1.  Writing “CROCADILE” on the counter when you serve something that looks like a bag of vomit inspired by a fashion designer to a completely different designer - NOT a good idea.

(You’d think this would be common knowledge, as well as the correct spelling of “crocodile.”  C’est la vie.)

2.  Quickfire challenges that don’t involve tasting the food - weird and off-putting.  Just a blatant waste of food and talent.

3. USE DRIED PASTA.

4. USE DRIED PASTA.

5. USE DRIED PASTA.

6. Listen to what the challenge is and customize your cooking to match it.  Antonia is the master of this.  She won the whole thing with a plate of mussels because it fit the bill - family style, simple Italian fare -  and Tom doesn’t even LIKE mussels.  That’s pretty amazing.

7. Being Italian does not mean you’ll win the Italian challenge (although it helps.)

8. The mob eats at Rao’s.  So if you’re not affiliated, don’t even try.

I kept telling my husband Tre was leaving because this is the first time he’s had any camera time whatsoever.  He thought it might be Dale, but that risotto did get shown a lot.  I really really wanted Isabella to go home for undercooking his pasta, but alas, it was not to be.  I did think the denial was funny - “The rigatoni was AL DENTE, it was AL DENTE, but in front of the judges table - “my pasta was undercooked.”

Mike has learned another Top Chef lesson well:

9. If you’re at the bottom, acknowledge that your dish sucked.  You will stay around to learn from your mistakes, whereas the one who defends their dish to the death, will, in fact, “die.” 

And..

10. Being on Antonia’s team doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going home.  I guess she was right that the whole black hammer thing has been a “coincidence.”  Her entire team was on top, after all.

Top 3: Blais, Angelo, and Antonia.  (I really don’t know - Dale and Carla could be up there as well)

Winner: Blais

Next to go: Please let it be Mike! But it probably won’t be - I’ll say…..Tiffany.  For no reason whatsover.  Nobody’s showing major signs of burnout or fatigue, at least that I noticed.