Gordon Ramsay's 'Master Chef' Loses a Top Contender

The third season of Gordon Ramsay's Master Chef is proving the most difficult one yet. This week, one of the show's top contenders lost a chance at the money, a cookbook deal and the trophy and title.

The week started off with another one of the most dreaded challenges.

Mystery Box Challenge

For this challenge the chefs received a t-bone steak, cabbage, cayenne pepper, corn, paprika, peach, sour cream, tarragon and watermelon. From those ingredients they received 60 minutes to turn $15 worth of Wal-Mart food into a $40 restaurant dish. Three chefs impressed the judges.

Frank presented a grilled steak with corn slaw and cream sauce. Gordon Ramsey called it a "bloody good dish." Graham Elliot said it was "spot on." Joe Bastianich said it looked and tasted like Frank had entire pantry at his disposal. It was the greatest compliment he good think of giving.

Tanya presented a tarragon steak with braised cabbage. Judge Elliot predicted it wouldn't be her last time in the top three. Judge Ramsay declared it "a dish worth $40".

Becky put away the steak and focused her efforts on the peach. Her caramelized peach dessert won praise. Joe called it "top-notch." Graham said it was "beautiful in its simplicity".

Still, the judges had a winner in mind. That honor fell to Tanya. She got to make some choices for the next challenge.

Elimination Challenge

The theme for the Elimination Challenge was the judges' favorite desserts. Joe's favorite dessert choice was tiramisu. Graham's was strawberry shortcake. Gordon chose trifle.

Tanya got exempted from the challenge, which involved all three dishes. However, she also got to choose which of her competitors prepared which dish. She chose Anna, David, Frank and Felix to make tiramisu. She chose Christine, Mike, Scott and Tali to make strawberry shortcake. She chose Becky, Josh, Monti and Stacey to make trifle.

The judges called Felix's tiramisu "disappointing". Joe Bastianich chastised the cook for use macadamia nuts. Graham Elliot called the dish "not good". Gordon Ramsay said it was "too sweet" and "a mess". Anna's dessert won praise from Bastianich. He called it "balanced" and "great." Frank's dessert pleased as well. However, David's tiramisu surprised everyone. Bastianich declared it looked "gross" and "tasted worse".

The worst tiramisu dish, however, was Felix's. She slid into the bottom three for possible elimination.

Up next were the trifles. Josh's trifle disgusted judge Bastianich. He said it tasted "like a banana split", which it wasn't supposed to do. Judge Elliot said the dish had "no heart". Monti's trifle; however, delighted Gordon Ramsay who declared it "really delicious." Stacey's dish won high praise for its originality and boldness. Judge Ramsay called it "delicious". Judge Elliot said it was "balanced". Becky's trifle failed to please. Judge Bastianich spit out the bite he took, calling the dish "inedible". Judge Ramsay said it had "too many strong flavors". Judge Elliot predicted the dish would send her home.

Elliot's prediction weighed on Becky's mind as she got put into the bottom three. Everyone wondered if it was her time to go home.

Strawberry shortcake came last. Mike's shortcake mystified Joe. He called it "poorly executed." Christine's non-strawberry dessert disappointed Chef Ramsay in one way but still delighted his palate. Tali's shortcake proved a hit. Gordon Elliot called it "very good". However, Scott's dessert failed to please anyone. Joe said it was "over dense" and "too sweet". That earned Scott the last place in the bottom three.

With Becky, Felix and Scott up for elimination, the decision was a difficult one. All three dishes disappointed. However, it was Scott's dish that left everyone baffled. It earned the hopeful winner of Gordon Ramsay's Master Chef a trip home instead.