08x14 - Island Fever

[bunniefuu]

Everyone like Carla.
I mean she's a great cook

she's a great person.

She's like the mother
of everyone here, you know?

Carla, really, the downfall
was the pork was

just really undercooked.

Carla, please
pack your knives and go.

The judges made
the right decision.

I didn't have
a winning dish.

It was hard
to see Carla go.

We support each other.

I feel like a little piece
of me is kind of leaving.

I'm just sad about that.

- So what went down?
- Honestly,

when we got in there,
they were just saying

what was wrong with
each of our dishes.

It was more or less like,

"y'all just need
to step it up."

For some reason,
after the fire,

my head was just
all over the place.

It's kind of, actually, the
same thing that happened to me

in my finale, where I made it
to the final four.

But I could never find
the right groove

throughout the competition.

The bottom is like mush,

and the top is like rock.

And now I'm completely
second-guessing

everything that I'm doing.

They don't want
the classics.

Evolution, man.

We just gotta keep
evolving our food.

I feel like I'm on a roll.

I b*at Mike Voltaggio
and won 10 Gs.

You know, I won
the elimination challenge.

I b*at Blais.
And I feel like

I'm finally getting
back on track.

All right, guys,
let's go.

Four All-Star Chefs remain
to fight it out.

Only one will win
the grand prize--

a feature
in Food & Wine magazine...

A showcase at the annual food
and wine classic in Aspen...

$200,000 to pursue
their culinary dreams,

furnished by Buitoni...

And the title
that's eluded them all,

Top Chef.

Sunshine.

- You sleeping in?
- Mm-hmm.

The winter bear here?
[Laughs]

It feels great to be
in the final four.

What time is it?

Obviously it's time to go.

But you really have
to be focused at this point.

I'm one step closer,
but I've still got

a couple ways to go.

And all I can focus on is
the next challenge ahead of me.

Let's go see what
today holds.

I'll guess it's cooking
with not enough time,

not enough equipment,
and a twist.

In the middle of nowhere.

We get to
the Atlantis kitchen,

and it's Padma
and Lorena Garcia.

We just see stacks of plates
and aprons.

So I have no idea
what we're doing.

Welcome to
the Bahamian Club

at the Atlantis.

I'd like to introduce you
to Lorena Garcia.

You'll be able to see her

on NBC's new
competition show,

America's Next Great
Restaurant.

- Welcome.
- Thank you.

This quickfire challenge
is about consistency

and precision.

Anyone can get lucky and make
a memorable dish just once.

But a great Chef
makes that dish

exactly the same
every time.

Consistency is
an important part

of running
a great restaurant.

Because you want
to make sure that

if you come back for a dish
that you enjoyed,

that it's exactly the same
experience the next time.

The restaurant here is
full of hungry diners

waiting to eat.

[Indistinct chatter]

For your quickfire challenge,

you'll divide yourself
into pairs.

Antonia is my cousin.

But at the end of the day,
she is the black hammer.

And the black hammer sends
people to the losers circle.

Each team must make


in one hour.

The pace of trying to
put together that many plates,

and have each one of them
taste and look the same--

I don't even know if
we'll be able to do it.

There's a number
on each of your plates.

Lorena and I will just
randomly pick numbers,

and those will be the plates
that we taste.

The winning team will
take home $5,000,

furnished by Chilata Wines.

Your time starts now.

[Grunts]

Mikey Mikey,
where you at dude?

Regardless of the boys
grabbing each other first,

I would have went
for Tiffany.

I was thinking, like,
cold filet salad,

lots and lots of herbs, spices.
- Mm-hmm.

She's very calm,
very collected, great technique.

So working with Tiffany,
great pair.

I'll give you half...
tomorrow.

Me and Blais--
obviously, we're the favorites.

The girls know that,
we know that.

I think if we win
this challenge,

it's gonna crush them.

- You want me to make pasta?
- Yeah.

Can you do it?
Yeah.

Let me make bolognese,
you make pasta.

Okay?
Yeah.

Don't get confused
by the technique.

It's about the plates
being perfect.

We're going a pork bolognese

with fresh macaroni
and pecorino cheese.

To make pasta from scratch
in an hour

is pretty much
almost unheard of.

So I'm gonna work my ass off
to get there.

How you looking over there?
I'm good man.

Just developing
some flavor.

I'm disappointed that
I didn't win the last challenge.

You know,
second place sucks.

But my record for this season,
quickfire-wise,

is four wins--
never bottomed.

I'd love to win
this quickfire

and just build momentum,

and spread intimidation
amongst the other Chefs.

Remember, we're only doing


It's really not
that much meat.

We're gonna do a seared
beef tenderloin salad

with lentils and
celery leaves.

- The churri's ready to go.
- Okay.

I'm getting a nice char
on the meat.

