Rick Bayless Timeline

From 1950 to 1987, The Hickory House was the Bayless Family Restaurant where Chef Rick did everything from sweeping floors and washing dishes to serving customers and organizing catering orders.

It sure runs in the family!

A young Chef Rick smiling for the camera in his hometown of Oklahoma City, OK.

You can take the actor out of the theatre, but you can’t take the theatre out of the actor! It’s no wonder Chef Rick is so active in the Chicago theatre scene.

The monkey’s name was Ponkey.

Before embarking on their first major adventure to Mexico together, Rick Bayless and Deann Groen get married — little would they know that in 1987 they would open Frontera Grill ten years later.

Rick and Deann begin what will be five years living in Mexico. While there, they will travel to all of the Mexican states and cook with many chefs and abuelas, soaking up as much as possible in preparation for the release of their first cookbook: Authentic Mexican.

Pictured is a nervous Rick Bayless, soon to be the owner and proprietor of Frontera Grill, which, in this photograph, is still very much in progress of being built.

Just three years after Frontera Grill, Topolobampo has been the upscale, fine-dining sister to the rustic Frontera since 1990.

Chef Richard (right) and Chef Rick (left) may not be wearing the outrageous outfits they have on for this edition of ChefwearUSA, but they are both still at the helm at Frontera Grill all these years later.

There’s a new addition to the Bayless family!

Once and always an avid viewer of Julia’s, Rick achieved a childhood dream in 1992 when he made a a rustic jicama salad with Julia Child on her iconic show. Watch the episode on PBS.

The first of many staff trips to Mexico led by Rick and Deann.

Frontera goes national, offering high-quality ingredients prepared with authentic techniques for use at home anywhere in the U.S.

Now a massive non-profit providing Chicago with access to some of the best fresh-grown products in the country, Chef Rick worked with Abby Mandel and the other founding members of the market back in 1999 to ensure Chicago would have lots of excellent food to choose from for years to come.

Starring Chef Rick Bayless, Mexico: One Plate at at Time brought viewers on a trip to Mexico through the eyes and stomach of a young Rick Bayless. Episodes are available here on YouTube.

On Episode 1 of Season 1 of Iron Chef America, Chef Rick battled Chef Bobby Flay with the secret ingredient of Buffalo. Despite serving mole for his final dish, Chef Rick lost to Bobby by one point. After almost 20 years, it may be time for a rematch…

In 2006, the inaugural Dancing with Chicago Celebrities Competition kicked off at the Arthur Murray Dance Center. Chef Bayless competed, won, and has been a panel judge for the competition for the last 17 years, judging nearly 100 celebrities and helping to raise $3.5 million to fight breast cancer.

In the final challenge, Rick cooked through his culinary biography – of course, including Black Mole, one of the most challenging sauces to make, which he would go on to make at the White House for President Obama.

Barbequed Quail with Hickory House Sauce, Sour Slaw and Watermelon Salad

Seared Ahi Tuna over Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken, Plantain Tamales, and Grilled Nopales

Achiote-Marinated Cochinita Pibil with Sunchoke Purée, Crispy Pigs Feet and Pickled Red Onion

Arroz a la Tumbada with Tomato-Jalapeño Broth and Chorizo Air