Top Chef - S9E2 Power Rankings

Can I just name nobody the semi-preseason favorite?

Seriously, this is a tough field to read. Chefs from big restaurants are lower on the chain of command. Chefs running their own places are from far-flung locales with skimpy coverage. There's a guy named Ty-Lör Boring who models for nude men's magazines and whose business title is "Black Ops." I mean, really, what am I supposed to do with this? Plus, a little DVR snafu means that I'm now back home without any episodes to rewatch and study.

*sigh*... this will not end well.

This isn't to say that it doesn't look like a strong field. Quite the contrary, I don't see much in the way of chaff here. The new opening format seems to have done a fine job of taking care of that (though there might be a few stragglers). But if you asked me to look at this group and point to one who I'm confident will kick ass and take names... well... I got nothin'. Most of them inspire confidence without standing out. Which may actually make for a great competition, if an agony-inducing first rankings.

As mentioned after episode one, we're going to make this kind of a combo preseason/episode1/2 rankings. A little bit of research, a little bit of performance from the first two episodes, a little bit of putting names on the wall and throwing darts... you get the idea.

As is traditional for the first rankings, I present the contestants in reverse order. So let's get the ball rolling:

Wins

Top

Bottom

16 Grayson Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 That Grayson earned a coat by way of the bubble plays no small part in her appearance at the bottom, though I'm a little shocked I just put a NYC chef who spent time at Jean Georges in the basement. But despite that mark on her resume (not to mention a couple of other plum assignments), she was unemployed when shooting started in the summer, and is currently working for a catering company, not her own. Yes, it's an especially stylish-looking NYC catering company, but we all know how well that worked for Jacqueline in season seven. To her credit, Acheson and Emeril really seemed to enjoy her bacon-wrapped shrimp and grits, even if I can't believe somebody actually plated bacon-wrapped shrimp for Top Chef. But the pork dish that nearly sent her packing, even if the meat was a mess, looked like hotel food all the way. I don't know. There are reasons I should probably have her higher, but I'm just not getting a good vibe here. And it's not just because she's the only Wisconsinite in a house full of Chicagoans. As long as we're talking food and not football, Wisconsin and I are totally cool.

15 Richie Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 I'm willing to concede that I might have a Moto prejudice going on. Though it's routinely decorated and lumped in with Alinea, based on my experience, there's no comparison -- not enough substance to match the style. Add the fact that Richie cops to oversalting (something that will get you killed in a hurry on this show). Mix in the sense that he narrowly avoided the bubble. Throw in that he's no higher than 4th on the totem pole over at Moto, and he's going head-to-head with his direct overlord. Then, have a gander at a quote like this: "I moved to Chicago three and a half years ago to work either at Moto or Alinea. Alinea didn’t give me the time of day ... so Moto got me." I'm sure the guy can cook, and he's bound to bring some massive creativity. And it's also true that the "Alinea wouldn't give me the time of day" club is big enough to collect dues and print membership cards. Still, this doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

14 Ty-Lör Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Damn skippy, we're using the umlaut. I think I would have preferred to put Ty-Lör one notch lower, but that would mean I'd have the two NYC chefs in the last two slots, and somehow that seems like it's asking for trouble. I don't really have anything against Ty-Lör, it's more that I don't know a damn thing about him. He works in NYC. That's good. Even with a name like Ty-Lör, his pre-TC Google profile is borderline nil. That's bad. Beyond that, he's recently off a sous position at Spasso and currently doing something apparently nefarious for Almond (though his name's nowhere on the menu), and seems as interested in modeling as he is in cooking. But you know, that rabbit dish looked good. And 'staches have magical powers. Which is why this is another pick that worries me.

