I was shocked to see my pre-season picks Colibri and Collin disappoint so much in this competition, but today is a new day, and time for another Final Table ranking!
10. Ash Heeger and Alex Haupt- They’ve been in the bottom twice. I thought the first week may have been a fluke. Three strikes, and they’re out.
9. Rafael Gil and Esdras Ochoa- These poor guys weren’t able to rock it in the Spanish challenge, but they did redeem themselves with their octopus. The thing is, now that they’ve ventured away from Mexico and Spain, they are now in UK, which is completely out of their wheelhouse, and I’m worried they may find themselves in danger yet again.
8. Monique Fiso and Amninder Sandhu- They didn’t do very well in the first challenge, but did enough to stay safe. I’d like to see them bounce back from this, but I am worried they just aren’t performing to the caliber of all the other chefs. People like Charles & Rodrigo have been on the top consistently, and while they haven’t been on the bottom, they have been riding pretty low.
7. Timothy Hollingsworth and Darren MacLean- They are probably the last two without any sort of major screen time, though their faces have been present throughout the episodes. I expect them to gain some exposure this week.
6. Ronald Hsu and Shin Takagi- We didn’t get a ton from them this week, but I still really love these guys and think they have a shot at making it far. With more screen time, their chances will build.
5. Johnny Spero and Jessica Lorigo- Johnny and Jessica were pleasant surprises. It was nice to finally get some content from them this time around. They haven’t snagged a top placement yet, but they’re inching their way up.
4. Graham Campbell and Aaron Bludorn- Their first episode was disastrous, their second episode was nearly invisible. I think they’ll be fine going into a UK challenge. It’s British food, and if they can’t nail it, I’d be shocked.
3. Shane Osborn and Mark Best- I like these two guys, and I wasn’t sure that was gonna happen going into the season. They’ve been pleasant surprises, and have always produced some great food. I expect them to keep growing, especially with a UK challenge.
2. Charles Michel and Rodrigo Pacheco- Two times on the top sounds too good to be true? Not when you’re Charles & Rodrigo. I decided to share the wealth and give the best paella of all time in the top spot, but these guys are close in the number 2 spot.
1. Benjamin Bensoussan and Manuel Berganza- Their paella was some of the best of the night, and had the judges raving about them, claiming it as the best they’ve ever tasted in their life. These guys are the real deal, no?
This show is fine, but not hitting the same highs as other cooking shows like Hell’s Kitchen or Top Chef. I think it’s because there have been so many teams left in the dark each week. I think that will start to change as the field narrows. Right now, I think it’s safe to bet on the two who have been on the bottom of every challenge.
1. Benjamin & Manuel (+7)
2. Charles & Rodrigo (-1)
3. Shane & Mark (+1)
4. Graham & Aaron (+7)
5. Johnny & Jessica (+4)
6. Ronald & Shin (-4)
7. Timothy & Darren (-1)
8. Monique & Amninder (-5)
9. Rafael & Esdras (-4)
10. Ash & Alex —
Biggest Rise: Benjamin & Manuel and Graham & Aaron (+7)
Biggest Drop: Monique & Amninder (-5)
I was shocked to see my pre-season picks Colibri and Collin disappoint so much in this competition, but today is a new day, and time for another Final Table ranking!
1. Benjamin & Manuel (+7)
2. Charles & Rodrigo (-1)
3. Shane & Mark (+1)
4. Graham & Aaron (+7)
5. Johnny & Jessica (+4)
6. Ronald & Shin (-4)
7. Timothy & Darren (-1)
8. Monique & Amninder (-5)
9. Rafael & Esdras (-4)
10. Ash & Alex —
Biggest Rise: Benjamin & Manuel and Graham & Aaron (+7)
Biggest Drop: Monique & Amninder (-5)