On "Top Chef," a frontrunner emerges as the numbers dwindle

Well, as a Savannah fan, it certainly goes without saying that I’m a happy camper after that episode! Featuring a "show us your growth" elimination challenge and a tried-and-true "Top Chef" classic with a blindfolded taste test component in the Quick Fire, this episode fired on all cylinders. I actually didn't think that the Quick Fire even had to be discussed whatsoever at judges' table because I figured Manny’s fish would’ve been a clear-cut reason for a "pack your knives and go," but I guess Dan’s over-smoked dish must’ve been objectionable enough to warrant QF discussion. I also liked how succinctly Kristen summed up Dan's dish in the elimination challenge, comparing his "Restaurant Wars" walleye iteration to this one and saying that it was "less successful, so the growth isn't there" — which, of course, is the whole point of the challenge. His reaction to both Dan's Quick Fire dish and to to Danny's use of the word "subtle" as he presented his elimination challenge dish cracked me up — as did that moment with the credit card at Ristorante Bartolotta.