Stephen Coe operates two restaurants on St. Croix — 1756 Grotto and St. Croix Cellars — which means he has spent years cooking French technique for an audience that has tasted everything and is paying island prices for the result. There is no margin for a thin bisque.
Bisque depends on shellfish stock concentrated past the point where most home cooks would call it done. Coe's was concentrated past that point twice. Bobby's, per the broadcast, was the first concentration. One bowl had three days of work in it. The other did not.
The judges could taste the time. The judges always can.