riveting may

chef’s shows

Mexico: One Plate at a Time
Monday at 9.30pm

Rick Bayless

Best known for being the affable host of Mexico - One Plate at a Time on the Asian Food Channel, Chef Rick Bayless is an expert when it comes to Mexican food. Born into an Oklahoma City family of restaurateurs specialising in the local barbecue, Chef Rick begun his culinary training at a tender age. But it wasn't until his years as an undergraduate student of Spanish and Latin American culture, did he broaden his horizons to include regional Mexican cooking to his repertoire.

From 1978 to 1979, Chef Rick hosted the 26-part PBS television series, Cooking Mexican, after which he and his wife Deann dedicated over 6 years to culinary research in Mexico. Their research culminated in 1987 with the publication of his now-classic book, "Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico" which the late New York Times food editor, Craig Claiborne, described as "the greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable".

In 1996, Chef Rick released "Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine" which has been similarly embraced. It was chosen as the Best Cookbook of the Year by IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards and the Chicago Tribune. Three years later, Chef Rick and his wife, together with JeanMarie Brownson, released "Salsas That Cook".

Besides churning out award-winning cookbooks, Chef Rick and his wife have also opened two restaurants - the colourful, vivacious Frontera Grill in Chicago, specialising in contemporary regional Mexican cooking and the earthy, elegant Topolobampo, one of America's only fine-dining Mexican restaurants. Both restaurants have received awards and distinctions from publications such as "Conde Nast Traveler", "Holiday Travel", "International Herald Tribune", "Wine Spectator", "Restaurants … Institutions", "Chicago", "Playboy", "Zagat", and other local newspapers and trade journals. In addition, Chef Rick, his wife and partners started the Frontera Foods line of authentic Mexican-prepared food products.

To add to his many achievements, Chef Rick was also chosen as "Best New Chef of 1988" by Food and Wine magazine. In 1991, the James Beard Foundation voted him "Best American Chef: Midwest", and in 1995, he won both the Beard Foundation's National Chef of the Year award and the International Association of Culinary Professional's Chef of the Year award. Rick has been inducted into the prestigious Who's Who of American Food and Drink, and in 1998 was chosen as the Beard Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year. Among many accolades, Frontera Grill was chosen by Patricia Wells at the International Herald Tribune as the third best casual restaurant in the world.

Chef Rick has appeared widely on television and radio, including Good Morning America, , CBS's This Morning, Martha Stewart Living, Sara Moulton's Cooking Live and Cooking Live Prime Time, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs, Home Cooking with Amy Coleman and Great Chefs of America. Chef Rick has also written for many publications, including "Eating Well", "Food … Wine", "Martha Stewart Living Magazine", "Vegetarian Times and Fine Cooking", "Kitchen Garden", "Travel … Leisure" and "Saveur", where he is a contributing editor.

Today, Chef Rick serves as a member of the Chefs Collaborative Advisory Board in support of environmentally sound agricultural practices, and is active in Share Our Strength, the largest hunger advocacy organisation in the United States. Aside from his contributions to the culinary world, Chef Rick is also a restaurant consultant, 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.