Les Dames d’Escoffier 2024 Reception: Leadership Awards & Scholarship Presentation

July 8, 2024 // St Cajetan’s Chapel on the Auraria Campus

Photos by Leigh Skomal of The Well Table

Left to Right: Lee Clayton Roper, Shelley Sale, Megan Dunlap, Lori Tieszen, Linnea Covington, Megan Bucholz, Brooke Medosch, Jane Bauer, Teresa Farney, Leigh Skomal


Giovanna (Gigi) Mondavi

The youngest of Marc and Janice’s four daughters, Giovanna (Gigi) grew up following in her sisters’ footsteps. After graduating from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston, she pursued a career in finance working with MFS Investments, a global asset manager. She relocated with the company to Denver, continuing her work as a Regional Consultant. She is inspired to learn as much as possible to one day bring back to the winery and her family legacy. Don’t be surprised to find her out in the market hosting wine dinners and supporting distribution and sales for C. Mondavi & Family.

Carrie Baird

Chef Carrie Baird has made a name for herself over the last two decades leading kitchens in some of the most highly-regarded restaurants in Denver, Colorado. Baird’s signature style fuses locally-sourced ingredients with healthy twists on classic and innovative, new dishes.  Baird competed on Season 15 of Bravo’s “Top Chef” where she quickly became a fan favorite and was a top 4 finalist. In the spring of 2019, Baird was a contestant on Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” and beat him handily with her Pork Green Chili Huevos Rancheros. She was an All-Star judge on “Top Chef” Season 18, judging 8 episodes of the season. 

Baird has earned numerous accolades for her work as Executive Chef of Bar Dough including being a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award, Best Chef Mountain in 2019. Bar Dough was named one of the 25 Best Restaurants in Denver in 2017, 2018 and 2019 while Baird was the executive chef. Most recently, she was the winner of the 2021 Real California Dairy macaroni and cheese competition. 

Baird is currently the Culinary Director for The Culinary Creative Group in Denver where she oversees four Tap & Burger concepts and has a new project in the works, slated for Spring 2022.