We're ready to gather around the TV and cheer as the last challenge before next week's "Top Chef Just Desserts" final calls on the surviving chefs – including the pride of St. Croix, Orlando Santos – to create a dessert in disguise, something that looks like an entree, but tastes like a dessert.

If Orlando survives this round, he's in next week's final. Just 5 minutes until the episode begins.

10 p.m.

Breakfast for the chefs – Sally and Orlando are cooking some egg thing, the bros - Chris and Matt – are chowing down on Cap'n Crunch. Mmmm! That's fine breakfast cuisine!

No quickfire challenge ths week, they're going straight to the final challenge. Each is called on to pick a country. Then they're told to make a dessert that looks like an iconic dish from that country.

Now I get it. They showed a bunch of different disguised dishes – they look like a pork chops and a plate of buffalo wings, but they're dessert. Cute.

Orlando picked Spain, and now it comes out. He traveled to Spain after coming out as a gay man. He says his family wasn't able to deal with it and have completely separated themselves from him. So Spain is a reminder of a hard time, but also a reminder to him of who he is, and he turns to the task with renewed vigor. "I'm attracted to hot dudes walking down the street, not blonde models with long eyelashes."

My wife Tori said, "I officially love him. Because I'm attracted to the same thing he is." I've decided to take that as meaning she thinks of me as a hot dude.

 10:12

Chris wants to do beef Wellington, which he thinks for some reason is French. Beef Wellington? Named for the British general who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo? Does that seem likely? What does this say about where Chris went to school?

Orlando has learned! He just said he's had a tough time throughout the contest, butting heads with everyone who disagreed with him, but has realized that Johnny is the head judge and a talented chef and maybe he should be listened to. Orlando did make nice with Judge Johnny saying he needs to listen to the judges if he wants to be in the finale.

So Orlando is making "paella." Compressed plum for the bits of fish. I didn't see what he's using for the rice and other ingredients, but he seems to be carving a lemon. It's actually kind of brilliant. Paella is brilliant. And right in line with Island culture.

Matt took Italy, so he's got an easy one. Manicotti.

"Chris, your nuts are in the oven!" They were going to burn, but Orlando warned Chris to pull them out in time. OK, there's an obvious joke there, but I'm going to avoid it.

 10:24

Scandal! Chris is using frozen puff pastry! He's not making his own puff pastry, and he told Judge Johnny he was planning to use "anything but puff pastry." Meanwhile Matt spent 45 minutes to cut the grooves on his faux pasta. On the plate, it looks like manicotti with a cream cheese filling and a sauce. Wow.

Orlando is using a blend of saffron and coconut rice, As he whips it up he says, "Thank god my mother taught me how to make rice!"

Big time panel of judges, none of whom I recognize. They loved Matt's dish when he brought it out, but halfway they're bored.

And right away, Judge Johnny explains about the Duke of Wellington, but they're giving it to him. They mostly seem to like it.

And here goes Orlando! It was a sprint to the finish. Roasted beets! No chocolate, the first thing he's made that doesn't have it. The judges seem split. But I'm thinking it looked great, it was different and one of the panelists loved his beet "chorizo." But another shrugged it off with a "so what."

Sally made a Cuban sandwich. Not a big hit with the judges. She walked back into the kitchen with a sigh. Orlando, Chris and Matt applauded her. She stopped, blew them kisses with a smile, and said, "My boys."

So they're heading for the final judging, and it's anybody's game.

Tori just screamed, "Too much pressure!"

 10:42

Judging. And because of a technical glitch I just lost about 10 minutes of writing!

In a nuthshell, the judges said pretty much exactly what they said during the service. The most interesting was when Johnny asked Orlando if he was scared. "Yes, I'm scared," he admitted. I'm not sure he could have said that at the beginning of the contest.

Sally won the challenge. So she's in the final. Two spots left, and the three guys. We're thinking Matt is out. His entree was the plainest.

Chris is in.

It's Orlando or Matthew. One is out, and one is going to the final. And we have to wait until after the commercial to find out who!

10:56

The moment of truth. One is going home.

Matt's aesthetic details were perfect, but the flavors were kinda boring.

Orlando's flavors were great, but his presentation was called sloppy and texture mushy. And ...

Orlando didn't make it! He's out! Noooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orlando is crushed, and we are very upset. But Orlando said he learned. "Top Chef has shown me that other opinions matter," he said.

And the three successful are already talking about what they'll do next week. And Orlando is history.

One episode to go. The finals. And St. Croix's Orlando Santos isn't in it. Tori is done. She won't watch next week without Orlando. I haven't made up my mind. If anyone is out there reading this, let me know if you think I should write up the final. Drop a comment.