Tiffany's making
the chimichurri.

It's really flavorful.

Everything is cooked
in one batch,

so everything across the board
is gonna taste exactly the same.

I need to plate 100 plates
for the diners,

and we have four
components.

So plating is gonna take
a little bit longer.

So I start plating
immediately.

- Do you got water on?
- Coming down.

What we're attempting is
much more ambitious

than what the other team
is doing,

which we refer to
as slice and serve.

When someone doesn't
really know what to do--

sear tuna,
put a salad on it.

Seared beef,
mango salad.

It's go time.

We gotta go, Mike.

You know, we have
a few minutes left.

The girls look like
they're just about done.

Me and Richard are
running around like crazy.

Okay, we gotta go.

Consistency-wise,
they're looking for

the same amount of food
on each and every plate.

Be careful of the big pieces
of prosciutto.

It's definitely more
of a catering or banquet work.

And I'm not too sure that we're
gonna actually get it done.

To do pasta in an hour
is a feat,

but I feel like our plating
was much more difficult

than scooping bolognese
onto a plate.

Try to hit
the smaller ones.

Time's up.
Hands up, utensils down.

Time runs out.
I'm looking at the plates.

It's tasty and delicious.

I want to get
a big bowl of it.

The plates look the same.
I'm happy.

I'll pick a very special
birthday in my family: 2/20.



So this is a pork bolognese,

a sauce that usually takes
a long time to make,

with fresh macaroni.
I made the macaroni myself.

You know, we thought
one sauce, one batch.

That way it keeps the flavors
nice and consistent.

Presentation-wise,
the plates look pretty similar.

How did you portion
each dish?

We had, like,
a serving spoon.

One little spoon,
then we came back along

and just, you know,
tightened it up a little bit.

Actually, for 100 dishes,

I think that you have
the consistency of the pasta,

so it wasn't overcooked.
I liked it.

Thank you, both.

It's well-seasoned.

And I really enjoyed
the spices.

They put some love
into that.

Very good. Let's see
what they have next.

So we did a filet salad.

I made a spice rub
with a little bit of star anise,

a bit of dried chiles
for the beef.

All these plates seem to look
very similar, which is good.

And the cold dish,
was that part of your strategy?

- Yes.
- It was.

I mean, we wanted
to do something

I like the idea that
they were actually consistent,

in terms of the slice
of meat.

It's the same amount.

And, you know, when you have
four components,

it is a challenge, so well done.
Thank you.

If I had to do Antonia
and Tiffany's dish,

I probably could have
sent Richard to the store

to go pick up
a six-pack of beer

so we could celebrate the win
after I did it by myself.

Red team rocks.

- Kudos to the Chefs.
- Kudos.

Okay, Lorena,
how do you think

our Chefs did overall?

I think that our Chefs did
really, really well.

You managed consistency,

which is very important.

For the blue team,
I believe

the ragout was
very well-conceived.

The flavors were there.
You got a little kick there,

I figure for the spices
that you used.

For the red team,
even though it was a cold dish,

it's easier to plate,
in terms of 100 dishes.

You have different
components,

which actually made it
a little bit harder.

As our guest judge,

please tell us
who the winner is.

As a Chef
and a restaurateur,

I'm gonna base my decision
on consistency,

and, of course, the flavor.

The punch of flavor
has to be there.

I will have to give it...

To the red team.
Yes!

[Laughing]

This feels fantastic.

And I think Mike and Blais
are sour grapes,

salty losers.

Ooh, they were mad.
[Chuckles]

Good job, guys.
[Laughter]

Are you serious?
A beef salad wins?

Pbbbt.
Whatever.

- Congratulations, ladies.
- Thank you.

It was a little bit of
a "in your face" kind of moment.

We just have to keep
that momentum going.

And for a female Chef
to win Top Chef would be rad.

Antonia and Tiffany,
you've won $5,000,

furnished by Chilata Wine.
Thank you.

- I see smoke over there.
- Whoo!

Padma in a bikini.
Good morning.

There are sharks
out there.

So are you guys ready
for your elimination challenge?

The Commodore
of the Nassau Yacht Club

has invited his friends
to a very exclusive lunch

on the Islands to celebrate
the club's 80th Anniversary.

It's high society, and
there'll be high expectations.

The theme for the party is
"Deserted Island."

And that's exactly where
your elimination challenge

will take place.

Deserted Island?

My fears are that
maybe we'll have nothing.

You know, this could be
Lord of the Flies.

We're gonna have to go catch
a wild boar and k*ll it.

The most notable ingredient
that you're gonna find

in the island is conch.

You definitely want
to incorporate

this favorite ingredient
into your dish.

Conch's not a very
popular item.

It is one of the
signature dishes out here.

So before I came
to the Bahamas,

I was practicing
and working on some dishes.

