It was a celebration of food and service. The Yellow Carrot will be featured in the latest episode of webshow America’s Best Restaurant. The eatery hosted a block party to coincide with filming on Tuesday and celebrate their induction to America’s Best Restaurants’ list of high-quality eateries.
The Yellow Carrot, owned and operated by Executive Chef Sari Suzanne Seedorf, has been a part of the Durango community for 16 years. Perhaps initially known for its pastries and catering, now the Carrot is known for offering a complete dining event, “Willy Wonka meets Walt Disney” as described by Seedorf.
“It’s a place for people to come and just have a really great experience,” she said.
The Yellow Carrot is not self-limiting when it comes to its seasonal menu, offering a spread that displays a seemingly infinite versatility that covers every note on the scale from pad thai and ahi tuna to hamburgers and mac and cheese.
And come filming day it opted to offer the tables for the filming to the community via a giveaway on social media, giving 36 patrons the opportunity to share in the accomplishment.
Seedorf sees being recognized among America’s best as an opportunity for the Yellow Carrot to come into its own.
“It’s time for the Yellow Carrot to say, ‘Hey, world, we’re here,’” she said.
Being featured by America’s Best Restaurants is an honor to be sure and that doesn’t escape the exuberant chef, but Seedorf is quick to share the laurels with those that surround her, including her kitchen and front-of-house staff members whom she lauds as some of the best she has worked with in her life.
“They’re just really special people and they are so dedicated to being a part of the food, and the ambience, and the love and the hospitality that we deliver,” she said.
But she went beyond that and shared the recognition with the entire city as well.
“Not only is it an exciting thing for the Yellow Carrot, but it is for Durango,” she said. “Durango is such a special town with the train and all the eclectic things and the beauty that we’re in, it just adds another morsel to whomever is chosen for these kinds of things.”
ABR is a show that features, primarily long-form content on YouTube as well as socials like Facebook and Instagram, traveling around the nation recognizing restaurants for their hard work and creating a network everyone can reference when looking for somewhere to eat in each state. To be mentioned among the best, eateries need to be nominated on the ABR website, often by patrons. After that, ABR researches each candidate – checking their website, their menu and the restaurant in general before moving forward on an inductee.
To date, the show boasts a catalog of 842 episodes and coverage over 28 states. The Yellow Carrot is the latest Colorado restaurant to join the website and show, which features only 18 other Centennial State dining locations. This makes the third time that a Durango location has made the weblist – other Durango eateries listed include Public House 701 on East Second Avenue and The Joint just off Highway 3.
