‘Top Chef: Seattle’ rankings: Can anyone stop Brooke Williamson, Sheldon Simeon?

You know the sign of a good season is when you are near the end, and it feels almost like the whole season has just blown by. This is what it is like with “Top Chef: Seattle” this time around compared with the show set in Texas last year. Can you believe that we are just two episodes away from the end? There are only three contestants left in the actual competition, and with “Last Chance Kitchen” coming to an end this week we’re about to have an opportunity to see who re-enters the show just in time for the finale.

As we explained during our first rankings last week, we’re basing positions on a few variables, including cooking technique, creativity, and whether or not they have been presented like someone Tom Colicchio will kiss the feet of at the end. (The last variable can be tricky, though; remember the surprising end to season 7?)

6. CJ Jacobsen (last week: 6) – We understand that America loves him, and that he did go on a huge “Last Chance Kitchen” winning streak. But wouldn’t it be a little strange if a guy who was eliminated during the fifth episode gets into the finale? We don’t know how the “Save a Chef” voting goes, but it is possible.

5. Lizzie Binder (4) – Lizzie may still be in “Top Chef” mode a little bit more so than CJ, so she has an advantage right there alone if given another change. But can she beat Kristen? It’s possible, but she has her work cut out for her if she wants to re-enter the competition.

4. Kristen Kish (5) – We all should be well aware at the moment that Kristen never would have left to begin with if she and Josie actually got along. So when you are talking about what her odds are at getting back into the competition, you have to vote “high” given the current tear she’s on. We’re only ranking her fourth because she has the toughest road and the fewest amount of changes out of the remaining chefs, but she could easily win the whole thing.

3. Josh Valentine (3) – First, points to Josh for cooking something without bacon in it last week, and for proving the past few weeks that you do have a little bit more range than we gave you credit for. With all of this being said, Josh is going to have to beat the strongest chef left in the game (Brooke) along with the most likable man on planet earth (Sheldon) if he is to make the finale. He has a shot, but he needs to cook the best food he’s ever done while also hoping that one of his competition falters / Sheldon has to make tempura gain.

2. Sheldon Simeon (2) – Has Sheldon been exposed a little bit as of late? Maybe, as his biggest flaw is trying too hard to insert a little bit of Asian / Hawaiian flair into everything he makes. Take, for instance, trying to infuse his sourdough bread with green tea. Not all of this works. If the guy puts the focus on food first and does not overthink anything, though, he’s a winner that “Top Chef” would love to have.

1. Brooke Williamson (1) – You’ve surely noticed now that the changes between last week and this one are minimal, and there’s a reason for that: even though some chefs performed better than others at the salmon bake, their overall arcs remain the same. Brooke at the moment just has the eye of the tiger: she’s won more than anyone, isn’t afraid to take massive risks, and is a chef that Bravo and the franchise would love to get behind and support. It’s going to take a disaster to get her out of this before the finale, let alone the winners’ circle.

Who do you want to see walk away with the “Top Chef” title? Be sure to share some more of your thoughts below, and you can read up on this past “Last Chance Kitchen” episode over here.

Photo: Bravo