PowerRankings101's blogBlog

Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 9)

Apr 9, 2022 by PowerRankings101

Well, it looks like I wasn’t too far off having Monique fairly low last week. This week, we got a pretty crazy quick fire involving pork rind desserts that Nick and Ashleigh somehow managed to pull off? We also got an emotional elimination challenge that saw the top three continue to be the top three. All in all, not much is changing in these rankings so don’t expect too much elaboration.

9. Jo Chan- Jo remains at the bottom. She didn’t have the WORST dish of the day, didn’t even land in the bottom 3 for that matter, but she still didn’t land in the top. Her shrimp and grits once again great in concept, but mixed results in her reviews. I just can’t pinpoint what exactly Jo is doing wrong, which is kind of the same sentiment I had about Monique. I just don’t see her surviving much longer at this rate.

8. Ashleigh Shanti- Even with immunity, Ashleigh landed in the bottom 3. That being said, she did win immunity and managed to make pork rinds into a dessert, so kudos to that.

7. Luke Kolpin- Luke always seems like he’s in danger, even in the weeks he’s safe. That being said, I still think he’s safer than Ashleigh and Jo because while his dishes have often been criticized for being bland, they aren’t ever as bad as some of the other dishes in the bottom and I think it’s for his sheer complexity alone. He clearly has the credentials and experience, now he needs to bring the flavors to the technique.

6. Jae Jung- Even with a super emotional story, her dish ended up being well…lackluster. It didn’t really tie into the dish, and didn’t have a ton of depth in flavor. But her story was enough to resonate with the judges, and that may be her key going forward. Relatability goes a long way, and Jae is so charming and quite frankly adorable in her storytelling.

5. Nick Wallace- There is a clear separation between bottom four and top five, and Nick, while at #5 should not be taken lightly. He killed it this week with yet another quick fire win (though it was aided by Ashleigh who arguably had the harder task than him in deciding to take on the pork rinds while he did the ginger). I do think he performer pretty well in the elimination challenge, not really standout out per-say, but still delivering some nice flavors and some adorable potato mushrooms. I think he’s still a top contender, even if his track record isn’t as good as the four above him.

4. Damarr Brown- Damarr has been cooking SO well and still can’t crack top 3? Sigh. These judges seem to be underestimating perhaps the most consistent chef this show has seen. #4 is honestly a disservice to his skill, but when he does finally land in the top 3 again, he’ll jump up for sure.

3. Buddha Lo- Buddha just did a chicken breast…but it turned out to be pretty fantastic. He’s a real solid contender, and even when he isn’t in the top, he still finds elements to impress with (for example, his many tuiles).

2. Jackson Kalb- Like Buddha (and Evelyn), Jackson found his way into the top three AGAIN. This guy is killing it, placing in the top 5 out of 6 times. The dude is a beast. He’s only edged out by the girl who happened to win twice and BACK to BACK.

1. Evelyn Garcia- Yep, Evelyn is #1. She won back to back eliminations, which is super impressive, especially against a cast this stacked. She is cooking from the heart and soul and was able to touch the heartstrings while also making some delicious food. Selena would be proud.

The top 5 are still solid. My elimination pick still the same. Maybe something unpredictable will happen to shake up the rankings next week? We can only hope.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Jo Chan

PowerRankings101's blogBlog

Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 9)

Leave a comment