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The guests take their seats and the real meal begins - it's Stefan's carpaccio vs. Carla's red fish and saffron aioli vs. Hosea's trio of raw fish. Carla has a huge hit, with one guest saying that it was something special. Another guest says that she would order it again in a minute, taking her next breath to criticize Hosea's dish for not "popping." Fabio (our fourth runner up) agrees and says that it needs salt. As for Stefan's dish, the halibut overpowers his salmon and the freezing process that he put the fish through rendered the dish watery. WOOHOO! I think round one goes to Carla! I'm thrilled.

Round two sees Stefan's squab against Carla's NY strip loin and Hosea's seared scallop. Gail immediately criticizes Carla's steak for being too tough and Tom agrees, saying that sous-vide cooking removes any sense of spontaneity in the cooking. Both Tom and Toby Young agree that the dish seems nothing like what they would have expected from Carla (damn you, Casey!!!). Meanwhile, Stefan has hit his dish out of the park with a beautifully cooked squab and a classy preparation. Gail loves Hosea's dish but guest Rocco DiSpirito says that he's tired of foie gras. Call round two for Stefan.

Round three sees Stefan's ice cream and mousses against Carla's soufflé and Hosea's venison. Oh lord...but wait, we have a disaster. Carla apparently forgot to turn her oven down while cooking her soufflé and the tops are bubbling over (I don't know a lot about soufflé but apparently they're not supposed to bubble). She's mortified and I'm aghast. In a last ditch effort, Carla ditches her soufflé and serves the remaining half of the dish that she's happy with.

"I would give a half a dish before I served [those soufflés]. The main part of what brings the elements together doesn't make it on the dish" she says. My heart is breaking for her. I'd also really like to break Casey's legs.

Gail, upon eating Carla's dish, admits relief that Carla didn't actually intend for her dish to look the way it looks, saying that, "if anyone could have made a good dessert tonight, it would have been Carla so I'm incredibly disappointed that whatever happened in the kitchen didn't make it to the plate." Me too, Gail.

Meanwhile, Tom hates Stefan's dessert, saying that it's not a complete thought. Gail says that it's dated presentation, arguing that it "sings 1982."

On the other hand, Tom says that Hosea's venison dish was well done and Gail says that she really enjoyed it. Even Fabio, who's been Stefan's stalwart supporter through this entire competition says that Hosea served a better set of dishes. "I think for the way that they decided to end this, it hurts me to say it because I would like the title in Europe but I think Hosea closed the meal in a much better way." Call Round 3 and the title for Hosea.

Back at Judges table, we go one by one through the chefs and their dishes. We start with Carla. Gail professes love for Carla's appetizer. Tom and Gail both praise her first course but then criticize her meat and potatoes second dish.

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