13 Chris C. Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Maybe it just rubs me the wrong way when the only accolade listed on a chef's bio is that he was a nominee for L.A.'s Hottest Chefs... and he's not referring to his career. Chris is currently serving as Chef de Cuisine at Whist in Santa Monica under Tony DiSalvo. Whist, which does some pretty refined-looking Cal-Mediterranean, has gotten nice press, which should come as no surprise. Tony DiSalvo was Chef de Cuisine at Jean Georges right around the time it blew my just forming culinary brain, and he knows what he's doing. But while I'm sure Chris can cook (I'm sure all of these people can cook), as far as I can tell he's basically spent his career with DiSalvo and I can't find any contributions to the menu that I can call his. This is probably too low. I'm actually pretty sure of it. But I keep looking for more chefs to put beneath Chris and coming up empty.

12 Keith Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 If you're looking for a lovable underdog, look no further. Even setting aside the bio that reads like a redemption screenplay, the guy's running a restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. Thing is, it looks pretty nice. Keith's restaurant -- Catch -- is seafood-focused, blending Southern and Asian accents (looks smoother than it sounds), the menu reads well and features some really, really pretty plates. There's precious little press about the place, and even Yelpers have only managed to scrounge up eight reviews, which is why I have him so low despite the James Beard nomination (semifinalist, which can include a rather variable level of talent). Still, the hardships of the Top Chef house seem like they shouldn't faze somebody with this kind of life resume, a recent profile talked up the fact that he's an endless font of dish ideas, and there's nothing wrong with chicken fried rabbit. Here's hoping I'm underestimating him at 12.

11 Beverly Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Beverly's one of the Chicago entrants, the EC at Aria, and I recently watched her make a nice black cardamom dessert for Key Ingredient. Aria seems to be doing fine. But what gives me the jibblies is that she came up working at Red Light and Opera, two long-running Chicago restaurants, both of which struck me as clumsy sort-of-Asian when I ate there, and both of which are no longer around. Aria kind of looks like it's in that same culinary neighborhood, as did her dish, and… and… I just don't know... if her food's an extension of her training, she's really going to need to freshen up that brand of Pan-Asian to go deep. This may be completely unfair. Just call it a hunch.

10 Nyesha Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Nyesha has some good signs going for her, not the least of which is that she worked at The Mansion by Joël Robuchon and Cache under Josiah Citrin. That's a solid pedigree. And she's just gotten her first EC gig over at Wilshire Restaurant. But all I've seen of her food is... Tex-Mex Ravioli?!... and I know they were well-received, but that's not a dish that inspires confidence. A mixed bag of indicators puts her somewhere in the middle. But like everybody in the bottom half, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see her do well.

9 Dakota Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Dakota's worked her way around Los Angeles, and seems to have garnered a good deal of respect, if not unbridled enthusiasm. She was recently named EC of Choice Hospitality, which means her crown jewel is Nine Thirty at the W Hotel in Westwood. Nine Thirty hasn't gotten a significant writeup since 2005, so I don't really have any sense of what she's done there other than the current menu, which doesn't push the envelope much in terms of flavors. She got some acclaim at her last post, however, while at Shangri-La, even if this particular passage in the L.A. Times turned out to be hoot: "She's not aiming for the stars or a shot at a "Top Chef" competition, just providing hotel guests and anybody else with accessible, heartwarming comfort food at prices lower than most hotel dining rooms." Heh. Best guess? She's somebody who's talented enough to stick around for a while, and maybe even go deep, but if there's winning potential here, I'm not finding it. Middle of the pack.

8 Chuy Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Here's where I allow myself to play a couple of hunches. Neither of the next two should be as high as they are, but... I dunno... I just have a good feeling about both of them. The first is Chuy, a Bayless protégé, who's been running Chilam Balam in Chicago for the past couple of years. Why do I like him? I dunno... Chilam Balam seems to make most everybody happy who goes there. It's Mexican cuisine that's elevated just enough to make it special without making it snooty. For years, Bayless has been spawning chefs who make great food but seem to elude attention because they're Latin chefs living in his shadow. Maybe Chuy's the one to finally make a mark with Latin cuisine on Top Chef. Add to this a little bit of bravado and the fact that the kitchen at Chilam Balam is, by all accounts, kind of a chaotic mess that manages to spit out great dishes anyway, and Chuy might feel right at home on this show. We'll find out.

