PowerRankings101's blog

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MasterChef S12 Power Rankings (Pre-Game: Top 20) Aug 9, 2022: I know I’m behind, but I’m going to be watching a LOT of MasterChef in order to catch-up on the season currently airing. And what a strong start, following three great “audition” episodes for this Back to Win season. While we’ve seen these contestants before, I’m still excited to see them on this return, improved and hungrier than ever for a win. I love an All-Stars season, so let’s rank these contestants based on their initial seasons AND these recent auditions.

20. Alejandro Valdivia- I’m honestly a bit upset that of ALL the contestants from season 11 (one of the strongest seasons in recent memory), we get only Lexy and Alejandro in auditions, and only Alejandro makes it out of it with an apron?? So many good options (Autumn, Suu, Abe, Joseph, Tay, etc) and Alejandro gets the chance? I don’t know if I watched the same season as everyone else last year, but I think Alejandro was far and away one of the worst contestants to make it to a MasterChef semifinal. Sure, his audition here was fine, but I just can’t imagine he’ll have better consistency with an even tougher group of chefs this season. He’s my first boot prediction. Even if he doesn’t go first, I can’t see him lasting more than a few episodes.

19. Shanika Patterson- Shanika is another case where I don’t know if she’ll necessarily go home second, but when crafting this ranking, I had to think of likelihood of winning the season, and while Shanika will likely do fine on her own, she doesn’t seem like someone who will excel much in team challenges (assuming we’ll see some grueling team challenges given the previews). Her whole arc in the auditions was focused on her rivalry with Emily, and while I don’t remember being overly impressed by either of them in their original season, I think Emily comes across a tad more composed and skilled in the kitchen in general. If there’s a team challenge early on, I could definitely see Shanika being a boot because of it, depending on how eliminations/pressure tests are laid out this year.

18. Bowen Li- Bowen is a joy, and he was a joy on season 9. Why do I have Bowen so low? It’s because, of ALL the auditions we’ve seen, there were only two we didn’t get a full package and edit for: Bowen and Stephen (hence why they’re back to back on this list). I have to believe this means they don’t last too long, which is a shame, but also seems a little obvious from these audition edits.

17. Stephen Lee- Like I said with Bowen, the minimal audition edit just makes me believe neither of them will win, let alone be endgame players. Stephen, however, did seem to get a ton of praise for his dish, so I have a teeny bit more faith for Stephen (it’s also worth mentioning that after Brandi and Derrick and the juniors, Stephen is the highest placing MasterChef finalist in this entire competition, which could bode well).

16. Amanda Saab- Amanda is so sweet and I’m glad to see her get another shot. That being said, of this entire cast, two people haven’t made the top 10: Amanda and Michael. But something tells me from the edit of the auditions that Michael may be a bit of a dark horse. Amanda, however, just seems a bit less likely to stand out. She seems really dessert focused, but I just don’t know how she’ll fare with the more savory elements.

15. Shayne Wells- I love seeing the two MasterChef juniors competing alongside the vets. Shayne, however, didn’t impress me much with his audition. I think it’s easier to get an apron when 2 of 3 auditions get through, so I think Shayne was going to get an apron no matter what, but will he be able to stack up against the older competition? I’m not so sure.

14. Cate Meade- Cate was a strong competitor on her first season, but in this audition, I wasn’t as blown away by her cooking. It came across a tad flustered and messy, and that doesn’t always bode well in the MasterChef kitchen. That being said, she pulled it together in the end. She’s someone I wouldn’t be surprised to see make it far or go home around the midway point of the season.

13. Samantha Daily- I didn’t think Samantha made it too far on her season, but then I was reminded she made it all the way to 4th. Honestly, I’m quite impressed at that, and I think I underestimated her. She could very well surprise a bunch of people. Her audition dish was well executed, despite not being too original.

12. Emily Hallock- Like I said earlier, I think Emily and Shanika’s rivalry will be a big part of the early phase of this season. But that doesn’t mean I think either of them will make it TOO far. I think Emily has a shot of making it about halfway through the season, but I just don’t see the cutthroat nature needed to make it that tiny extra mile into the final phase of the game.

11. Shelly Flash- I don’t remember Shelly too much from her initial season, but she really does have such an amazing charisma and energy, and proves to be a great chef as well. I don’t know how far she’ll go since she placed around the middle of her own season, but I’m rooting for her nonetheless.