It's a very difficult product
to work with.

Okay, Chefs, get some rest.
See you tomorrow.

- Thank you. Bye.
- Bye.

I'm not sure
what to expect today.

I'm gonna have to
thread this needle just right

to make it to the finals.

I'm more prepared
coming to the Bahamas.

I have 20 pounds of conch
in my freezer.

I've been baking bread.
I'm growing a beard.

All the things you should do
to prepare for the finale.

I think that
the tough part

is gonna be the amount
of people,

and then what equipment
do we have to cook?

Do we have a fryer,
do we have a grill,

do we have a fire?
Pressure cooker.

I think there's definitely
gonna be cooking elements there.

'Cause then if not, everyone's
gonna do a civiche.

Coming back and b*ating
some of these elite guys,

I'm coming in the way
I should have come in in Vegas,

and I should have came in
in New York--

dominating the competition.

But at least I have the
opportunity to start like this

in the Bahamas.

Now that I've made it past
where I ended my season at,

I feel like
it's a testimony of

you can do anything
that you want to do.

- Let's go, guys.
- I'm that small-town girl.

Like, when you're in
the situation and go,

"I don't think I'd ever
be able to do that."

And winning the Top Chef title
would mean

anything is possible.

- Oh, Jesus.
- Whoo!

- Hi, Chefs.
- Put us all to shame, Padma.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

This is Captain Andy.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

We meet Captain Andy,

aka Sammy Hagar's
twin brother, maybe--

and Padma in a bikini,
hanging out by a boat.

So, uh, good morning.

[Laughter]

He's gonna take you
to your deserted island.

Your time starts
exactly when

your feet hit the beach.

Oh!

We're looking forward
to a delicious lunch.

Good luck.
Bye.

Thank you.

Hasn't been our
first boat ride, has it, guys?

Nope.

The experience has
been tremendous.

I want one of those.

I'm excited,
and a little nervous as well.

Are we gonna have equipment?

Is there gonna be
no equipment?

All I really know is that
we have to use conch.

I really practice
techniques--

dishes that I can do
with conch.

There it is.

I see smoke over there.

Okay, guys, so this is, like,
some campfire stuff.

It's obviously we've run onto
a beach, and we cook.

Know what I mean?
Oh, [bleep].

We're in trouble.

I'm trying to stay cool,
calm, and collective.

I'm thinking we're not gonna be
cleaning our own conchs,

and breaking them apart.

Everything's gonna be there.
Everything's gonna be fine.

Everything will fall
into place.

We jump into the water
because

you always want to be
the first one in those boxes

to really have first pick
at protein.

When I came up out of
the water, it was like D-Day.

I felt like I was storming
the beach at Normandy.

Oh, my God!

And we see our ingredients,
and it's some beautiful,

amazing product.

- Wow.
- That's gorgeous.

I see spiny lobster,
snapper, grouper.

I don't see any conch.
Where's the conch?

[Laughs]
That's the conch.

That's for the conch.
We gotta go get it.

- Oh, no.
- Oh, my gosh!

This is ridiculous.

I have never gone
snorkeling.

We have to go and get
our own conch in the ocean!

Wow.

There are sharks out there,
I'm pretty sure.

Mike, you know how
to use this?

Uh, no.

I'm going in.

I don't want to see
Mike Isabella topless.

And you don't either.

I swam when I was younger,
so I'm a pretty strong swimmer.

I was out of breath more
than I thought I was gonna be.

Like, you know,
you hold your breath,

you dive down,
you grab the conch.

Then you're, like,
treading water,

and you're trying
to put the conch into a net.

It was hard.

I definitely know that
I need at least ten conch.

That way, I don't have
to come back in the water

and spend too much time
fishing around.

The first conch
that I actually see

is, like, a little too deep
for my own swimming skills,

and I'm, like, struggling
to grab this conch.

And it's comical.

Although in my head,
it's not comical.

I'm pretty scared.
I can swim,

but it's definitely not
my strong point.

I'm a hot mess
out there.

Whoo! Finding the conch
isn't too difficult,

but there were
some slippery suckers.

The snorkeling thing
is just--

it's not working out for me,

so I end up
just taking it out

and just holding my breath.

Which...it was actually
pretty cool.

I really forgot that we were
in the middle of a challenge.

I'm, like, "holy cow. Okay,
I need to get back up on shore."

I've never worked
with conch before.

- How many you get?
- Ten.

Nice job, Antonia.

We have to make
a lunch dish,

and incorporate the conch.

I don't know how much meat
I'm gonna be able

to get out of these shells.

I just hope that
I can do it right.

- How much time, Tif?
- 2:56.

Can opener?

Mikey, if you got a can opener,
can I borrow it?

I don't have one.

No electricity, no gadgets,
no toys,

no liquid nitrogen.

