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As a reminder, the four Craft workers still battling are the two sweaty guys, the handlebar mustache guy and the horny South African Colicchio stalker. They probably have real names but you know the deal. Having previously aced the tortellini test, Lizzie now impresses Tom with her pasta. I am ready to call her a mortal lock for Seattle. Meanwhile, Colicchio himself comments on Anthony’s tentative behavior. He is content to stand back in the kitchen rather than step up.

Tom also compliments Micah for his duck. What he is truly appreciating, though, is Micah’s leadership in the kitchen. This is Micah’s element, his home. Any previous issues the contender had demonstrated with fear have been long since dismissed. Micah too appears likely to advance to Seattle.

Handlebar Mustache Guy is less fortunate. I probably should look up his name again yet I don’t see the point. He has just served a dish to Tom that causes the Top Chef host to recoil. Tom goes the extra step to ask one of his Craft employees to sample the flavor as well. Both agree that the prevalence of salt overwhelms the dish. Tom decides not to serve his dish to the customer. Yikes. Handlebar Mustache Guy will not be joining Rollie Fingers in the Hall of Fame any time soon. And not just because he is a chef rather than a baseball player.

Anthony is the final potential Top Chef whose fate is undetermined, assuming I am reading the tea leaves correctly. His odds seem long in that he has given in to panic thus far. To Anthony's credit, however, when he does begin to cook, he recovers admirably. Tom notes that a dish is "seasoned perfectly," which re-energizes the struggling man. From that moment forward, Anthony displays the expertise that led to his being one of the 21 possible Top Chef: Seattle competitors. The question becomes whether his delicious food is enough to overcome his tentative nature.

Alas, the answer is no. Tom reveals the identities of the players who will move on to Seattle. The first name announced is John Tesar. The remaining four players are shocked. They all believed he had been eliminated almost immediately. Then, Lizzie is given the great news that she will advance. She overcomes the urge to pin Tom on the ground and thank him the Biblical way. For now. This is probably a good time to inform Lizzie that Tom is married. Somehow, I doubt that she cares, though.

Jorel is quickly eliminated for his too-salty fondue. Soon afterward, Anthony is informed that he “just missed the mark." Even if this is true, Anthony comported himself the way that everyone should. Undeterred by his initial struggles, he overcame those failures and wound up presenting some great dishes. I hope he is given another chance at some point.

Micah is a bit nervous as the final person standing in front of Tom. The host tortures him just a bit before revealing that Micah has become the 15th and final participant for Top Chef: Seattle. As I speculated earlier, this is the smallest group of contestants since Season 3. There is also a tremendous pedigree at the top of the list, indicating that we are poised for a great season. And I think we all look forward to the John Tesar meltdowns.

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