Chicago Chefs Hall of Fame welcomes Rick Bayless

Award-winning chef and television personality Rick Bayless will be inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame later this month.

"It is a great honor. I am personally very excited about having a Culinary Museum in Chicago. We may be the second city but we are second to none in food," said Bayless, who, with his wife Deann, owns and operates the acclaimed Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, both in Chicago. "Over the past 20 years, Deann and I have worked to bring the truly modern and regional cuisines of Mexico to the people of Chicago and the nation. While I accept this honor, I defer accolades to my wonderful staff who without, this wouldn't be possible."

Besides running the restaurants, Bayless has written six cookbooks, has a line of Mexican prepared food products, collaborated with Macy's department store to open Frontera Fresco in two Chicago-area stores and in San Francisco and hosts "Mexico: One Plate at a Time" on PBS. The couple plans to open a third restaurant next spring.

Bayless' induction will come during a ceremony from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago. Bayless joins chefs Charlie Trotter and Jimmy Bannos as the museum's early honorees.

Tickets for the event, featuring a cocktail reception, silent auction, awards presentation and wandering feast, cost $175 per person in advance; $200 at the door. Get tickets online at www.brownpapertickets.com or via mail to Carmella Anello, Nestle Professional, 650 E. Diehl Road, Suite 100, Naperville, IL, 60563. Make checks payable to Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame.