Even before Matthew took his place in the spotlight for his first-ever pitch to the judges, the rival made a lasting impression on both Bobby and Giada, as well as on his fellow rivals. He called Emilia "Stepford" after her presentation, and he was quick to poke fun at Dom's New York accent.

In what would ultimately go down as one of the most-trying challenges of the season, the Episode 2 Star Challenge asked the finalists to cook out of their comfort zones and bake — but savory dishes, not sweet treats. "I just freak out because I'm not a baker," Sita said.

The girls were set on delivering a sensual performance at the Week 3 dinner party, and indeed they delivered, presenting a themed menu of sultry dishes. Michelle took that idea one step further by not-so-subtle flirting with Geoffrey Zakarian, one of the day's guest judges. "Suddenly I'm telling Geoffrey Zakarian I'm on a yacht for two with him. I mean, I don't even know what I'm saying," she explained later.

Just when the finalists thought they could get started on their all-American dishes for the July 4th cookout, the Committee introduced the first of what would ultimately be several switcheroos in the upcoming episodes. The three teams had to trade ingredients with one another, devastating Dom in the process. "The steak was so beautiful I picked out," he said, saddened to hand over his meaty rib eyes.