Cheese + Mac

2021 FINALISTS

CARRIE BAIRD

Denver, CO

View: Carrie's Bio

Chef Carrie Baird has made a name for herself leading the kitchens of some of the most highly regarded restaurants in Colorado over the last two decades. Carrie’s signature style fuses locally sourced ingredients with healthy twists on both classic and innovative new dishes. Carrie has been a fixture in the Denver restaurant scene for two decades, including stints as executive chef at Brazen and Bar Dough. She opened Rose’s Classic Americana in Boulder in March 2020, but the lockdowns during the pandemic have kept it closed.

Carrie competed on Season 15 of Bravo’s Top Chef. Filmed entirely in Colorado, she quickly became a fan favorite. She won many challenges and even baked a cake in the snow. Carrie was a Top 4 Finalist. In the spring of 2019. She was a contestant on Food Networks “Beat Bobby Flay” and beat him handily with her Pork Green Chili Huevos Rancheros. Most recently she was an “All Star” judge on Top Chef Season 18, judging eight episodes of the season.

WINNER

RECIPE: SKIPJACK & CHEESY MAC

Carrie's entry is a dish inspired by what she cooks for herself with a variety of tastes and textures including four California cheeses, skipjack tuna, charred broccoli, peas and corn, along with togarashi, sriracha, and furikake seasoning.

ALEX SADOWSKY

Dallas, TX

View: Alex's Bio

Alex Sadowsky graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. Afterward, he moved back to his home state of Minnesota to master his craft in some of St. Paul’s most esteemed kitchens. In 2015, Alex left Minnesota and moved to Dallas, where he was the Chef De Cuisine at Whiskey Cake in Plano. He helped Whiskey Cake develop its menu and thoroughly enjoyed being in a kitchen that takes such great efforts to be locally sourced, innovative, and seasonal. Alex transitioned to the position of Regional Chef, where he supported openings for multiple new Front Burner Restaurant brands. His primary focus was driving the culinary success of each menu and helping grow the brands. Alex is currently the Corporate Executive Chef at Twin Peaks Restaurants, which he joined in 2018. Twin Peaks is so much more than the typical sports bar. The entire menu is prepared in-house, to order and in generous portions to satisfy every appetite. Founded in 2005 in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville, Twin Peaks now has 84 locations in 26 states.