Chef Carrie Baird: Need I Say More?
“You know you’re Denver’s sweetheart,” I say as I sit down at the table.
“I don’t know about that,” Chef Carrie Baird responds with a quick laugh.
For those of you who don’t know who Carrie Baird is, I’ll just assume you’ve been living under a rock for the past six months. Carrie is best known as an Owner/Executive Chef of Bar Dough in LoHi, and Top Chef: Colorado contestant this spring of 2018. She was propelled into the public eye when she was casted for Top Chef, and millions of people have been welcomed to the Mile High City by her cheerful voice on the Denver International Airport train.
But on top of being an incredible chef and local celebrity, Carrie Baird is personable. She’s personable, and funny, and straightforward. And like every chef I’ve ever met, sprinkles her conversation with a few colorful words here and there (aka, cussin’, as my Southern mama would say).
And because of all the aforementioned, The Modern Eater is beyond excited that Chef Carrie Baird will be kicking off our Summer Dinner Series on July 3rd!
Chef Carrie at The Modern Eater’s Summer Dinner Series
The Summer Dinner Series by The Modern Eater gives diners an intimate experience with local top chefs, and incredible Colorado farmers. Each chef is partnered with a farmer, and together they create a seasonal and delectable menu. The dinner is paired with beer from the Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project and Bruz Beers, and a cocktail hour with Rocker Spirits. The dinner benefits the ACF Colorado Chef’s Association apprenticeship program and is sponsored by Grower’s Organic.
What special reason is Carrie excited about being part of the Summer Dinner Series? “It’s coming full circle. I’m partnering with the Field to Fork Farm from Palisade. The farmers, Scott and Jessica, were friends of mine in Breckenridge. It’s been 8 years since we’ve seen each other, and now we get to reconnect and do what we’re good at together for this dinner!”
Although this specific dinner is sold out, there are plenty of incredible chef’s table experiences for the rest of the Series. Click here to get tickets for future Summer Dinner Series events!
Carrie’s Roots and the Road to Bar Dough
Carrie grew up in Idaho, in a small town named Pocatello. She had two sisters, and went to Boise state. Carrie’s restaurant memories started when she was young. She reminisces, “When I was really little, I remember planning opening a diner with my dad. I would make the biscuits, and he would pour the coffee.” And Carrie’s family is no stranger to the restaurant industry; her grandfather owned a hamburger joint named Woody’s in Idaho in the 1950’s.
After she graduated college, she got out of (proverbial) Dodge and headed to Colorado to ski. She settled in Breckenridge in 1999, skiing in the winter and working in a variety of hotels and restaurants. She moved to Denver from Breckenridge in 2012.
Carrie’s road to becoming an Executive Chef for Bar Dough actually started all the way back in Breckenridge, where she knew fellow Bar Dough Executive Chef and Owner Max MacKissock. Max later married Chef Jen Jasinski of the Crafted Concepts restaurant suite. Max passed Carrie’s resume to Jen, and the rest is history. Chef Carrie spent time at Rioja and Euclid Hall, and as the Executive Chef at Brazen. She was later invited to be the Executive Chef and an Owner at Bar Dough, which opened in fall 2015 as part of the Culinary Creative Group of concepts. Bar Dough was the perfect fit for her. “I love Bar Dough,” she says, “It’s me – the space, the food, the vibe. And it sounds cheesy, but our team is truly amazing and makes working here a great experience.”
What got Chef Carrie on the radar for Top Chef? “Jen Jasinski was quoted in a magazine saying her favorite meal of the year was at Brazen. I was like, “Thanks for the shoutout!” and I was suddenly on the radar for Top Chef after that.” The first year she applied to Top Chef was “agonizing,” between the flights, prep, paperwork, and waiting. She didn’t get in that year, so she went back the next year and was selected to be one of the contestants. What was the best part of the experience? “I made fourteen amazing friends. You live together for months. And it’s with people who get it – they know what it’s like putting 60 hour weeks in, they know what it’s like to be a chef. Most people don’t understand that life, but the other contestants get it, and it was so great to be surrounded by like-minded individuals.”
Chef Carrie shared another important memory from her Top Chef experience. She recalls, “Right after I was eliminated, I was walking down the street and an elderly lady stopped me, grabbed my by the shoulders, and said, “You made Denver so proud!!” And I was proud that I made her proud. I’m glad I represented Denver well.” She continues, “When I was recently flying home to Denver, I was on the train coming back from the terminal and I heard my voice. And I thought, this is the coolest. I never expected to be here.”
What’s Next for Chef Carrie
What else is going on in Carrie’s world, now that Top Chef is over?
There are always new projects in the pipeline for The Culinary Creative Group. Sofia is their latest restaurant venture, which will open in New Orleans in late 2018. While Carrie will focus on keeping Bar Dough and Señor Bear running, she has still been making her rounds to NOLA in advance of the opening.
Chef Carrie also has some exciting developments in her personal life. She recently bought a home in Northwest Denver and just planted her first garden. “I can’t stop looking at it,” she says, telling me about the heirloom varietals of tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and more that she’s watching grow. She’s been invited to be a regular contributor to a podcast incubator, where she may host episodes that will bring a more truthful, raw look at restaurant life. Carrie also joked about her new band, Poundcake. She’ll be vocals and guitar, and she already has staff signed up for tuba and tambourine. I have high hopes for this band making it from the drawing board to real life, because I’m pretty sure every restauranteur could use a non-food stress-relieving hobby. Carrie quips, “We’re really big in Germany.”
Well Carrie, I’ll be waiting anxiously for the Poundcake LP. And in the meantime, I’ll see you soon at Bar Dough for my amaro and fancy toast.
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Visit Bar Dough at 227 W 32nd Ave, Denver and check out their menu here
For tickets to The Modern Eater’s Summer Dinner Series, click here
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