Las Vegas Weekly

September 23, 2009 · 1:02 PM

Penn & Teller play a few tricks on Top Chef: Las Vegas

By Robin Leach

Penn & Teller.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Our edgy and well-liked magicians Penn & Teller dice with death in their brilliantly unique shows at The Rio. Tonight, though, those cruel tricks will be aimed at the remaining contestants on Top Chef: Las Vegas when the conjuring couple guest star, and don’t expect it to be pretty! Teller might well catch a bullet fired from a gun, but one chef will get one tonight and be axed from the Bravo series.

On last week’s show, which featured cooking with cactus in the desert scrubland around Las Vegas, it was French chef Mattin Noblia who was scratched. Brothers Michael and Bryan Voltaggio wound up competing against each other by serving up cactus salsa dishes! The cheftestants prepped an outdoor lunch for two dozen cowboys, which caused some technical challenges in the great outdoors, with none of the comforts and gadgets of a king’s kitchen.

I’m told that will pale in comparison to tonight’s torture from Penn & Teller!

Photo: Trae Patton/Bravo TV

Judges Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio check out a dish by Bryan Voltaggio during the premiere.

Sports odds maker Johnny Avello at the Wynn race book keeps a close weekly eye on the remaining cheftestants, and here’s his new book for tonight. Please remember that these odds are posted solely for entertainment purposes and not for gaming. To date, Johnny has been right on the money, and as Top Chef: Las Vegas continues, it appears as if the Voltaggio brothers will battle it out with just two other chefs for eventual winner’s bragging rights -- and all the money!

Here are the odds, with opening and current numbers: Michael Voltaggio, 11/1, 2/1; Jennifer Carroll, 20/1, 7/2; Kevin Gillespie, 8/1, 9/2; Bryan Voltaggio, 15/1, 5/1; Michael Isabella, 25/1, 12/1; Laurine Wickett, 14/1, 20/1; Ashley Merriman, 30/1, 25/1; Eli Kirshtein, 22/1, 30/1; Ron Duprat, 7/1, 35/1; Ash Fulk, 35/1, 40/1; and Robin Leventhal, 28/1, 60/1.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

Share This