Colorado’s moment in the culinary spotlight starts Thursday, Dec. 7 — that’s when the Colorado season of “Top Chef” premieres on Bravo.
Season 15 of the Emmy Award-winning culinary competition was filmed filmed throughout the Centennial State in May and June, with judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Graham Elliot—traversing the state—with host Padma Lakshmi—and their cheftestants for all sorts of Rocky Mountain challenges.
And some of the chefs competing are from right here in Colorado.
Representing Colorado this season is Carrie Baird, executive chef at Bar Dough in Denver (formerly of Just Be Kitchen and Rioja), and Brother Luck, chef/owner of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs.
“It’s going to make Colorado look really cool,” Baird said of this season. “It was very humbling to be chosen to represent my beautiful city.”
Knowing the season would be filmed right here in her own backyard, Baird was very strategic in her show preparation (and maybe even had a slight advantage due to already living — and cooking — at altitude).
“I tried to think about what Colorado would be producing at that time,” she said. “It was spring, so I just started thinking produce and things like that. I really focused in on what Colorado is known for. Like, we’re clearly not seafood, so I practiced game. Rocky Mountain oysters is something I practiced. I figured if there was anything I could anticipate, it would be that.”
Although Baird said it was hard being away during the two-month-long filming, she wasn’t really that far from home.
“It was wild. Our cast house was in Capitol Hill, and I live in Capitol Hill. We’d drive past my home every day. We’d do events and I’d see people I knew and they’d see me,” Baird said.
If you want to watch the Colorado season unfold in December without any spoilers, stop reading now.
The Denver Post was granted access to some of the show’s challenges in town at Larimer Square, Mile High Station and the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen.
Many of the city’s notable chefs, such as Frank Bonanno, Troy Guard, Steve Redzikowski and Keegan Gerhard, were at the Larimer Square event.—For Restaurant Wars, the teams transformed Mile High Station. And one of the challenges involves Denver Broncos players.
The finale was filmed in Aspen during the Food and Wine Classic.
Will Baird or Luck take the title for Colorado? Will Rocky Mountain oysters or green chile come into play? Will Colicchio yell at someone for screwing up risotto? Will Lakshmi look simultaneously pained and put out when she asks cheftestants to pack their knives and go?
OK, we already know the answers to the last two. To find out the rest, we’ll have to wait for the first episode of this must-see-Colorado-TV, which hits Dec. 7 on Bravo.
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