Last week’s "Top Chef: Seattle" episode proved that fortunes can turn on a dime.

The competition began with a Quickfire challenge of dumplings from around the globe, with guest judge Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief of Food & Wine Magazine, leading the assessment alongside Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse and host Padma Lakshmi.

The competitors each took an hour to create everything from African fufu to Korean mandoo; the latter won Josie Smith-Malave immunity. She was lucky to have aced the first challenge, because her misstep in the elimination round would have otherwise meant losing her spot in the competition. Kuniko Yagi grossly mismanaged her time and wasn’t able to plate her dumpling, leaving her empty-handed.

The week’s Elimination challenge divided the group into two teams, headed by Colicchio and Lagasse. The teams were to create Thanksgiving dinners inspired by the food traditions of the judge-leaders — Italian for Colicchio’s group, Cajun for Lagasse’s crew.

For this round, Seattle chef Thierry Rautureau joined the judging.

Smith-Malave, in charge of the turkey for Lagasse’s team, came up way short: Her bird was blackened on the outside and virtually raw inside. Fellow team member Yagi’s potato pave was likewise undercooked.

Judges also said Sheldon Simeon of Maui, another member of Lagasse’s group, undercooked his kale salad. Tyler Wiard, who prepared gumbo for Lagasse’s team, delivered a version short on taste.

In the end, Wiard took his place alongside Smith-Malave, Yagi and Simeon for possible elimination. Yagi, who dazzled judges just a week earlier, was told to pack in her knives.

Meanwhile, noisy Carla Pellegrino won the challenge with her carrot soup for Colicchio’s team.

Tonight, The chefs must display their butchery skills for Quickfire. Then, facing double elimination, they will attempt to re-create an original 1950s menu from one of the nation’s most legendary restaurants. Lagasse and Hugh Acheson join head judge Colicchio and Lakshmi.