7 Edward Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Yes, I realize that I just put a guy who screwed up his rabbit dish and only barely survived the bubble round at number seven, but bear with me here. First, let's note that not only did he make chawanmushi with corn and BBQ sauce work, he did it while bleeding like a stuck pig. He took down Jose Garces in Iron Chef America. He's been toiling in obscurity for years as EC/Partner of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, but just this year was a James Beard finalist alongside Hugh Acheson (neither of them won). If he were to flame out early, it wouldn't be the first time I've been burned by a James Beard nominee (John Somerville, anyone?), but as mentioned above, the jump from semifinalist to finalist is a huge one. I dunno. I like the look of his menu, he's more experienced than most of the field, he's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder and I just get the sense that he came to win. If these had been true preseason rankings, I'd probably have him at or near the top. So I'm not dropping him any lower than this for getting off to a rough start. Despite stumbling out of the gate, I'm betting Edward does well, and I think he has a shot at surprising.

6 Whitney Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Whitney's a strange case. Less than a month ago, she took over as EC of Farm 255 in Athens, Georgia, where they have four entrees on the menu: Vegetables, Bolognese, Shrimp and Grits, and a burger. Before that, she was sequestered in a tiny island inn called Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island, where I couldn’t find anything written about the food, most likely because the only way to eat it is to stay there. Thing is, before that, she worked for years at 5 and 10 in Atlanta under... Judge Hugh Acheson. Will he subconsciously give her an easy time? Maybe. Will he overcompensate by being particularly hard on her? Dunno. But one of the sitting judges this season thought she was good enough to keep her around for years and make her his sous, and that has to count for something in a field that's tough to separate. Plus, that rabbit sugo looked kind of awesome.

5 Lindsay Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Lindsay's one of three (I believe) of Michelle Bernstein's spawn to make the round of 29, but she's the only one to advance to the final 16. She's currently EC of Michelle Bernstein at Omphoy Ocean Resort (an obnoxiously awkward name), which looks to have stumbled out of the gate from the sound of the local press a couple of years back, but seems to have since found its footing. This is actually the second restaurant MB has asked Lindsay to helm, the first one having been blown away by a hurricane... literally. The reason I have her so high? Partly the MB vote of confidence, but mostly Tom's reaction when he tore into her osso buco. You don't get a reaction that strong from Colicchio unless you're doing something very, very right. That reaction alone gets Lindsay a spot near the top.

4 Heather Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 After having trained under Jean-Louis Palladin (nice resume name there), Heather made for Chicago and has been around for a while, mostly heading up Atwood Cafe. A couple of years back, she left to start Sable Kitchen & Bar which has been collecting an awful lot of nice press and online attention. She dubs her food "contemporary new American social plates," which I'd say describes her ribs aptly, and it looks like the kind of creative comfort food that's way overplayed right now, except that by most accounts she does an exceptionally good job with it. On the upside, she's a respected veteran who's already making the judges smile. What gives me pause is that I have a hard time seeing the Top Chef title go to somebody who's making short rib sliders and tuna tartare tostadas, no matter how tasty. There are signs of less snacky fare to be found on the menu, and I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume there's more where those dishes came from. Either way, I expect she'll be around for a while.

3 Chris J. Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 How the heck did I let a dozen spots slip between two guys coming from the same restaurant? In truth, with a resume that lists nothing but Moto, Chris J. looks like Richie plus three years and minus a mohawk. But three years at a premiere restaurant -- even one that doesn't push my buttons -- makes a big difference. Plus, his dish just seemed more confident, and while it had some fun, it didn't take that style over substance approach that has bugged me at Moto. We'll see. He could be this season's Voltaggio, or he could piss Tom off with some stupid plate stunt next episode and be gone just like that. But as CdC of a modernist Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago who's off to a good start, I have a hard time not putting him in the top tier. We'll see.

