Again, someone I thought was a huge contender—Ronald & Shin— ended up getting the boot. Their dish was good, but the other two were better. So how are the final nine pairs shaping up in the rankings? Let’s glance.
9. Graham Campbell and Aaron Bludorn- It’s a shame that the Scottish guy was in the bottom of the UK challenge, and seemed to even present a bad attitude for it. These guys have been way too hit-or-miss for me, and while they redeemed themselves with a great dish in the elimination round, I can’t call them “safe” until they really knock it out of the park.
8. Ash Heeger and Alex Haupt- They finally escaped the bottom, but even their safe dish had lots of problems. They’ll consistently coast the bottom for me.
7. Shane Osborn and Mark Best- I think these two have been very consistent, but played it way too safe this week. They knocked it out of the park, but didn’t elevate or reimagine the challenge in any way. With people like Charles & Rodrigo and Johnny & Jessica around, their dishes will always pale in comparison creatively.
6. Charles Michel and Rodrigo Pacheco- They took the first heat of their season, and got negative reviews for their English breakfast. I think every front-runner has their speed bumps. Let’s hope this is only a speed-bump.
5. Benjamin Bensoussan and Manuel Berganza- They received pretty good praise for their dish, but weren’t as highly featured as they’ve been in the past. I think they’re safe, but might not be the top dogs like I thought last week. Only time will tell.
4. Timothy Hollingsworth and Darren MacLean- They were in the bottom for the first time, but redeemed themselves well with their elimination dish. They took big risks with the burnt onion puree, but it came out exceptional, and had the judge raving about it. For that, I think we’ll see them around a lot more this season.
3. Monique Fiso and Amninder Sandhu- These ladies finally showed up to compete, and cooked one of the best dishes this season. Having the only dish without any flaws, as the judges claimed, is one impressive feat, and I am happy that they were able to finally rise to the top on one of the challenges this season. Keep it up!
2. Johnny Spero and Jessica Lorigo- Johnny and Jessica plated in a simple, small bowl. And it was one of the best bites of the season. I think they’re all about taking risks and it has been paying off for them this season, as they are consistently getting praise for their food. I think they’ll be around for a while.
1. Rafael Gil and Esdras Ochoa- Okay, I’ve been the most harsh on Rafa & Esdras this whole time, and I really shouldn’t be. They were in the bottom in week 2, but have performed exceptionally well otherwise. Their egg souflee was exceptional looking, and if they can knock the UK out of the park, they should have no problem with their Brazilian roots.
There are lots of successes on this season, and it’s hard to truly bet on one team overall. As for who is lowest, I think Ash & Alex and Graham & Aaron still hover near the bottom of the list, and one of them could easily be the next easy boot.
1. Rafael & Esdras (+8)
2. Johnny & Jessica (+3)
3. Monique & Amninder (+5)
4. Timothy & Darren (+3)
5. Benjamin & Manuel (-4)
6. Charles & Rodrigo (-4)
7. Shane & Mark (-4)
8. Ash & Alex (+2)
9. Graham & Aaron (-5)
Biggest Rise: Rafael & Esdras (+8)
Biggest Drop: Graham & Aaron (-5)
Again, someone I thought was a huge contender—Ronald & Shin— ended up getting the boot. Their dish was good, but the other two were better. So how are the final nine pairs shaping up in the rankings? Let’s glance.
1. Rafael & Esdras (+8)
2. Johnny & Jessica (+3)
3. Monique & Amninder (+5)
4. Timothy & Darren (+3)
5. Benjamin & Manuel (-4)
6. Charles & Rodrigo (-4)
7. Shane & Mark (-4)
8. Ash & Alex (+2)
9. Graham & Aaron (-5)
Biggest Rise: Rafael & Esdras (+8)
Biggest Drop: Graham & Aaron (-5)