, Tony Abbott (Liberal Party of Australia) and Kevin Rudd (Australian Labor Party) with these shows being broadcast on successive nights in the last week of the political campaign, on Wednesday 4 September and Thursday 5 September respectively.

2016 Federal Election Kitchen Cabinet shows

During the 2016 Australian federal election, Crabb again taped two shows for Kitchen Cabinet with the leaders of the major opposing parties, Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal Party of Australia) and Bill Shorten (Australian Labor Party)

References

References

  1. "If you can't stand the heat ..." The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  2. Fresh Crabb for dinner, Lucy Saunders, The Spectator, 17 March 2012, accessed 5 September 2013
  3. Knox, David (12 May 2016). "Renewed: Kitchen Cabinet". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  4. Knox, David (19 July 2023). "Returning: Kitchen Cabinet". tvtonight.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  5. Ten questions for Annabel Crabb, Nick Leys, The Australian, 2 September 2013, accessed 3 December 2018.
  6. Kitchen Cabinet special: Rudd and Abbott - The aprons are on, ABC News Online, 19 August 2013, accessed 4 September 2013
External links