10. Tommy Walton- Tommy is a wildcard. He is so out of the box and always presents beautiful food on the plate. Tommy is such a character, I think he’ll go deep no matter what. Does he have what it takes to stack up against the upper tier of players this season? Probably not. But I do think he’ll be a big focal point of the season regardless.

9. Fred Chang- I love Fred. Fred is such a charming, sweet individual. Like Tommy, I think he’s a great plater and makes food look delicious, and for that, he’ll make a big impact this season. While Emily vs. Shanika will be a big part of the rivalries this season, I think Fred and Bri’s friendship will be a big upside. I see Bri going JUST a bit further because Fred seems a tad more dessert focused, but I’d love to be proven wrong if he is able to pull off magic with a savory dish.

8. Bri Baker- Like I said, I think Bri and Fred will be around for a while. I could see them going home around the same point in the season, with Bri slightly outlasting Fred. Either way, I’m excited to see them both.

7. Michael Silverstein- I’ll admit, I was surprised Michael was eliminated so early on season 10. But I was also surprised to see him get a second chance. But his audition was AWESOME, beating out Sarah (one of the best runner-ups in the show’s history). I think Michael is super strong, and definitely underestimated, and if there’s one early boot who I can see going far, it’s him. He could flop, but I think he’s a dark horse.

6. Willie Mike- Willie is going to be consistent. He just doesn’t seem like someone who is going down easily. That being said, his killer instinct may not be as strong as the top 5, which is why I have him just outside of it. But hey, going from 7th to 6th is still an improvement.

5. Brandi Mudd- Brandi and Derrick are obviously going to be the most threatening because they are runners-up (Dara too, despite being in a junior season). But oddly enough, I didn’t pick any of them to win only because I think all stats are out the door when it comes to this season. That being said, they’re runner ups for a reason, and I think she’ll be around for a long time regardless.

4. Derrick Fox- Like I said, I think the runners up can make it FAR and likely will. But I’m going to put Derrick here only because I’m hoping for something a bit less predictable. Only time will tell, but Derrick is still a lethal competitor, so I have no doubt he’ll be around for a while.

3. Dara Yu- I LOVED Dara on her season of MC Junior. I do think people will underestimate the Junior contestants. But Dara has had the most time since her season to grow, and her dish already shows she’s able to compete at a high level. I don’t necessarily think she’ll win, but I’m rooting for her to go all the way to the finals as a fun addition to a finale of a celebration of redemption and growth.

2. Gabriel Lewis- Along the same lines of Dara, Gabriel is young and has a big potential for growth. His audition was last, meaning that he’s going to likely be a big focus going forward this season. He’s got a great story, great skill, and is already an early favorite. I think he’ll be here to the end.

1. Christian Green- Christian is the one who surprised me most in his audition. I liked him on his initial season, but never really thought he’d be a huge contender, until I saw his audition here and realized he is here to WIN. He seemed to be the most determined and passionate of ALL the contestants I saw in auditions, and in a season where everyone wants redemption, Christian may just want it the most. And I think that’ll show. He’s my winner pick.

Well there ya go! I will hopefully be getting out my predictions as I watch more episodes ASAP, but today is busy for me. But I’m looking forward to seeing how wrong I am with so much of this.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Alejandro Valdivia; Points: 36 0 comments
Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Finals) Aug 5, 2022: Well, we’re here at the finale, and unfortunately, my favorite of the season Damarr has been eliminated. As for the final three, they all have completely different paths but only one can win. So let’s rank.

3. Sarah Welch- Of everyone’s journey, Sarah has had the most interesting of all. Sure, she came into this late after being eliminated, but this past week, she won a quickfire and was then able to secure a spot in the finale. She has an underdog arc, but I don’t know if that’s enough for me to put her above Evelyn and Buddha’s consistency.

2. Evelyn Garcia- Evelyn won the elimination challenge right before the finale, which is some great momentum. That being said, this is her first win in a while and now it’s only a question of whether Evelyn’s consistency or Buddha’s peak will outweigh the other. It’s going to come down to this final cooking, and I can’t wait to see what happens.

1. Buddha Lo- Buddha has been my frontrunner for quite some time now. He just seems to be the most skilled and most unique in terms of creativity and experimentation in the kitchen. I do think this past week may have lessened his chances only because Sarah and Evelyn won and he didn’t, but he still didn’t go home, and I think his recent wins over the past few weeks will carry him to a successful final cooking and allow him to prevail as the winner of the season.

