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Rick Bayless
- Details
- 29 Apr
He was born in Oklahoma City, on November 23, 1953.
Rick is an American chef who specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine with modern interpretations. He is perhaps best known for his PBS (Public Broadcasting Services)series Mexico: One Plate at a Time.
Bayless was born into a family of restaurateurs and grocers specializing in the local barbecue. Having begun his culinary training as a youth, he broadened his interests to include regional Mexican cooking as an undergraduate student of Spanish and Latin American culture. After finishing his undergraduate education at the University of Oklahoma, he did doctoral work in Anthropological Linguistics at the University of Michigan and, from 1980 to 1986, lived in Mexico with his wife, Deann, writing his first book Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From The Heart of Mexico.
After hosting the 26-part PBS television series Cooking Mexican in 1978-1979, Bayless dedicated over six years to culinary research in Mexico, culminating in 1987 with the publication of his Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, which Craig Claiborne described as "the greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable." Chef Bayless continues to host his PBS television series, Mexico: One Plate at a Time, now entering Season 8, produced entirely on the Baja peninsula.
Before opening his own restaurant, Rick began his professional career in 1980 as the executive chef at Lopez, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Rick trained a staff of 10, and established the tradition of Lopez, which still remains the premier Mexican/Southwestern restaurant in Ohio. In 1987, Bayless, along with his wife, Deann, opened the Frontera Grill in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in contemporary regional Mexican cuisine. In 1989 they opened Topolobampo, one of America's first fine-dining Mexican restaurants.
In 1995, he and partners started the successful Frontera Foods line of prepared food products.
He was one of the founding members of Chefs Collaborative, in support of environmentally sound agricultural practices and is active in Share Our Strength, the nation's largest hunger advocacy organization.
Bayless is a restaurant consultant and teaches authentic Mexican cooking throughout the United States. He is a visiting staff member at the Culinary Institute of America and leads cooking and cultural tours to Mexico.
Bayless has written several cookbooks on the subject of traditional Mexican fare, including the best-selling Mexico: One Plate at a Time. He has also contributed to a number of magazines.
Bayless and his staff also began the Frontera Farmer Foundation in 2003. This foundation was set up to support Chicago-area local farmers by offering capital improvement grants. As of 2007, more than $400,000 has been given to local family farms.
In 2005, Bayless competed on Iron Chef America and lost by one point to Iron Chef Bobby Flay on what was the first broadcast episode of season 1, with American bison meat as the secret ingredient.
In December 2007, Bayless opened Frontera Fresco restaurant in San Francisco.
Bayless appeared as a guest judge in episode 3 of Season 4's Top Chef, judging both the quickfire and elimination challenges. He later went on to become a contestant in episode 3 of the first season of Top Chef Masters, winning that episode and advancing to the Champion's round. In the championship round he won the title of Top Chef Master on August 19, 2009.
He is the brother of ESPN personality and sports journalist Skip Bayless. In 2008, he was widely considered to be a serious contender for the position of White House Executive Chef under the administration of Barack Obama.
In 2010, after having spent significant time at local Mexican dining spots, Bayless made his LA debut running the kitchen at the Red O.
Bayless was guest chef for the May 19, 2010 White House state dinner honoring Mexican President Felipe Calderón and his wife Margarita Zavala.
In 2012, Bayless ventured into the world of theatre, partnering with Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, IL to put on the play, "Rick Bayless in Cascabel", which Bayless created along with Tony Hernandez and Heidi Stillman. The show opened on March 21, 2012 to favorable reviews and ran through April 29.
Also in 2012, Rick Bayless secured his first ever Day Time Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host for his work on Season 8 of Mexico: One Plate at a Time
"I have not become what I want... I'm working on it."
Aquiles Chávez - Chef from Mexico
- Details
- 18 Jan
He was born in Mexico City on February 3, 1977.
Currently he is considered one of the best chefs of the country. He grew up in Tabasco where he says , “everything began”, when as a teenager he dreamed to purchase an electric guitar, so he got a job in the summer of 92’ as a “cochambrero” (dishwasher) in a restaurant chain in Villahermosa, Tabasco, MX. It was there where he discovered the ease of cooking, so he developed a passion for studying cooking.
In the case of the guitar ... "Ill buy it later" he said.
Aquiles moved to D.F. (Federal District) to study at the “Colegio Superior de Gastronomía CSG” (College of Gastronomy) where he graduated as a member of the ninth generation of graduates in Gastronomy in 2000. It was in the CSG where she was taught the love and respect for the profession, classified by him as one of the "most chidas (fantastic) the world" and he learned that “being a Chef is a way of life" is a lesson that has tought him to be the man he currently is.
In 2001 he participated in a training course in one of the most exclusive resorts in Florida (Partie) where he had the first chance to be measured with same rank chefs who came from the most prestigious culinary schools in Asia, Europe and the U.S. ; achieving to stand out amongst them ,and after three months he became the Chef of the Partie and the rest of the chefs ended up working under him.
He is co-owner of ”LO cuisine” and “El Tovar”, both located in Villahermosa, Tabasco, MX. Soon to open "La Fishería", in Houston, TX.
Winner of several awards and recognitions, he is constantly working in his preparation and he is a tireless worker, he has traveled doing what he enjoys in several countries such as India, Holland, France and others. In the latter, he attended the "Le Centre de Formation d'Alain Ducasse" in Paris.
Always generous to educate people with his knowledge, he has taught several courses, lectures and conferences around the country. Now he is a conductor of his own TV show called "El Toque de Aquiles" (The Aquiles Touch) which airs throughout Latin America, where he gives free rein to his keen sense of humor, where he teaches people his creations in a simple and straightforward language.
His creative, funny, outgoing personality, and always positive attitude has led him to combine his passion for cooking and his love for family, now married with two beautiful daughters whom he considers his greatest achievements.
Chef Aquiles doesn’t forgot his Mexican roots and he is very proud of them. He is true to the CSG and always speaks with deep affection about it and mentions that this institution is the place where he was given all the tools to constantly develop in a competitive and in a constant evolution world.
He always says
"I have not become what I want... I'm working on it."