This is, like, survivalist
cooking here.

I mean, it's
really, really tough.

A wood-fire grill,
some pots and pans,

and a table.
And that's it.

This [bleep] grill is
all offset, like, [bleep].

Amazing!

I don't like the sand.

It's gonna be a big miracle
if we don't get

any sand in our food.

There is no way
that any food

is not gonna have
any sand in it.

Oh, my God!
I know. It's everywhere, man.

- [bleep].
- He's a slippery sucker,

isn't he?
I'm getting it.

Calm down, dude.
Calm down. You got this.

Conch is a sea snail.

And my plan is bam,
bam, bam, bam, bam.

Break that shell open as hard
and fast as you can.

Belt that, Richie!

But I don't have a lot
of experience

with how to open up
a conch.

I've never done it before

because we can't get conch
in the shell back home.

Got it. Got it.

You could really kinda hear
this sort of orchestra

of conch shell shucking
that's going on.

[Imitating hammers shucking]

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Click, click, click.

Conch is a spiral,

and they all wrap
their whole body around.

And the hot water is gonna k*ll
it like it would k*ll a lobster.

It'll loosen 'em up
in the shell,

and I can pull 'em out
a little bit easier.

If you drop 'em
in boiling water,

they come out
a lot quicker.

I can't get these friggin'
things to come out whole.

Not a lot of meat,
for a big conch.

I'm about to go
island style.

I've never really worked
with conch.

Come on, you little
slippery sucker.

Come on.

Jesus!

This is actually taking longer
than I expected.

I'm running behind
a little bit.

How many I need?

If I continue to struggle
the way that I'm struggling,

it could be a disaster--
a total disaster.

I need more wood.

I'm gonna need, like, flame.
The guests start to arrive,

and I'm totally
in the juice right now.

But there's nothing you can do
if there's no fire.

Oh, that's the best one
I got all day.

Our challenge today is to
cook a lunch with conch

for the Nassau Yacht Club.

It's their 80th
Anniversary.

You got some nice conch,
Mikey.

Yep, yep.

Aaaah...

I pulled him out!

I'm, like, "whoo-hoo!"
Kind of excited.

Oh, they're still alive.

Once I'm done
with the conch,

I totally wipe down
my whole table.

The conditions are rough.
You don't want someone

to get sand in your food.

Oh, Richie.

And the grill is not
that hot.

I'm gonna want it
a little bit hotter.

Can you use
a little more heat?

I could definitely use
more heat.

I'm gonna need it for when
I'm searing you know, fish.

At this moment, completely
opposite of what I was feeling

in our last
elimination challenge.

This is a dish
that I like.

My concept is
to keep the conch fresh.

I want to do, like,
a tartar of conch.

Does anybody have
a machete?

I want to make a rich
lobster nage.

I'm really going for strength,
and fresh and brightness.

I want to push myself,
and to do something different

than everybody else.

I'm gonna do a conch
and coconut chowder.

I really want the coconut
to stand out.

I have a coconut cream
that I'm incorporating.

I'm also shaving
fresh coconut.

And I'm gonna do
the conch civiche.

So you're gonna have conch
two different ways.

One hour and two minutes.

You using lobster or no?
Yes.

Now I'm just exhausted.

My back hurts, my arms hurt,

my legs are k*lling me.

Running through the sand,
and the dehydration--

I feel like I'm


I said to myself,
if I ever cook on a beach

in this competition,
if there's seaweed

or banana or anything like that
around, I was gonna use it.

So here's my opportunity.
Absolutely.

I just really wanted
to take this whole challenge,

and have it really inspire me
with all the local ingredients.

I'm gonna do some
wrapped grouper.

I'm gonna make
a warm conch vinaigrette,

like a butter sauce.

I gotta take a sweet
local pineapple,

cook it, and take
all the sweetness out of it

so it's savory.

As long as I execute it right,
it'll be good.

Anyone has parsley out?

The challenge says
we have to use conch.

It doesn't say
it has to be Caribbean.

It's kind of a play
on linguini and clams,

but linguini and conch.

I grew up on Long Island,
so...

I think conch is
to the Caribbean

what clams are
to the Northeast.

One of the things
that I noticed

when I harvested the conch

was how beautiful the inside
of the shell is.

And I'm gonna use
the sweet potato

to sort of mimic linguini
in this classic dish.

These sweet potato noodles
are really risky.

These really have to taste
like pasta.

- Chef jackets.
- Where's my Chef coat?

Where are the plates?
Behind the vegetables.

Mike, you don't have
any more?

I cut all primal cuts,
and I threw a lot of scrap out.

All right.

I don't really
pay attention

to what other people
are doing

because I really don't care.


Got it.

Tif, did you say you were
using your nonstick?

I need one.

Antonia's cooking
her food.

She masks the flavor
of the conch.

