It was a tough week for local “Top Chef” fans. Denver chef Carrie Baird — who, by all accounts, is just as nice in real life as she seemed on the show — was told to pack her knives and go.
Did she screw up on the challenge or fail to get a critical component on the plate? No, she was sent home on a great dish that the judges loved.
The chefs’ Elimination Challenge was to put their spin on a family-favorite recipe. Baird made a buffalo stroganoff raviolo, her take on her mom’s beef stroganoff. Everyone loved it, and the only quasi-criticism came from judge Tom Colicchio, who said he wished she’d mixed the braising liquid with the crème fraiche to make it more stroganoff-y.
But it was down to the final four, and any little thing can send someone packing. In episode 12, it was Baird.
We wanted to hear from Baird herself about her “Top Chef” Colorado experience, how the show has affected Bar Dough, and how we can get some of that Fancy Toast, so we caught up with her on a busy morning in the midst of her buying and selling a house and jetting off to Iceland for a cooking competition. (This one isn’t televised.)
Q: Do you think it’s worse going home on a great dish?
A: You know, I’m glad I didn’t have a total flop. It lessens the blow that Padma is saying ‘Just so you know, no one is on the bottom.’ Once they get down to that small number they just nitpick. I got a 9 out of 10 I guess.
Q: How were you feeling going into judging that day?
A: You kind of can tell when it’s your turn. (Fellow eliminated contestant) Christ Scott said the same thing. I was so unsure about what I was going to cook. For the first time in the whole competition, I just wasn’t feeling like this is going to be awesome. I had this little hesitation. There’s this little tiny voice in my head saying this might be the one for me.
Q: What was your favorite challenge?
A: I’m totally in love with breakfast, so I loved the Quickfire breakfast challenge. (Baird won the challenge with Nutella eggs benedict.)
Q: How has it been watching yourself on TV?
A: It’s like hearing your voice — nobody likes it! In the beginning I could tell how bashful I felt. As it kept going, I got more comfortable. I don’t know if other people can see that, but I see that in myself.
Q: How has being on the show affected Bar Dough?
A: We are definitely busier. My role at the restaurant has to change a little. I spend more time in the dining room now saying hi and taking pictures. It’s really fun. We had to restructure ourselves a little.
Q: Are the beet raisins or any version of Fancy Toast on the menu at Bar Dough?
A: Both of them actually! The beet raisins are on the kale and beet salad — we’re selling so many! We had a fancy toast on even before I started “Top Chef.” I just put the French Onion soup top on last Saturday.
(Baird won episode 11’s Quickfire challenge with a French Onion soup top toast.)
Q: Did you take away any great life lessons from your time filming the show?
A: One thing I did take away is that the friendships I made are real. Chris and especially Fatima are going to be my friends forever. We just have someone to lean on. There’s someone in the universe who knows how I feel.
Q: You represented yourself and Denver well on the show. There’s no villain status with you.
A: That’s one of the best compliments I get. A 60-year-old woman came into the restaurant and asked to see me and she grabbed me by the shoulders and said, ‘You made Colorado proud. I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never been as proud to live in Colorado.’
Q: Who are you rooting for now?
A: Joe Flamm maybe. Second to Adrienne.
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