Rick Bayless
Chef, Restaurateur, Cookbook Author, TV Host
Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
Chicago, Illinois
Rick Bayless, one of America's most celebrated chefs, has been called "the American guru of Mexican cuisine" and "America's foremost proponent of Mexico's regional cuisines". His love affair with Mexico goes back to his childhood in Oklahoma City following a family vacation to Mexico. Although he grew up with and still loves Tex-Mex food, the passion inspired from that first trip south of the border has moved Bayless to help people understand the difference between Mexican cooking in the United States and Mexican food in Mexico.
Along with his wife and business partner Deann, the Baylesses have spent several years traveling throughout every state of Mexico, learning regional specialties made by local restaurants, market vendors and street stall cooks. Their commitment to thorough research of the cuisines and culture of this vibrant country has brought authentic, regional Mexican food to people all over the world through their books and highly acclaimed restaurants. The Baylesses return to Mexico at least once a year for ongoing research, often with members of their restaurant staff.
1987 was certainly a banner year for the Bayless', as it included the publication of their now-classic Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico (Morrow), and the opening of their first restaurant, the colorful and casual Frontera Grill in Chicago. Two years later, the Baylesses transformed the space next door to Frontera into Topolobampo, one of American's only fine-dining Mexican restaurants. Both restaurants have received numerous awards and distinctions from publications like the International Herald Tribune, Conde Nast Traveler and Wine Spectator Magazines, and Zagat's restaurant guidebook. The San Francisco Chronicle called Frontera and Topolobampo "the best Mexican restaurants in America".
Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine (Scribner) was released in 1996 and was chosen as Best Cookbook of the Year by both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Chicago Tribune. In Salsas That Cook (1998, Simon & Schuster Inc.), Bayless teaches basic Mexican dishes with emphasis on how to blend the flavors of classic salsas into everyday cooking. Deann Bayless, co-author and operating manager of both restaurants, is a member of the Dames d'Escoffier and the International Association of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Rick Bayless' skills as chef have won him many awards, including Best New Chef (Food & Wine, 1988), Best American Chef: Midwest (James Beard Foundation, 1991), and Chef of the Year (International Association of Culinary Professionals and James Beard Foundation, 1995). In 1998, the Beard Foundation chose Rick Bayless as Humanitarian of the Year, a fitting tribute to the Bayless' dedication to community service through their very active participation in Share Our Strength. In addition, Bayless is chairman of Chefs Collaborative, which supports sustainable agriculture through environmentally sound practices.
In addition to writing for publications including Fine Cooking, Saveur (contributing editor), Food & Wine, and Vegetarian Times, Rick Bayless has appeared on many television shows including Good Morning America, Today, Martha Stewart Living, and Great Chefs of America. His own 26-part Public Television series,Mexico One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless, began airing this summer. Shot in the Bayless' own home kitchens (both indoor and outdoor) and at nearly 100 locations throughout Mexico, Mexico One Plate at a Time is both culinary and cultural. It's a perfect showcase for Rick Bayless' encyclopedic knowledge, energy, and passionate creativity, offering a format for the friendly chef to give home cooks recipes that are simple and authentic, with ingredients found in American markets. The companion book to Mexico One Plate at a Time (Scribner) will be available in October.
Introducing authentic Mexican cuisine to an American audience has provided very successful careers for Rick and Deann Bayless, with their restaurants, books, TV series, and Frontera gourmet products. In turn, they've provided a studied and perfected glimpse of the subtle varieties of Mexican cuisine to diners, readers, viewers, and home chefs everywhere.
Frontera Grill is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Topolobampo is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. They are both located at 445 North Clark Street in Chicago. For reservations please call (312) 661-1434.
Additional information is available at www.fronterakitchens.com
