Top Chef Power Rankings (10/07/09)

Another exciting episode of Top Chef last night as the chefs were foreced to cook in the small confines of thier own house. Most of the chefs rose to the challange, but some did not, here's how it all shook out.


Top Shelf


Kevin “Red Beard” Gillespie




Red Beard has had a pretty solid run of competition’s. Win elimination challenge, win quick fire, created top dish in elimination challenge. That string of good performances keeps him in the top spot. Winning the quick fire he had the easiest choice, 15K of immunity? He hasn’t been in the bottom yet, there is no chance he was getting cut, so take the money and run.


Bryan Voltaggio



I think Bryan is starting to pull away from his brother in terms of talent and concepts. He had a good night himself, finishing in the top 2, and didn’t have the benefit of working with another top contender like Jen and Kevin did. The dish turned out well and he’s still confident in his dish.


Jennifer Carroll



Jen was sick during last night’s episode performed very well. She even commented maybe she should be sick more often. She followed up a sub par quick fire with the top dish and won the round (10K to Macy’s). She has consistently been a top performer and her win last moved her up to 3 after being in the 4th spot for a long time.


Michael Voltaggio



Michael had a little difficulty last night. He had some problems with fuses and with cooking his fish so the fish didn’t cook properly. I think the over all dish was still not a top dish as compared to the three chefs in front of him. As soon as the chopping block was between him and Ashley, it was clear that Ashley was going home, there was no way they were sending Michael home on his first trip to the block. Even with his trip to the bottom, I have him penciled in the final 4.


Best of the Rest


Michael Isabella



Michael had a top 3 quick fire and did a solid job cooking in the elimination challenge. I think he was being over the top dramatic with working with Robin, but the bottom line, he produced results. He is our biggest mover of the week.


Middle of the pack


Eli Krishtein


Made a trip to the bottom 4 but avoided most the criticism letting Ashley’s cooking of the prongs take most the hit for their poor dish. His trip to the bottom and his inability to produce winners has dropped a spot in the rankings, but a tier in the rankings as well. I still think he has an outside chance of making the top 4, but he needs to start winning now.


Ash Fulk



Ash had an interesting night. Early in the show during his confessionals he was trying to say that he can compete even though he has no formal training in cooking school and that all he has done is cooked his way up. Once paired with Michael, he continuously praised Michael for his great ideas and concepts, almost seemed down putting on himself. In the chopping block he had nothing but high praises for Michael essentially putting himself down. Tom called him on it asking if he felt there were better chef’s here, and Ash responded by basically saying yes, but that even good chef’s screw up dishes, and that he produces good food. All this though and he wasn’t directly on the chopping block, but he needs to produce some good meals or he will be going home.


Chopping block


Laurine Wicket



She got lucky last night working with Bryan who conceptualized and cooked an excellent dish. Other then that she had a very quiet episode. I do not see her lasting more then 2 episodes


Robin Leventhal



Robin is clearly starting to bug the rest of the Chef’s with her constant chatter. I though Michael treated her unfairly yesterday, if he was so worried about her cooking, he should have done his own thing, let her do her own thing and let her sink or swim on her own. She has not been producing good food for awhile and should be going home any week, but, the drama she creates in the house might keep her around a few weeks longer then if she wasn’t creating drama.

Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if anyone outside the top 4 got cut in the coming week. One bad dish and any of them could be gone