Finale time! I’m so excited! Let’s go!

PREDICTIONS:

Winner- Buddha Lo

Second Place- Evelyn Garcia

Third Place- Sarah Welch; Points: 0 0 comments
Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 4) Aug 5, 2022: Sarah actually did…very well. Which means that my predicted top 4 was broken apart, with Nick going home and Damarr placing in the bottom 2. But there is still a bit more game to be played, dishes to be made, and eliminations to be had. Let’s rank.

4. Sarah Welch- Sarah winning this challenge definitely throws things for a loop. Does this mean Sarah may actually be able to crack the top 3? Given how up and down so many other chef’s journeys have been (Jae winning then going home the next week, Jackson being on top for 5 weeks in a row then going home), I’m not going to change my predictions for just one win. That being said, dark horse Sarah could still make it to the finale and I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised.

3. Damarr Brown- In the past few weeks, Evelyn and Buddha have been far more consistent than Damarr, which definitely worries me. What started as a sure-fire finalist now emerges as someone teetering on the fence. His dish seemed a bit bland, and I just don’t know if that’s enough to make it to the finale if he performs like that again.

2. Evelyn Garcia- Evelyn didn’t get a TON of praises this week, but she still managed to stay out of the bottom. With Sarah winning, this really makes anyone vulnerable, but I still have faith that Evelyn’s consistency will carry her through to the final.

1. Buddha Lo- Buddha may not have won this challenge, but I still think he’s hit his peak and is crushing it. At this point, it seems inevitable Buddha will make the final and I’d say it’s likely he could win it all. Sure, Evelyn and Damarr have been SO good this season, but Buddha is peaking at the right moment, and I think this momentum is going to prove incredibly strong for his endgame.

I’m still gambling on Sarah being the one eliminated, but given this week’s unexpected outcome, I’m not going to be surprised with any outcome. What an endgame this will be.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Sarah Welch; Points: 0 0 comments
Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 5) Aug 5, 2022: My predictions were correct once again, with Ashleigh sent home and Buddha taking a back to back victory. Damarr also bounced back, while we saw Nick on the bottom for the first time. Lots to talk about, let’s rank!

5. Sarah Welch- This was Sarah’s time to really emerge and shock the bunch, but she fell flat. I don’t blame her, considering it’s a massive leap from LCK to the main competition. But nonetheless, she disappointed and fell flat of expectations, thus putting her on the bottom headed into the final 5.

4. Nick Wallace- Nick was on the bottom for the first time this whole season, and unfortunately, because of how many numbers we have left, being on the bottom once can sink you low in these rankings. It’s only because Evelyn, Damarr, and Buddha had great showings that puts Nick here. But judging by how Sarah performed, I think Nick will be okay next week and the top 4 we’ve been predicting for weeks will emerge the top 4 of this season.

3. Damarr Brown- Damarr bounced back this week, finishing in the top 3 and managing to pull on our heartstrings in the process. This top 4 is so solid, it’s really hard to rank any of them at this point, but Damarr could still win this thing and I wouldn’t be surprised.

2. Evelyn Garcia- With Nick taking a bit of a dip, Evelyn rises in the rankings. She won the quickfire and placed top 3 in the elimination challenge. She really hasn’t put up a bad dish since week 4. Good for her for being perhaps the most consistent chef remaining.

1. Buddha Lo- Last week, I wondered if Buddha could tackle the “simpler” challenges as much as the eccentric ones. Well, he did! He crushed this challenge with something so simple but meaningful. Buddha proved tonight why he is the most well rounded chef of the bunch. He’s definitely the one to beat at this point.

With every week, it becomes harder and harder to predict the outcome. But with Sarah falling short, I think she’s a safe bet for an elimination, as the other 4 have just been so strong.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Sarah Welch; Points: 0 0 comments
Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 6- Part 2) Aug 5, 2022: This is an interesting week. The top 4 I’ve had for weeks now is safe, alongside Ashleigh the first LCK winner and now Sarah, the new LCK winner. It’ll be interesting having these new two chefs in the mix. Right now, it’s less a question of who will be gone soon and more so who will Win it all.

