When Carrie Baird appeared on the fifteenth season of Top Chef in 2017, she was executive chef at Highland Italian eatery Bar Dough, one of the restaurants owned by the Culinary Creative Group. But in February 2020, Baird left the position to open her own concept, Rose’s Classic Americana, at Rosetta Hall in Boulder. Then the pandemic hit. Rose’s offered takeout and delivery throughout the shutdown, and eventually opened for dine-in, but the concept ultimately closed in August 2020.
Now, Baird is back with the Culinary Creative Group in a new role: culinary director for Tap & Burger, which has locations in Highland, Sloan’s Lake and the Denver Tech Center, as well as a new outpost in Westminster set to open November 12 at 8810 Westminster Boulevard.
“We are thrilled to have Carrie back in the CCG family! Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her passion for Americana cuisine is a fantastic fit for the Tap & Burgers,” says Culinary Creative’s CFO and founding partner Katie O’Shea.
In her new role, Baird will be updating the menu seasonally, creating new items and working directly with the chefs at each Tap & Burger location. “Look out for new nachos, new salads and incredible new burgers. What I’m really excited about is creating a brand-new happy hour menu — we’ll have good deals and fun and yummy food,” Baird says.
Will fancy toast, the dish that became Baird’s signature on Top Chef and at Bar Dough, be on the menu? That remains to be seen. But regardless, this is tasty news for burger lovers in Denver.