It's a nice piece of fish
with a sauce, like, "yay."

She's just doing the same food,
no matter what it is.

What the heck am I
looking for? Sugar.

I think there's
an added pressure on me.

Because I lost my season,
I know the gravity of this.

No, I can wait
till you're done.

Take it, I'm done.
Take it.

That's kind of the
motivating force for me,

you know,
that all 14 of these plates

have to be spectacular,
or I'm going home.

I need more wood.
I'm gonna need, like, flame.

Yeah, I need more heat.

I have worked for,
you know, amazing restaurants,

and the most challenging
station that I worked

was the wood-burning grill.

It's not easy,
by any means.

I really want to make sure
that every piece of fish

is cooked the same.

[bleep].

I don't need a flame.
I just need it to be hot.

It's not melting the butter.

When I was on
the Las Vegas season,

we cooked in the desert
one time,

and we had that
open-pit fire.

I'm stoked to see what
our cook space is gonna be.

- I don't care--
- You know what it's gonna be.

Aw...[bleep].
No way!

You kind of figure out
what you could do,

and how you can do it, so I
definitely learned from that.

I can cook anything
and make it happen.

We've got ten minutes
to go--

the guests start to arrive,

and I'm totally
in the juice right now.

But there's nothing you can do
if there's no fire.

Is it hotter, Antonia?

I'm gonna need, like,
hot, hot, flaming, flaming.

- It's beautiful.
- Yes, it is.

Thank you so much
for letting us join you,

celebrating your 80th
Anniversary.

Cheers. Thank you.

To 80 more.

As time is winding down,
I taste the conch by itself.

I'm really surprised by
how mild the flavor is.

But the flavor is good.

I enjoy dishes that have
two different temperatures.

Soups that have a little bit
of a cool finish.

Which is why I'm putting
the civiche on top

of the soup.

How many members do you have
at the yacht club?

Around 475.

And I have the privilege
this year to be the Commodore.

And you are the
ex-Commodore, correct?

Five years ago.

How long is the reign
of each Commodore?

The reign.

We are elected for one year.
We can do another year,

but it's two years maximum.

Our mayor in New York,
he decided that

he wanted to run for
another term and change the law.

So if you're the Commodore,
you can change the law

and go for three.

I'm wondering if it's
easier

to do it in New York
or in the yacht club actually.

[Laughter]

Mikey, I love you.

Antonia, I love you.
Love you.

I hate everything that I do
as soon as I do it.

I think it's
an artistic trait that, just--

I want to just--I made it.
I want to just smash it.

Antonia, time?
You've got 5:25.

Now I'm kind of seeing
what my competitors are doing,

and that makes me nervous
because

there's lots of tropical things
going on.

There's fish
in banana leaves,

and there's coconut milk--

I missed the memo.

I did a Hamptons dish

instead of a Caribbean dish,
so I'm nervous.

- Hi, Richard.
- Hi. How are you?

I'd like to introduce you
to the Commodore

of the Nassau Yacht Club,

his wife Beatrice,
and all their friends.

And, of course,
you know your judges.

Gail Simmons,
Tom Colicchio.

And you remember
Lorena Garcia from yesterday.

What did you make
for us today?

I'm a Long Island boy,

so this is my version
of linguini with clams,

but linguini with conch.

It's a sweet potato linguini.
Enjoy. Thanks.

Is your lobster undercooked?
Did he mean it that way?

Yours is much less cooked.

We eat a lot of conch here,

and we don't eat it cooked,
you know.

We like the conch salad, and
then it's [Indistinct] Conch.

But it's really very tasty.
Good flavor.

I think Richard did
a very good job.

I like very much the mushroom
with the conch.

The pasta was, you know--
when you think about

making pasta on a beach--

think about it.
He didn't buy the pasta.

It didn't come in a box.

He actually made it
on the beach.

I think it was just
raw sweet potato.

No, no, no.
He made pasta.

I thought it had
a crunch to it.

Really?

I think it's just ribbons
of sweet potato.

So ingenious.

It is just
sweet potato, yeah.

- Which is kind of brilliant.
- Amazing.

Are you making
a dark and stormy?

It's gonna be like that
in a couple of hours.

It's, like,
freezing cold.

It's a storm getting ready
to come down.

It's beginning to get
very, very windy.

It's getting harder and harder
cooking on the beach.

Tony's being very modest.

He hasn't told you that
he's a past world champion

in the sunfish class.

- Three times.
- Three-time world champion.

This is a great way
to celebrate it then.

Salud!
Salud!

Finally, the fire is lit
a little bit more.

So I'm really just hoping
that, execution-wise,

everything is going well.

I want the plates
to look nice,

but I also want my fish
to be cooked properly.

I pushed as hard
as I could today.

I really hope that
they like the dish.

