Top Chef Power Rankings (09/23/09)

Top Chef had a fun episode yesterday bringing Penn and Teller on to show a little misdirection with their magic tricks and then deconstructed the magic, which was then used as the theme, deconstruction of dishes. Most chef’s did well, others did poorly, here’s how it fell out.


Top Shelf

Kevin “Red Beard” Gillespie



I was actually surprised to see Red Beard won this challenge, he made a solid dish, but I thought there was another dish that was better and embodied the challenge better. Needless to say he got his 2nd win and a solid quickfire puts him back into the top spot.


Bryan Voltaggio



I thought his dish was the sure winner. His Cesar salad looked tasty, had a little trick to it with the dressing. It embodied the deconstruction challenge the best with have all the multiple pieces laid out which would all come together when you bite into it. Some how the judges disagree. He probably would have maintained the top spot despite Red Beards win if he had a better finish in the quick fire. He had a bottom 3 finish with his white and black dessert. So he just barely slips out of the top spot.


Michael Voltaggio



Michael had a solid night, he did not finish in the top 4 (which is probably why Bryan didn’t win) but is still clearly one of the top chef’s on the show.


Jennifer Carroll



The perfectionist who was running around and very disappointed with her self the entire episode made it to the top 4 with her gigantic steak with lasagna around it (yes it was actually meat lasagna). I was considering moving her up for that she didn’t put in what she felt was her best effort and was still better then most of the chefs. The only reason I didn’t, is being frazzled and rushing around in the show is never a good thing, even if it produces top dishes.


Best of the Rest


Eli Krishtein



Eli has honestly been the most consistent performer of the competition. He’s almost always right in the middle. He has never hit the chopping block, and has made the finals of a couple challenges and quickfire’s including this episode. He can maintain the level for a few more weeks, but if he wants to make the top 4, he will need to start making the top more consistently. I liked his ghetto blue taped pressure cooker that blew up. After seeing all the previews I was certain this was going to be a bigger deal during the show. His “bulls testicles” were a surprise hit, and led to some funny commentary by Padma, who said she’s had bulls testicles before. I wonder what other.. cough cough cough sorry don’t know what happened there moving on.


Ashley Merriman



After her second straight top finish this Ashley becomes our biggest mover of the week jumps to best of the rest status. Just think 2 weeks ago I had her on the chopping block, just shows what a couple of top finishes can do. She has performed well and deserves to be up here, but she could fall from grace quickly if she has a bad dish. She still has some work to do but if she keep making the top 4 she will keep moving up.


Could Go Either Way


Michael Isabella



Besides remembering Mattin and talking trash about Robin, he was basically a non factor this episode. So leaving him here seems about right


Middle of the Pack


Ash Fulk



His second bottom finish moves him towards the bottom. I’m not quite ready to put him on the chopping block because I think this was more luck of the draw as much of anything else for Ash. Yes he screwed up his potatoes which basically killed his Sheppard’s Pie. But talk about bad circumstances. The only Sheppard’s Pie he ever had was his own, and it was his luck that the very British Toby made his triumphant return this week and knows his Sheppard’s Pie. I think he is still a solid contender and that’s why he avoids the block


Chopping Block


Laurine Wicket



A week after having a top performance she is back in the bottom. She again barely staved off elimination (is that like her 3rd or 4th time she barely made it through). She needs to get wins if she wants to keep moving on.


Robin Leventhal



Even though I think she’s a better cook the Laurine I think she’s the next to go. She’s scattered brained and has produces some very poor dishes. But more importantly then that, Bravo now let her talk about her cancer story so the producers are ok with letting her go. So unless she wins another quick fire to get herself immunity, I think she’s the next to go.