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Top Chef: All-Stars Power Rankings

OUT IN FRONT

There can be little doubt that, at this point, only two chefs have looked like front runners for the finale. Granted, if the past seasons (even the past episodes) have taught us anything, holding onto a spot in the finale is like holding onto a stick of warm butter while jogging (you should try it sometime). For now, at least, Angelo and Richard are solidly in front.

1) Angelo
2) Richard

ON THEIR TAIL WITH A RED TURTLE SHELL

Dale Talde utterly dominated the WD-50 challenge -- there was no question who was going to win and who deserved to win. Couple this with a QF team win in Episode 1 and I think Dale’s gotta be happy with where he is. Antonia’s new American cuisine seems to be working well with the judges. Spike has two team QF wins, but little to speak of as an individual chef. Will we see him fall to one of the lower tiers this episode?

3) Dale Talde
4) Antonia
5) Spike

HIT A BANANA PEEL, BUT NOT OUT OF THE RACE

I still have Tiffani pegged for the finale, but she barely escaped elimination last week with her “parody” of a Wylie Dufresne dish. Marcel and Tiffany haven’t really stood out this season thus far (one team EC win for Marcel and nothing for Tiffany), but based on their performances in past seasons, I still think they could surprise.

6) Tiffani
7) Marcel
8) Tiffany

BADLY IN NEED OF A LIGHTNING BOLT

A past cheftestant noted that sometimes the middle of the pack is the hardest position to be in - you get no feedback either way; such is the dilemma facing Carla and Mike. Tre got major props last week for his swordfish dish at Marea, but could have easily been sent home instead of Jen for his over-reduced sauce in episode two. Jamie looked great in episode 1, but added pointless smoke in her WD-50 dish last week. Finally, we have Casey, who has shown little of the panache that took her to the finale in Season 3, and Fabio, who has narrowly avoided elimination bythismuch in two of the past three episodes.

9) Tre
10) Jamie
11) Carla
12) Mike
13) Casey
14) Fabio

Welcome back loyal readers to So You Thought You Could Cook But Then Tom Colicchio Said Your Food Sucks, the show where good chefs go to die while mediocre chefs stumble on forward until someone takes mercy on their wide-eyed, dumbstruck “oh-wow-am-I-really-the-sixth-best-chef-this-season?” astonishment and cuts them loose. My name is Jason (Anthony) Bourdain and I’ll be your acidic, acerbic tour guide this episode.

(Incidentally, if anyone hasn’t guessed already, I don’t just carry a chip on my shoulder as a result of the wrong-headed, completely undeserved elimination of my beloved Jen, I carry a boulder. Get ready cheftestants; if you though Bourdain was bad, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet).

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