Today I did
a seared snapper

with a little bit
of conch tartar.

Almost like a civiche.

It's a lot of the
local vegetable

that was supplied.

Enjoy.
Thank you.

Oh, my God. Whew!

The civiche on top
is the one that has--

It's the civiche, yeah.

As soon as I put a bite
in my mouth,

it was a punch right there,
and I loved it.

What Antonia did here
was conch, Bahamian style,

because it's very spicy.

We love spices
in the Bahamas.

I think Antonia's food
is great.

I love the taste.
Beautiful.

Antonia did
a delicious dish here.

The problem is just
the conch is cut so small,

you close your eyes
and put this in your mouth,

you are not gonna taste conch.
No.

My fish was overcooked.

And yours seems to be
undercooked.

Mine's undercooked.

I think you guys might
just miss the rain.

Yeah.

Everyone is
standing around me,

and I'm wanting to scream out,

"can y'all step back
for a second

and let me finish my plate?"

I think everyone's
just so nervous.

- It's very tight.
- [Chuckles]

I've got so much time left.

By the time I finish
with everything,

I have about
two and a half minutes.

The diners are finishing up
with Antonia's dish.

Too early.

The flavors do change
when it's hot and cold.

So I'm very concerned
about the soup.

Hello, hello.
So I did a coconut chowder

with a little bit
of snapper and conch.

I did conch two ways.

One is a soup conch,

and then one is
a conch civiche.

I garnished it with a little bit
of fresh coconut cream.

Thank you.

I'd have liked the chowder
if it was hot.

Why is it cold?

I don't think this
was ever hot.

I don't think it was
ever hot.

No, maybe not.

I like it because
she did a civiche on top.

Mango and cilantro, I mean,
they got me right there.

So I'm a fan.

I thought it was
unexpected,

and I really enjoyed
the mango and the sweet potato

and the coconut.

For me, it's even too sweet.

It's a nice dish.

But it's just the flavor hasn't
been developed enough.

I grew up sailing
at a yacht club in Canada,

on the Great Lakes.

We sailed these hilarious
little boxes.

What were they called?
[Indistinct]

One child
at the age of eight

could sail that themselves.

Although we did a lot
of capsizing.

[Laughter]

Got this.

Elliot went home
in the first challenge

for the banana-wrapped
fish.

But I mean,
her dish was elementary.

I mean, it was not
cooked through, had no flavor.

It's a really classic dish,
but with my little touches

and flavor profiles
that I put in there,

I really feel like I took it
to the next level.

So it is a refined dish,
but it is a peasant dish.

Finally.

How you doing?

Today I tried to use as much
local ingredients as I can.

So I have a banana-leaf
steamed grouper.

I serve it over a little bit
of braised pineapple,

so it's a little bit savory--
it's not sweet.

And then on top I made
a warm conch vinaigrette.

So hopefully you enjoy, okay?
Thank you very much.

Mmm. Smoky.

The fish,
although very well cooked,

was a little bit overwhelmed
by the pineapple,

the banana leaf,
and the butter.

This dish does not
need butter.

It already has enough
richness and earthiness.

I quite enjoyed
Michael's fish.

To me, it was well--
it was very well cooked.

I loved what Michael
did here.

I'm sort of obsessed
with that braised pineapple.

Michael was right.

He described it
as being savory.

It had a sourness.

He took a risk here,
and I'm so glad he did.

I didn't pound it at all.
I just diced it.

I want to get
the momentum going.

I'm not winning
every challenge,

and at this point
in the game,

not winning this one
would really be devastating.

Mikey, really, tell me
what you think for real.

I didn't eat it together.

But I mean, I think
all the flavors work.

You know, I mean,
it makes sense.

Lobster jus,
seared fish.

It's a giant sense
of relief when I'm done.

And then all of a sudden
it's, like,

there's only gonna be
three of us tomorrow.

All that anxiety comes
rushing back to me.

I'm really proud of them.
They did a beautiful job

in difficult circumstances.

They really embraced
the challenge,

and I think we have
a very tough decision ahead.

Commodore, Beatrice,

thank you so much
for allowing us

to celebrate
with all of you.

Let's get back
to the judges' table.

All right, guys,
let's get out of here.

I just thought
I had a good dish.

And then you get,
like, a smack in the face.

Yeah.
What's wrong with you?

We see all these islands.
We even see, like,

the real Gilligan's Island,
so it's pretty cool.

We're thinking who
amongst us

would be what character
from that show.

So I'd be the Professor,
of course.

I'd probably be the skipper,
'cause I'm the big, old guy.

Then you'd have the two girls.
We'd have ginger and Mary Ann.

Tiffany would be Ginger. She
kind of reminds me of a ginger.

I don't know why.
She just looks like a ginger.

Gilligan was Carla.

Apparently, I'm Ginger.

