QUICKFIRE: It’s 5:45 a.m. and Tom Colicchio walks into the house saying up and at ‘em, chefs. ‘Em being eggs that need to be fried, sunny side up, scrambled or in an omelet for the diners at Lou Mitchell’s. With the breakfast joint’s owner Helene as judge, the six remaining chefs were sent into “the hole” to face fast and furious incoming orders from waitresses. Helene noted Antonia was calm and took direction well, but she also thought Dale did a good job. Antonia won the challenge and an important right for the elimination round.

ELIMINATION: Bring on da restaurant wars, Chicagah-style! The chefs were directed to an open space, big enough for two dining rooms to be set up with a kitchen for both teams to share. Antonia’s prize was getting to choose her team for the challenge, and without missing a beat, she returned to her wedding wars compadres Stephanie and Richard. That meant oil and water (Dale and Lisa) would mix it up in the kitchen once again with Mr. Goofball (the ever slippery Spike) in the shadows. Stephanie and Spike both took on the front of the house posts. Each team got $1,500 for food for about 35 diners and $5,000 at Pier One to decorate.
     Warehouse Kitchen (Team Antonia) opted for an elegant menu in casual atmosphere. Mai Buddha (Team Dale) opted for Asian cuisine in an elegant setting. Chef Anthony Bourdain — filling in for Colicchio who was called away to a charity function — saw that as a fatal flaw. He felt the Asian setting should be more modest, one in which you’d feel comfortable with greasy dumpling running down your face. The decor was setting them up for higher expectations.
     The episode’s twist was that each team got a choice of one set of helping hands from former contestants Mark, Andrew, Jenn or Nikki. Since Team Antonia was cooking linguine and clams and forgot to buy pasta, she picked Nikki the pastameister to help them out. Dale picked Jenn.
     Warehouse Kitchen’s menu started with a choice of beet salad with boucheron goat cheese and ras el hanout spices or linguine with clams, sausage and horseradish creme fraiche. Next was a choice of trout with caramelized and pureed cauliflower or lamb squared (pieces of loin and shank). For dessert they offered a savory Gorgonzola cheesecake with sweet potato puree and concord grape sauce or Richard’s reprise of his banana “scallops” with chocolate ice cream.
     Mai Buddha’s menu began with a choice of prawn laksa soup or homemade pork dumplings. The main course was a choice of braised short ribs or butterscotch miso scallops. To finish the meal, they offered Dale’s halo-halo with cantaloupe, coconut, avocado, kiwi and candied cashews or Lisa’s Mango sticky rice.
     With the tension setting the other team up in flames, Warehouse had an easy victory. The judges liked the surprise of sausage added to the linguine and clams, the presentation of the trout (with the skin still on), and the blend of flavors in the savory cheesecake. They did not like the smear of chocolate ice cream for… ahem… aesthetic reasons. Stephanie won for her cheesecake and clam dishes.
     Good comments for Mai Buddha were scant. Chef Bourdain called the butterscotched scallops “Willy Wonka” — like a melted candy bar. Chef Jose Andreas said nothing seemed to work in the dish. As for the laksa, Bourdain said it was so smoky it was like “putting your nose in a campfire.” And the other diners especially hated Lisa’s mango sticky rice that they called “baby food garnished with potpourri.” {shudder!} The judges complimented Spike’s “guile or luck” that made him know it would be smart to be MIA from the kitchen and a good day to be in the dining room.
     It came down to Dale complaining that Lisa was the weakest link, and Lisa countering that a team is only as good as its leader. Buh-bye, Dale! (Too bad — even though he was surly, he was often a great cook.)