2 Sarah Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 Sarah's positioning at number two can be summed up pretty easily. In five years, she worked her way up from line cook to EC of one of the most famous and decorated Italian fine dining restaurants in the country, under Tony Mantuano. That's not for nothing, even if some feel that Spiaggia is past its prime. Before that, she worked at Brennan's of Houston, which could give her a Texas edge. And she drew pig skin and rocked it. Seems like she earned a high seed to me.

1 Paul Quickfires 0 0 0 Last Week: n/a Eliminations 0 0 0 I may be overstepping here, and the EC at Spiaggia ought to get more respect, right? But Paul at the top is a buzz pick, plain and simple. What to know what every person I know who's gone to Uchiko says to me? "Go there now." Paul started under Tyson Cole (who, BTW, just won a James Beard) at Uchi, and when it came time to open Uchiko, Cole gave him the keys. It's Japanese-inspired, but it works in a lot of international influences in a lot of interesting ways. That grilled trout with Asian tomato salad looked like exactly the kind of style that somebody can ride to Top Chef victory. And as an Austin chef, he's on his home turf. But the thing that puts Paul over the top is the look in the eyes of somebody who's eaten at Uchiko whenever it comes up in conversation. It's a small sample, to be sure. But it's a really, really enthusiastic small sample. I'm nervous about putting anybody at number one, but I have a good feeling about Paul.

There it is. Chicago bias? Maybe. This seems far more fitting as an opening line than a set of predictions. Unless Paul wins it all, in which case I knew all along.

*wince*... here goes...

Discuss!

Comments

[Peter Merholz]

I'm a little surprised there is not one SF Bay Area chef in this. There wasn't one in the field of 29.

As to your rankings, they look right to me. I'd probably put Grayson higher.

And I loved this 29 > 16 thing. It should weed out those who are otherwise good cooks, but not suited to the nature of this competition.

[Skillet Doux]

Peter... I suspect it's just luck of the draw. There weren't any Chicago chefs in season seven (ignoring All-Stars), and now there are six. My guess is they just don't pay that much attention to regional distribution and the usual random variation applies.

[Steve]

Allow me to add to the list of people giving you that same comment re: Uchiko - Go there. Now. It's great.

[KinderJ]

I haven't heard of any of these chefs, so your evaluation of them adds a lot for me. Thanks!

As for how they stack up against each other- I agree with putting Edward at 7. Highly motivated and seems creative, but he was on the bubble for a reason. Loved the gutsy cooking while bleeding thing. And, you will note, maintaining food hygiene. I also like your pick of Sarah at 2. I know the simple v. complex debate is a perennial on SD, but the background at Spiaggia should leave her well equipped to excel at both. And who thought pork skin ravioli would be good?

[Matt #3]

Thanks for the research! Awesome write-up. Enjoyed every minute of it. Now let the real episodes begin!

[Nick]

Dominic, so excited you put Paul at number 1. I'm from Austin, and have been a fan of both you and the page since you first started eviscerating the culinary world (and earlier when you were doing the same to pirates).

Paul is an acquaintance of mine and an active rooting interest, so I'll try to refrain from too much homerism when I disclose this:

Uchiko is amazing. Paul has been executive chef there for about a year, and was Chef de cuisine, as mentioned, under Tyson Cole before. Anyway, back when I was eating there with my friend who was a chef at Uchi at one point (if you want to eat well, go to the restaurant with a chef who works in the kitchen, is well liked, and is leaving for a better gig...) Paul was doing the preparations for a bunch of amuses and off the menu items right in front of us, and I thought then...

That being said, there is a small caveat, everything I've tasted has been Asian influenced at every restaurant he's worked for, and each of his trailers. Also, Uchiko is not perfect, one of the best two restaurant in Austin, and certainly one of my favorites, but they try, and value the feedback, especially for the foodie customers.

