Niles' gourmet club will soon be awarding the annual Golden Apron Award, and the final phase of the contest requires each contender to host a dinner party at his/her home. Since Niles is deeply ashamed to allow the club into his apartment at the Shangri-La, Frasier offers to let him use his place. This seems ideal, especially when Martin mentions that there is a meteor shower predicted on the evening in question, and Frasier's balcony would be useful as an observation deck. However, Niles discovers a crack in one of the windows, with tape over it, and promptly says the party will have to be somewhere else. He remembers that Maris has a beach house that would present a perfect setting, and she is out of the country. Frasier is offended at the rejection of his own apartment, but Niles says he can still attend the party. On first inspection of the house, everything seems fine, until they follow the trail of a horrendous smell and discover a dead seal lying on the beach outside. Desperate that this evening should go well, Niles and Frasier must then hurry to dispose of the creature before the party starts.