
Rick Bayless
Frontera Grill , Topolobampo, XOCO, Tortas Frontera, Leña Brava | Chicago
Most people know him from winning the title of Bravo’s Top Chef Master beating out the French and Italian with his authentic Mexican cuisine. His highly rated on-going Public Television Series, Mexico—One Plate at a Time can be found on television sets coast to coast, as well as his award-winning, seven cookbooks. In 2012, Rick was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Best Culinary Host.
His side by side award-winning restaurants in Chicago were founded in 1987. The casual Frontera Grill and the 4-star Topolobampo. In 2007, Frontera Grill won for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Organization. His award-winning Frontera line of salsas, grilling sauces and organic chips can be found coast to coast.
Rick Bayless has won James Beard awards for: Midwest Chef of the Year, National Chef of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year. Bayless opened his third restaurant: XOCO—a quick serve LEED certified restaurant featuring house-ground chocolate and wood grilled tortas. This year, Tortas Frontera opened in Terminal 1 & Terminal 3 at Chicago’s Ohare airport and in downtown Chicago at the Chase Building.
In 2016 he opened Leña Brava, a wood-fired seafood restaurant, and the adjacent Cruz Blanca Cervecería, which focuses on craft beer and Oaxacan-style tacos. Also in 2016, Rick won the prestigious Julia Child Award. In 2017, his restaurant Topolobampo won the James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant in the nation.