Top Chef Power Rankings (07/21/10)

After watching this weeks episode there is only one conclusion I can draw. THESE CHEFS HATE EACH OTHER. Yes it might all be strategy, but man, they do not seem to get along. Each confessional discusses strategy and backstabbing. The drama will definitely be there all the way to the end. After a pretty quiet season (but a lot of debate here on ACSS) Tamesha was sent home. There are 10 Chefs left with restaurant wars only two episodes away.

This weeks power rankings didn't have much movement mainly cause we didn't hear what the judges had to say. The only analysis we heard on the dishes were throw them under the bus style critiques from other judges.


Top Shelf


1. Angelo Sosa (Last Week #1)



Angelo had a quiet week cooking wise but was the talk of the episode as the master strategist. I think he is playing the game and not really caring what happens as long as he wins. I could be totally off on this. He still is the best chef on the show regardless, but even if he wasn't the drama he creates will keep him on the show.


2. Kelly Liken (Last Week #3)



Kelly moves up a spot on the heels of her quickfire win. The quickfire gave her elimination from the throwing the competition under the bus challenge which is a mixed blessing. She did not get to show off her skills, but wasn't thrown under any buses. She continues to show she is a force to be deal with while not causes any drama.


Best of the Rest


3. Kenny Gilbert (Last Week #2)



Kenny drops a spot and a level based on his last place finish. I do think the reason he was voted in the bottom was because Angelo convinced Stephen and Tamesha to follow him. Maybe not explicitly, but implicitly. Saying that, his dish did have some serious problems with it that the judges pointed out. I think Kenny is not as good as he thinks he is, but he is one of the best chefs this season. He never seems to be in the middle, he's either on top, or the bottom.


4. Tiffany Derry (Last Week #4)



Tiffany finished 2nd last night on what looked a fantastic dish. She kept her head out of trouble and did not step on anyone's toes who might have voted her off. I think she is way ahead of 5 & 6 right now in the power rankings.


Middle of the pack


5. Andrea Curto



Andrea did not like this week's guest judge Michelle Bernstein, and I really can't blame her. Michelle seems to be a B for the sake of being a B. I hope she does Top Chef Masters which would humble her some. Andrea didn't do anything this week that made her stand out good or bad.


6. Ed Cotton (Last Week #6)



Ed had a quiet week. He got a little caught up in the drama of the competition, but mainly stayed out of it with Tiffany. I don't think anything is going on with him and Tiffany, but the teasers for the next episode don't agree. This "drama" could help him stay around longer if he has a bad week or two.


7. Alex Reznik (Last Week #7)



Alex has been the model of consistency this season. Alex finished in the top the first week, and then has cruised through the elimination challenge every other week without being on top. As the competition gets more intense, he will need to start getting some top finishes if he wants to stay around.


8. Kevin Sbraga (Last Week #10)



Kevin lived up to his billing from last week's power rankings of "could go either way" with a win this week. Kevin moves up only one spot for his win. The reason I didn't move Kevin past Alex of Ed was if each of them finished on the bottom with an equally bad dish, I think the judges would be sending him home. I think he still has the talent to sneak into the Top 5 remaining, but he has to avoid any more bottom finishes.


Chopping Block


9. Amanda Baumgarten (Last Week #8)



Amanda keeps continuing to plummet in the power rankings. She falls to chopping block due to the cartilage that was in her chicken. The cartilage was noticed by multiple chefs which means it was more then just one simple mistake. One of the chefs agreed with what I have said all season, she is not that good, but has just gotten lucky not to be eliminated.


10. Stephen Hopcraft (Last Week #11)



Stephen did not have a bad week but didn't cook well enough to move off the bottom of the rankings. I am hoping Stephen makes it further then next week, but like I have been saying, if he ends up on the bottom again, I see no way for him to make it through.