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Mexican Cuisine's Elegant Side

If when you think Mexican food, you think only of the late-night burrito joint down the street, or tortillas and guac, you are missing out on some of the most exciting trends in Mexican cooking -- namely the gourmet and authentic approach to Mexican cuisine pioneered by Rick Bayless of Chicago.

Bayless is a chef, cookbook author, restauranteur, and host of the PBS show "Mexico -- One Plate at a Time". He is also scheduled to appear on this summer's Top Chef Masters on Bravo.

His cookbooks have won numerous awards for making authentic Mexican cuisine approachable to Americans. His restaurants in Chicago -- Frontera Grill and Tobolobampo -- have garnered praise from magazines such as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, The Atlantic Monthly, Zagat's, and The Wine Spectator. The fine dining at Tobolobampo, with its seasonal tasting menu, takes Mexican cuisine far beyond the taco stand. Bayless himself -- among many accolades -- received the Cooking Teacher of the Year Award in 2002 from Bon Appétit.

Bayless promotes the use of local, organic produce to create the freshest Mexican dishes, and often features vegetables from his own garden in meals served at his restaurants.