Edward is also an exciting pick, I tend to agree with your placement just based on pedigree and attitude. When the heat is on, crazy isn't the worst emotion to rely on to get you over the hump. Have to believe that I would eat just about any pasta Sara puts in water. I think Keith will be my Dark Horse, we'll see whether it's because of a subconscious estimation of his skills or just his beard is so lovable.

Anyway, I was in Texas while this was being filmed, so I can't wait to see how the season unfolds. Curious about how the moto boys will do, if Paul holds, how the 100 straight days of 100 degree heat we had this summer affected the chefs.

Top chef is back and I'm so excited!

[Sara]

I'm excited to see how Sarah and Lindsey pan out -- their food looked great, got great reactions, and their depictions were pretty perfect (Lindsay being helpful, Sarah being excited and talking about Italy), which IMO bodes well for their staying power this season. Edward has the drive, I think, to do well. I love Chuy and Keith personality-wise and I hope their food turns that up even more.

Altogether, I haven't been this excited about a cast in a couple seasons. Certainly not this level of "any one of these guys could win it" feeling in a long time.

[1000yregg]

Have you seen "Last Chance Kitchen". It's going to be like Redemption Island where a chef has a chance to come back into the competition at the end, but they have to beat everyone who gets eliminated. Looks like the first winner is Andrew, the other Texan

[ZRD]

What 1000yregg said; I think it'll be an interesting twist on the show. As to Sarah, I think she also has the advantage of a smallish restaurant, from what I remember, which implies to me (without evidence) that she probably does a lot of actual cooking still at it. Also, I loved it when I was there a year ago.

[wolfefan]

Hi Dom -

did you see Nyesha on the first episode of Chef Hunter on The Food Network? It might give you a few more clues. They'll probably rerun it soonish...

[OmicronPersei8]

Nice work. I love the background details, adds so much to the show for me. Thanks.

[Gary]

I liked the rankings, but I'd like to call Edward my dark horse. Interesting first two dishes and I agree, he has the look in his eye. He seems very calm/poised to deal with the pressure of the show unlike some others (while previews should be taken with a grain of salt, Sarah looks like she's going to implode). I can't recall a time when a winner suffers and meltdown and recovers to win it. Paul's my favorite too (I'm an Asian homer perhaps? Hope not)

Not to mention Edward's audition tape. Did anyone see it? It's hilarious.

[Independent George]

I find myself in the odd position of wanting to (but not quite) root against Chuy, for the incredibly selfish reason that I would hate for (a) his becoming so popular that I can't get a table anymore, or (b) it becomes so popular that he moves to a larger location further away from me (it's currently about a mile or so from my house).

[*susan*]

So happy to see the Power Rankings back! Can't argue with them... but I haven't eaten at any of these restaurants. I am insightful-less.

[Anon Man]

Nit 1: I would probably reverse 1 and 2.
Nit 2: I need to see more from Keith, but I have a feeling that a southern style fish cooker is going to do well winning over Ton's heart, and based on that I would put him higher.
Nit 3: I am not sold on Edward.

[Lon]

Congrats on your first attempt at a ranking. Based on what I saw in the first two shows and what information is available on them, I think you did a commendable job.

At this point, the first two weeks could play Humpty Dumpty with the rankings. Looking forward to those episodes which should give us all a better feel for where people might finish.

[Anon Man]

Dom, I'm watching last week right now, and I'm curious how you might incorporate the last chance person? They are still in, in sort of a parallel tournament. I could see automatically putting them in last, but what if it becomes a contender who leaves early? Then do we rate them above the worst remaining in the main competition? Not trying to give you more work, just musing on handling that new curveball.

[Skillet Doux]

Anon Man... Exactly the sort of thing I can work in here but I wouldn't have wanted to do on Skillet Doux. I'm thinking I'm going to work it into the weekly rotation. Postmortem Wednesday night, Last Chance Friday, Power Rankings Mon/Tue.