I don't really know why.

I don't wear evening gowns.

- It was un--
- It was really--it was really...

The weather was perfect.

Getting that conch out,
though, I was, like...

Getting 'em out of the shell
was a pain in the ass.

Did you taste my conch?

[Laughs]

I did taste your conch,
Mikey.

Was it cooked enough?

I though it was
cooked enough.

I don't know, man.
I'm just nervous.

I'm actually happy
with my dish.

I did exactly what I said
I was gonna do,

and what I wanted to do.
I liked it.

Richie, you feel good?

No. I never feel good.
You know that.

I definitely did something
in a different direction

than the three of you.

Like, I went
different flavor profile.

It was too classic.

Yeah, potato noodles are
super-classic.

What's wrong with you?

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

We'd like to see all of you.
Thank you.

Let's go see
what they have to say.

Only three of you
will be moving on

to compete for the $200,000,
furnished by Buitoni.

You guys did a great job.
What was really impressive,

besides the food,
there was not one grain of sand

in any of the dishes.

It was a tough challenge, and
you guys really did a great job.

- Antonia.
- For me, especially coming out

of the last challenge,
I felt giving you this

was a direct reflection
of me being out there today.

It's where my mind went

with the conch and the sauce
and the fish.

You found
a very nice balance

into the sweetness,
the spiciness.

I think it was right on.

- Thank you.
- It was a good dish.

I wish the conch were cut
a little bigger,

so you can get more
of the conch flavor.

It was cut the same size
as the brunoise

of everything else,
and it got a little lost--

you had to really fish for it.

I did like the amount
of sear on the fish.

I thought that was great,
but my fish was overcooked.

Paul, who was sitting
next to me--his was undercooked.

I didn't like
the conventionality of it.

Out of all four plates,

I would say yours was
the most predictable

in presentation

in a way, I actually
find that to be a compliment.

And I know
it might sound crazy,

but I look at it like
that's my style of food.

You know, I want you
to look at a dish and say,

"that is exactly the way
Antonia cooks."

Four elements on a plate,
well done,

and something that I want to eat
in those surroundings.

And that's what I feel like
I did today.

Richard.

Hopefully, I'm showing
a sense of authorship

and uniqueness.

From my season, getting back,
getting another chance to win

would be the proudest moment
of my professional career.

Well, your pasta was
quite unusual.

I actually thought
it was pasta at one point.

I mentioned that
I couldn't believe

you actually made pasta,
'cause it was tender.

I didn't get crunch
in it at all.

So it was a nice little plate.
I really enjoyed the dish.

Richard, you certainly
didn't use ingredients

that I would associate
with being right here,

in terms of the location.

For example, the mushrooms,
fennel seed.

But it really worked.

I think the conch,
you cooked it to perfection.

I got to the lobster,
but it was undercooked.

Tiffany.

I feel like
I did a good dish.

Sometimes I do some stuff,
I'm, like,

"what in the world
was I thinking?"

But everything today
made sense for me.

I thought that everything
inside was cooked perfectly.

I loved the combination
of the conch with the fish,

and the cilantro did it for me.
Thank you.

I loved the idea
of the chowder,

and I really liked how
you used the conch

in two different ways,
but did you mean for it

to be hot or cold?

It was hot when it
came off the fire.

Why was it cold?

It really did get windy

when I was plating.

It's just the way
it all went down.

The flavors were there.

It was bold,
and a little bit of spice.

The cilantro was nice.
The basil was nice.

The only thing I found, it was
a little on the sweet side.

Mike?

I felt like I really
embraced the challenge.

I thought it was a fun

Caribbean-influence
style dish

that I used a lot
of local ingredients.

What were the spices
the you braised

the pineapple in,
exactly?

A curry mix.

I thought that pineapple
was amazing.

I thought it was
a really interesting dish.

- I'm trying.
- I enjoyed the banana leaf--

the smokiness
that you got from that.

It really gave it
almost a mysterious flavor.

The only problem I had
with the dish was the butter.

When you think
of tropical flavors,

butter doesn't come
into play anywhere.

But that said, I liked it.
Thank you.

Please return
to the stew room.

Thank you.

Now I know why you're stressed
before judges' table every time.

- Why?
- I just thought I had

a really good dish,
and I thought

I just had a sh*t to win.

But then you get, like,
a smack in the face.

Well, we have to decide
who's moving on

to the final three.

I mean, it's not gonna
be easy.

All four of these dishes
were good.

They all did exactly
what we asked them to do.

More or less, they all did
a pretty good job

using the conch.

I really like
how Richard used the conch.

It really was reminiscent
of clams.

A beautiful segue for him
to kind of connect

where he's from,
and where he is right now.

I thought the flavors were all
nicely put together.

You know, the twist
with the sweet potato,

I thought that was
nicely done.

