Upon arrival on set in Los Angeles, each rival received a red journal to use for dish planning and reflection.
Next to Go
Boston chef Mary Dumont was the next to leave her journal — and the competition — behind.
Eye on the Prize
Chef Dumont kept her focus through six challenges, even after a bad cut in Episode Two.
Sandwich Inspiration
The first pages of Chef Dumont's journal reveal her plan for a beach-inspired soup-and-sandwich combo.
"Trip to the Beach"
Her ideas materialized into a tempura oyster sandwich on a biscuit with yellow tomato soup: "All the flavors play into the beach, where I'm from."
Challenge: Corn
With corn as her desert island ingredient, Chef Dumont jotted down various ways to use it: in a soup, a salsa and an escabeche.
A Desert Island Success
Judge Michael Symon loved that Chef Dumont used every part of the corn: "It gave the dish depth."
Battle Wounds
Chef Dumont's takeaway from the coffee and doughnuts challenge? "Don't cut finger ever again!"
Missing Doughnuts
After that setback, Chef Dumont struggled to make up time and had to present incomplete dishes. She was voted least-favorite that round, and even agreed with her peers: "I'll be honest. My dish was my least favorite."
One-Hour Pot Roast
In the next challenge, Chef Dumont had to come up with a way to cook pot roast in an hour. Her solution? The pressure cooker.
Tough Meat, Tough Luck
The judges deemed Chef Dumont's pot roast far too tough. She knew her choice of equipment was a gamble: "I don't use pressure cookers, but it was a risk that I needed to take."
Battle Pickle
Chef Estes was also heart-set on butter lettuce for her pickle snack, but Chef Dumont managed to snag it: "I've been super-nice all this time, but there was no way in hell I was going to let her get that lettuce."
Lettuce Victory
In the peer-judging session, Chef Tsai praised Chef Dumont's chicken lettuce cups. He liked that she used the "heat" of the pickle instead of the "sourness" of the pickle.
Catch of the Day
Chef Dumont caught a baby shark on the fishing trip, but she threw it back. She was left with rockfish and scorpion fish, and she sketched out a plan for Billi-Bi soup with clams and a tartare with pineapple.
Final Plates
The dishes that ultimately sent Chef Dumont packing: Seared Rockfish and Cockle Billi-Bi (pictured) and Scorpion Fish Tartare With Pineapple Puree.
Parting Words
On the last page of her journal, Chef Dumont quotes legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. Her final thoughts for the cameras: "I'm disappointed I didn't get more time to show who I really am as a chef."
