WATCH: The Harshest Top Chef Masters Judging All Season, With A Surprising Conclusion

On last night’s Top Chef: Masters, the chefs behaved in a remarkably civilized fashion, with not a single brawl erupting all episode. Perhaps they were inspired by the classy Dîner en Blanc Las Vegas they were tasked with catering for last night’s elimination challenge and chose to rise above? So, natch, the critics had to step in and ramp up the drama. While no fights broke out between the lone remaining rivalry — Patricia Yeo v. Lorena Garcia — they did wind up in the bottom two, and this particular episode boasted some of the harshest criticism all season.

Chris Cosentino emerged victorious last night as the challenge winner, but his mentor Patricia was in danger of going home, and, of course, the competition-wide restaurant chefs vs TV chefs tension arose. The cheftestants managed to subtly condescend to Lorena’s cooking ability as a non-restaurant chef in the confessional, but Ruth Reichl actually used the word “hate” to describe her food from last night. Check out the wicked judging below.

Ultimately, Lorena’s ability to produce one perfect picnic food (her potato dish) saved her, while all three of Patricia’s courses were a flop and she was sent home. Ouch. No one saw that coming, but some of us are still a wee bit bitter about it.

Do you think judges made the right call, sending Patricia home and Lorena to the top three?

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