6. Ashleigh Shanti- Ashleigh is certainly the odd one out here. Sarah has been killing it at LCK, and the other four have been (for the most part) very consistently at the top. Ashleigh is likely going to be gone next unless we get a major shake-up or Sarah comes in and drops the ball immediately.

5. Sarah Welch- Sarah is back, and she is such an unknown. Will the LCK challenge dominance translate to the regular game? Will it be harder? Easier? It’s really impossible to say with Sarah since it’s been so long since we’ve seen her competing in the regular competition. But I’m excited nonetheless.

4. Damarr Brown- Damarr took his first L this season, but I think he’ll bounce back just fine. Given how consistent these top 4 are, they’re each going to have their one road block, and it’s just a matter of who recovers and who doesn’t. I have no doubt Damarr will be just fine, but due to his poorer performance, he’s at the bottom of this top 4.

3. Evelyn Garcia- Evelyn is still super consistent, despite not winning this challenge or the fajita challenge. I still think she’s a top contender, she just happened to be outshined by two others this week. That’s why this is such a competitive endgame.

2. Nick Wallace- Nick won yet another quickfire (QF king??) by making his own tortillas, and then managed to also place top three in the space challenge. I confidently put Nick at the bottom of this top 4 a few weeks back, but the past two weeks have only reminded me just how consistent Nick is. And with Damarr’s misstep, Nick is now the only person to NEVER be on the bottom of an elimination challenge. Pretty rad.

1. Buddha Lo- After dipping last week, Buddha is back up to #1. This space challenge seemed tailor-made for him. The question is, does Buddha only excel in these innovative, other-worldly challenge? Or can Buddha manage to keep this creativity going in some of the simpler challenges? Only time will tell, but this week reminded us just how great of a chef Buddha is, and he deserves the top spot because of it.

Top 4 + 2 LCK. Who will emerge victorious? Right now, I can tell you who I think is clearly on the outs…

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Ashleigh Shanti; Points: 0 0 comments
Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 6) Aug 5, 2022: Well, it was about time Luke’s luck was going to run out, as he was the latest eliminated. That being said, it was a pretty strong episode across the board with Jae winning her second challenge of the season, and the top ranked person from last week Buddha landing in the bottom. Let’s rank the top 6 after an impressive showing.

6. Ashleigh Shanti- Ashleigh’s food seems so hit or miss. Rave reviews from guests, mixed reviews from judges. I really never know where to place Ashleigh, but since she landed in the bottom this week, and she wasn’t one of the four frontrunners going in, I have no choice but to put her here at the bottom.

5. Jae Jung- I really don’t want to put Jae this low considering she just won her second challenge of the season, but I feel like when Jae isn’t winning challenges, she’s in the bottom or middle of a lot of them. The only two times she’s ever been on top have been her wins, every time else, she’s either been in the bottom or the middle. I think Jae lacks consistency, and that will ultimately be her undoing, but anything can happen considering there’s also room for anyone to mess up (see Jackson last week).

4. Buddha Lo- I was surprised to see the judges react very lukewarmly to Buddha’s food this week. That being said, he’s still one of the top contenders. This was a week where everyone was good, and Buddha’s just happened to not be “great,” but I still have more confidence in him bouncing back than I do Jae and Ashleigh.

3. Evelyn Garcia- Evelyn had a beautiful soulful dish, and continues to impress as the woman to beat. On a night where there were no bad dishes in the mix, Evelyn’s was still impressive and stood out.

2. Nick Wallace- Nick cooked from the heart and ended up getting praises for his salmon cakes. I really don’t think Nick is capable of putting up a bad dish at this point, and maybe (just maybe) his consistency makes him a dark horse to possibly win this whole thing. He and Damarr share one common thing that not even Evelyn and Buddha have…. he’s never been in the bottom.

1. Damarr Brown- Damarr once again psyched us out, making us think his hoecakes were burning and going to sink his ship, only to put up some delicious food that made the judges want more. He also won a quickfire, the last immunity quickfire, which is worth mentioning. He killed it this week an easily earned the top spot. Welcome back to #1 Damarr.

The top four contenders remain the same, with the order shaking up just a bit. I’m just waiting to see what happens in Last Chance Kitchen to see how everything shakes up.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Ashleigh Shanti; Points: 0 0 comments

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PowerRankings101's blog

The PowerRankings101's blog

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Posts 960 posts