Morning. Jen sits by the pool while Robin does exercises outside alone on her little yoga mat. And she's actually not talking for once! In the words of Depeche Mode, enjoy the silence. Inside, Eli, the brothers Volt, and Mike I. are hanging out, waiting for the day to start. They look like a boy band (or man band) since they are all wearing matching white T-shirts and dark pants. Michael V. interviews that he was in the bottom for the first time on the last challenge, and narrowly escaped going home, and he didn't like it. Just when you think he's lost his swagger, he compares himself to Babe Ruth and says that even the Babe struck out sometimes. So in other words, he's awesome and it was just a blip. Nice to know his ego is still intact.

Eli gets the call home this week, so either he's going to do really well, or he's going home. He reveals, to the shock of no one who has watched him be an immature dick this season, that he still lives with his parents at the age of 25, and he's close with them. Him being a mama's boy does not surprise me at all. Also, his Crocs are the most disgusting, filthy things I've ever seen. Dude, they cost like $30. Treat yourself to a new pair, because those are gross. Anyway, he interviews that he also doesn't like being in the bottom of the pack, and he doesn't want to be known as the guy who did poorly on Top Chef for the rest of his career.

Robin finishes up her Pilates routine as she interviews that she had cancer and cancer cancer and she beat cancer and cancer and cancer and lots of stuff about cancer, and I tuned out somewhere. I think it's great that she beat cancer. I can't imagine the impact that would have on your life. I don't watch this show for inspirational stories about beating cancer. I want to see some interesting and good food, thanks.

Quickfire Challenge. The cheftestants arrive in the kitchen and Padma introduces them to Charlie Palmer, who Michael Volt tells us is "the pioneer of American cooking." Palmer immediately reveals that he worked with both of the brothers Volt before, but he promises not to let that influence his judging. I can believe it. If anything, he'll probably be harder on them as a result. Padma explains that they need to pay some bills, so the challenge will be to create a dish pairing a product-placed snack food (think fried waffle chips or fancy Andy Capp fries) with a dish each cheftestant creates. The snack foods come in different flavors, and the cheftestants get to choose whatever they want.