A lot of stupid crap for a show where the mantra has been "it's all about the food."

We still enjoy the show, but believe that the producers should (and will) be a little more careful in the selection of new cheftestants and challenges for season three. This season's a little unhinged.

In any case, we want to try and forget this episode and are just looking forward to the finals in Hawaii, which starts tonight. Forgive us for our brevity.

In the Quickfire Challenge, the contestants must shill for Nestle by making something with chocolate. Ilan tries turning a chicken liver into candy. Elia makes a chicken with mole sauce and a dessert (a "kiss"); guest judge (and stratospheric superstar chef) Eric Ripert says she'd have won if she'd skipped the bird. Cliff also makes chicken. Marcel does a potato cannoli duo, one with chocolate cream, the other with coffee cream. Sam makes an interesting dish out of shrimp, bananas, chocolate, and chipotle, and wins.

His prize? Well, the elimination challenge is a five-course Valentine's Day-style meal; he gets to choose which course and which protein. The meal will be cooked for restaurant patrons up in lovely Santa Barbara (our old home town! Go Dons!).