I so dearly wished that last night's "Top Chef" had featured a Turducken, that unholy dish that could serve as the illustration of "gluttony" in a dictionary or, at least, Wikipedia.

The remaining Top Cheffers were whipped into shape by one Gavin Kaysen, of Cafe Boulud and "Iron Chef" fame. Kaysen challenged our bedraggled bunch to look lively, and produce, in 90 minutes, a protein stuffed with two proteins, also known as a ballotine. "Like a Turducken!," I squeaked, just as Jen said she was considering making one. Alas, she was joking, but I was happy she flashed some of that personal charm that I haven't seen in a few episodes now.

Jen produces a successful calamari steak, salmon and scallops dish that gets her top honors (plus an extra 30 minutes to cook during the Elimination Challenge). Micheal Voltaggio falls to the bottom of the list when Kaysen says that Michael's chicken terrine with bacon and turkey mousseline is not technically a ballotine. Michael, who cannot lose without having some mouthy thing to say, gripes that he wasn't technically asked to do a ballotine, conveniently ignoring that his colleagues managed to get the message clearly.

The Quick Fire Challenge, and the Elimination Challenge that followed, were inspired by the Bocuse d'Or, a foodie Olympics that looks like what you get when you cross "Iron Chef" with steroids and soccer fans. In other words, awesomeness served on giant mirrored platters. Literally.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are given 90 minutes to cook for twelve judges, including representatives from the American Bocuse d'Or board and oh, Thomas Keller, America's bona fide Top Chef if there ever was one. The restrictions: use lamb or salmon and present two garnishes in a style that illustrates the chef's intricacy, technique and presentation skills. The dish is to be served Bocuse d'Or-style on a mirrored platter.

The Elimination Challenge is "a battle of perfection," Jen astutely says at one point. The smallest details will not be overlooked or forgiven, and each dish will scrutinized with the intent to find mistakes. The cheftestants (sans Michael, who opts for sleep) spend the evening watching Bocuse d'Or footage and trading tips on technique.

Kevin decides he's going to stick with what he knows but will up his game by cooking his lamb loin sous vide, after getting some tips from Bryan. Michael, whose passing resemblance to Eminem may not be coincidental, says, "The food that Kevin cooks is the food that I cook on my day off." Really. Well, guess who won the challenge? Kevin, who squeaks by with a poached lamb loin, sherry-glazed beet and asparagus in sunchoke cream that the judges laud as well executed. That said, Tom Colicchio notes an almost "elementary" level of cooking that would not fly in the real Bocuse d'Or.

But Kevin's instincts to stay simple (and play it safe, notes Gail Simmons) pay off for him when his colleagues are felled by cooking mistakes. This story might have ended differently had Bryan not run out of time. The judges approved of Bryan's crusted lamb loin concept but bemoaned how undercooked it was. Jennifer's salmon and caviar also notched complaints of poor cooking. Eli's sausage-wrapped lamb was so barely cooked that the camera lingered on several bright red, untouched loins at the judges' table.

As for Michael, for all his grousing over Kevin's cooking, he also came under fire for his concept. His Mediterranean salmon with cauliflower chickpea tart and zucchini tzatziki failed to convince the judges. When Michael gambled on technique, he gave up on flavor, he was told. Moreover, there was a bone in a judge's dish, which the judges make out to be the type of culinary sin that can only be spoken of with a quiet shudder, like donut hamburgers or that weird pizza that comes with things baked into the ends of the crust.

Eli, whose bloody rare lamb cannot be tolerated, is sent home in an anti-climatic goodbye. As he left, it seemed like the whole of "Las Vegas" was setting up our final four to be, well, the Final Four. Although somewhat expected, it also appears deserved. There were really no other consistently strong enough competitors to take on Kevin, Jen and the Volt powerhouse.

Next week: Goodbye, Las Vegas! Hello, Napa Valley!