Summer Vacation

[ChefCraig]

Rick, I am a longtime fan and have worked with your recipes as a chef with Whole Foods Market here in Michigan. On my first trip to Chicago, my only goal was to eat at Frontera Grill. After a long day of meetings and straight from the airport, I walked/ran from the Gold Coast area to Frontera. I managed to get the last bar seat (closest to the restrooms), still carrying my carry-on bag. I had the greatest meal ever and have made it a point to sit in that seat at least once a year before hitting Blue Chicago on N. Clark. In talking with your bartender, I found out that you take the staff to Mexico every year to visit, or re-visit, an area and bring that food back to Chicago. When and how did this tradition start and do you feel that it is still cost effective?

Keep up the outstanding work and thank you for bringing traditional Mexican food to the upscale restaurant. I spent 10 years in Tucson, AZ and deeply miss authentic Mexican food.
Craig

[Rick Bayless]

Hi...we began our staff trip many, many years ago, when there used to be about 7 people that would go on it! Now, there are about 35 people that travel to Mexico over the fourth of July. It is not cost effective in the sense that you are speaking about but I will tell you that having a staff that gets the opportunity to travel to Mexico, learn about the food and culture is the kind of staff that I want. It is the kind of server that you want waiting on your table. Every year we come back with great ideas and also it is a chance for all of us to relate to each other on another level.