For the elimination challenge, the 17 chefs were to make a dish that represented their home town. The challenge seemed a bit strange, considering most of the chefs were nowhere near their stomping grounds, making it difficult to procure local produce and foodstuffs. ("Top Chef Masters" judge Jay Rayner may have had a few things to say about this challenge, especially after his accusations in this heated online debate that Rick Moonen was being as sustainable as he touted himself to be) The chefs made do with what they could gather from Whole Foods, and headed to serve a party of 300 in D.C.