Crab cakes are prepared by the 17 remaining contestants after they retrieve the main ingredient for their dishes from the ocean. Later, seafood is a problem for one team, which leads to their early expulsion from the kitchen.

The Top 15 contestants face chopping more than 500 pounds of onions if they lose the first challenge, which is to prepare American comfort food for two guest judges. Later, a special family-style dinner service ends with an elimination.