I think he did
a nice job with this.

Even though it was
a well-conceived dish,

the lobster--
there was some inconsistency.

You had a great piece
of lobster--maybe mine wasn't--

yours was undercooked.
Yeah.

We all had some issues.
I had--

obviously, two people had
slightly undercooked lobster,

which I don't believe.

Let's talk about
Antonia's dish.

I really liked
the consistency.

The viscosity of the sauce
was right there.

Even though the conditions
were not the best.

I think her conch was
the least impactful

of all the dishes.

And that was because
it was cut so small,

you could barely tell
what it was.

She wanted to make
her food,

and we might not have thought
it was the most creative,

the most unusual...

but there's something to be said
for pleasing your customer.

She made that table
very happy today.

And they're native
of the islands,

so they know how
to eat conch.

I love Tiffany's concept.

I love what she had in mind
to do.

The balance of the flavors
were there.

I was able to taste
the conch,

and I was able
to taste the fish.

It just missed.

The flavors didn't
come together.

And there was an overall
sweetness to the dish

that I didn't care for.

If we had eaten
Tiffany's chowder

the way she had intended it,
piping hot,

it would have been
a different dish.

But that's what's bizarre
about the whole thing.

How do you take cold civiche
and put it into a hot soup?

I don't get it.
It's weird. It's strange.

I found Mike's dish
unusual,

and that's why it worked
so well, because he found a way

to incorporate flavors
that I would never put together.

Pineapple, pancetta,
the conch,

and the banana leaf
itself.

I think it was
a little bit greasy,

but that could have been
from the butter.

That's probably
what threw me off.

I like when I
dig into something,

and I taste it--I have to think
about what I'm eating.

You're looking at the plate,
and everything that's on there

is making that work.

I don't know.

It's so hard to tell who's--
who's gonna win and lose.

Well, I do think
we have a decision.

Yes.

Okay, let's get them
out here.

[Dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Chefs, today's challenge
was to create an elegant meal

on the beach for the Commodore
and his guests

to commemorate
the 80th Anniversary

of the Nassau Yacht Club.

And I have to say
we all agree

that you guys did
a fantastic job.

It was really difficult
to pick a winner.

There was on Chef
who had a really unique dish

and I think showcased conch

in the most creative way.
And that Chef is...

Michael.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

I'm just so happy right now.

I got two down,
and two to go.

And I'm ready to kick ass.

Thank you very much.
I appreciate it, everybody.

I'm showing Blais that

I can compete with him,
and even b*at him.

It's hard to celebrate
when you're alone.

Maybe it wasn't a fluke that
I kicked Mike Voltaggio's ass.

Maybe I am a different Chef
right now.

You know, I'm ready.
I want to be Top Chef.

Cheers.

[Dramatic music]

♪ ♪

So this was a very
difficult decision.

But in the end,
the majority of us thought

that one dish was just
a little less successful

than the rest.

Richard, the flavors
were really great.

I love the way
you used the conch.

Unfortunately,
some of your lobster was

just a bit undercooked.

Tiffany, you gave us
a wonderful chowder,

a lot of different things
going on.

However, today your soup
arrived cold,

and it was just too sweet.

Antonia, you gave us
a very simple

and straightforward dish,

but it was just bursting
with flavor.

It was a little
on the spicy side,

and there were some
inconsistencies in the cooking.

Unfortunately,
one of you has to go home.

[Dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Tiffany, please
pack your knives and go.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.
It has been a pleasure.

It hurts of course.

I hope to see all of y'all
in Dallas one day.

I feel like the dish was
a good dish.

But I was outcooked,
and that's the bottom line.

Her dish was just a little
on the sweet side for me.

It didn't all really work.

It's you?

Everyone here
has worked for

some pretty big-name Chefs.

I have not worked with one
big-name Chef.

I've been self-taught.

I was doing good
till the last...

You did a great job, Tif.

You're amazing.
You really are.

Be proud.

Give each other
a run for the money.

$200,000,
that's a lot of money.

[Laughter]

Bye, y'all.

I feel it's important
to keep going.

Sometimes you don't get
to where you want to go,

but I know you get much further
than you were before.

- Next on Top Chef
All-Stars...

Your task is daunting--

their last supper.

Oh, [bleep]. This is
definitely the most pressure

I've felt
throughout the competition.

I mean, this is it.

Mikey gave it to me
twice today.

I don't wanna lose to you.

This should be a walk
in the park for you.

I'm gonna call the [bleep]
on that one.

No equipment mother[bleep].

Didn't you have trouble
opening a pressure cooker?

It tastes like it's about
to go rancid. Blecch.

We know that something
is wrong.

- I'm sorry.
- Uh-oh.

Whoever wins is getting
that last spot.

- Remember this?
- Oh, [bleep].

For more about the recipes
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