Top Chef made power rankings easier this week by eliminating two competitors last night. Let’s see how the rest fall out
Top Shelf
After last night’s episode it’s clear that there is a top 4 and then everyone else. If I had to place a bet, these are the four that I would take. The problem is, it has been made even tougher to determine who is number 1? One of the Brothers Grimm or is it Red Beard? (Yes I’m making up nicknames, similar to tweak in Top Chef Chicago)
1. Kevin “Red Beard” Gillespie
Red Beard gets the nod over the brothers for two small reasons. First his winning meal (the quick fire) was cooked in 45 minutes compared to 3 hours for the brothers. Second, even though the brothers carried their teams, Red Beard cooked his dish alone. For those two reasons, he just barely edges out the brothers.
2. Bryan Voltaggio
He moves up 1 spot and just barely beats out his brother. He won the challenge last night which is a big reason I put him here, but also, he basically told Mike I how to cook his part of the course.
3. Michael Voltaggio
Drops two spots to three and he was one of the finalist last night, tough crowd huh. Another solid week for him, but with the competitions wins matter and the two above him got wins and he didn’t.
4. Jennifer Carroll
A top three finish on the quick fire and then a finalist in the elimination challenge has her moving up 1 spot to number 4. More importantly I feel after last night’s episode she really asserted herself as a major contender in this competition. She has consistently rose to challenges and has taken them head on.
Best of the Rest
5. Eli Krishtein
Eli had just a so so episode last night. He never talked to the judges for good reasons or bad. He didn’t do anything to justify a giant move up or down.
6. Ash Fulk
He was unhappy with his dish that went out and he knew he didn’t like it right away. His sauce turned out good, but the beef Hector made took too long to cook so he was kind of SOL. He knew what he did wrong and I think he was in the bottom two more so for the poor performance of Hector then himself. This is his first slip up and he has been consistent with the rest of the competition.
Could go either way
7. Michael Isabella
Our biggest mover this week but I’m still not sure on how he’ll do. He has a good quick fire and was part of the winning team, even though Bryan came up with the concept, told him how to make it and basically did everything short of stirring to help him complete his dish. Part of me thinks he’ll stay long for reason’s other then his cooking, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he has an early exit as well.
Middle of the Pack
8. Ron Duprat
He kept it simple while working with all over the place Robin and kept her focused. Without his cooking of the frog legs I think his team would have ended up on the chopping block
Chopping Block
My how the chopping block has grown. Another bad episode from any of these 4 could send them packing in a hurry
9. Ashley Merriman
Her second bad finish of the season along with a bottom three on the quick fire where she had to cook to save herself. I think she’s the best of the worst. She has made some really good dishes but has made some poor decisions along the way. I don’t see her lasting much longer
10. Robin Leventhal
She has shown to be scattered brained while cooking on this show, which, when you’re timed, is not a good thing. She was a bottom 3 on the quick fire, but did very well on her 20 minute elimination dish. She can easily get trapped of getting unfocused and not complete her dish on time. If Ron didn’t keep her focused, she very well could have been sent packing.
11. Laurine Wicket
Stayed out of trouble last night, but still did not impress the judges with any of the food.
12. Mattin Noblia
Frenchy sits squarely on the bottom because this entire episode was right in his wheel house. He grew up in France and French is his specialty. However, even with all these advantages, he did not place in the quick fire, and on top of it, he finished in the bottom of the elimination challenge. If he couldn’t perform with all these advantages, how is he going to do when he runs into a dish he’s never attempted before.
More and more, I'm getting sold on Big Ron Duprat to last longer than expected in this competition. Granted, his dish wasn't amazing this week, but he's never in the bottom and cooks with a unique style. Add his background (great fluff material) and extensive real-world kitchen experience ("I has cooked frog legs... maybe 250 times?), and calm approach, and you have a top six contender.
ReplyDeleteBut those top four are just about as much of a lock as ya get.
I LOVE Ron Duprat. However, I do disagree, I think you have to put the one brother, Bryan I think, above Red Beard. I agree that the top four are Jen, the brothers, and Red Beard. But, the one brother is always in the top, he's won what 2 challenges? A quickfire isn't as important to me, as there is a lot of room for error and mistakes, which will happen, which makes it easier to win.
ReplyDelete