Rick Bayless To Guest Chef White House's Mexico State Dinner: DETAILS

Chicago chef, Mexican cuisine guru, and longtime hometown favorite of the Obamas, Rick Bayless, will be a guest chef for the White House's upcoming state dinner honoring Mexico and its president Felipe Calderón on May 19. This is the White House's second state dinner, and their second celebrity guest chef for one (Marcus Samuelsson guest cheffed the White House's first state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November).

The Obamas have long frequented Bayless' renowned Mexican dining institutions in Chicago, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, and Bayless also runs Xoco in the Windy City.

"This is probably the biggest honor I've ever had," Bayless told the Times. "I still can't believe I'm doing this," he added.

On Twitter, Rick Bayless announced the Times story on the White House's invitation and Mexico state dinner plans, and shares a recipe for one of the dishes he'll be preparing for the evening -- a green ceviche with cucumber.

The Times gives some other interesting details on the mechanics and logistics of the 200-person White House dinner:

To compound the complexity, the guest chef cannot order ingredients himself. It must be done by the White House executive chef from sources that are kept secret for security reasons. (When any president eats away from the White House, a tester is in the kitchen to guard against poisoning.) Officials said no to Mr. Bayless's request that he be allowed to make two or three long-simmering, complex sauces ahead of time and ship them frozen to the White House where they could be tested. So Mr. Bayless and crew will be coming to Washington two days earlier than planned to begin preparing a 28-ingredient Oaxacan black mole.

The White House kitchen garden will supply parsley, chives, lettuce, arugula, radishes and mint for the menu, which also includes a green-herb ceviche similar to one found in Mr. Bayless's next cookbook, "Fiesta at Rick's," to be published in July. Dessert, incorporating local strawberries, will be prepared by the White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses, after consultation with Mr. Bayless.

Chef Rick Bayless was rumored as a potential choice for the Obama White House chef position, but the first couple instead retained existing White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, who will also be in the kitchen with Bayless on May 19.

* Check back for updates and photos *

Comments

[IDIOTA]

07:54 PM on 05/15/2010

Bayless is as close to authentic as a gringo can get in terms of Mexican cuisine. He respects the traditions. I love this guy.

[ywcachieve]

03:04 PM on 05/15/2010

I love Rick Bayless' cooking. He prepares the most delicious meals.

[Semper Troll]

08:33 AM on 05/15/2010

What a get. Even for the White House. Rick is not only known to the Obama's, but many people that cook around the world, including Mexico. He is well liked and the ingredients and techniques that he presents in his shows and books are right on. He has brought traditional Mexican to millions of home throughout the years, and I'm sure that through his many travels in Mexico and time spent there, he has been adopted many times as Mexican himself by the people he met there.

[ckinsobe]

01:05 AM on 05/14/2010

Padrisimo!

Love good authentic Mexican food and I am sure Rick will be making some excellent stuff. I have tried some of his recipes and they all come out great. Another excellent Mexican cook book is Susana Palacios, Mexico the Beautiful. Her Acapulco style ceviche recipe is perhaps the best thing ever put on paper :)

[Anthony OReilly]

11:58 PM on 05/13/2010

Bayless is a class act and a great chef. Love his style and hope to visit his restaurant one day.

[Lori Bowles]

10:53 PM on 05/13/2010

Thats a party I would love to crash, I loved watching him cook on TC. If only I could afford to go to his restaurant.

[Pema]

05:03 PM on 05/13/2010

as much as i like rick bayless and i have for years, i woder why we arent having a mexican american chef as oppossed to a chicago chef? i think i answered my own question.

[mikala]

05:52 PM on 05/13/2010

It might just be that Rick Bayless knows more about Mexican cuisine than most Mexicans let alone Mexican Americans. The fact that he is located in Chicago is lucky for the Obama's otherwise they may have never had a chance to experience his art.

[Pema]

06:28 PM on 05/13/2010

i almost choked on my lunch. you didnt just say that did you? omg you did!
i know so many mexicans. they have all been exceptional cooks. you just slapped all their hard efforts into the dirt. rick bayless doesnt even serve homemade chips in his resteraunts. he serves chips from bags. i cant call that art. i call that tostitos.

[northbronx]

11:56 AM on 05/14/2010

Also, kitchen politics. I'm not 100% up on my Food Network, but I can't think of any Mexican American chefs of the celebrity of Mr. Bayless, and I seriously doubt the White House chef would allow herself to be displaced for anyone bar a certified "star."

And yeah, Chicago.

[TomInJax]

03:55 PM on 05/13/2010

I bought Rick Bayless' "Mexican Kitchen" not long after it came out and it really opened my eyes to authentic Mexican cuisine. After that I have watched him on TV every chance I get. Rick's food is flavorful and surprisingly much simpler to cook than it sounds. Of course my idea of a good time is a good bottle of wine and a couple of hours in the kitchen slicing, dicing, and cooking.

[VOTER]

04:15 PM on 05/13/2010

Same.

[mikala]

05:48 PM on 05/13/2010

well said!

[Pema]

06:32 PM on 05/13/2010

if you like that, you might take a cusine vaca to mexico sometime, the food is so good. everything you get, from a cart to the best resteraunts is always delcious.
i was lucky to grow up in the sw. my mother made chips for us after school no milk and cookies, chips and hot sauce.

[kareemachan]

11:28 AM on 05/15/2010

LIke Bayless does. He has spent plenty of time in Mexico, and it shows.

[naschkatze]

01:46 PM on 05/13/2010

That recipe is really appealing. I"m a poor bloke and don't buy sushi grade fish for ceviche, but I'm going to try marinating fillet of sole or small scallops overnight in lime juice as I normally do, and then drain and add the sauce before serving.

[TomInJax]

03:52 PM on 05/13/2010

I agree. At 15 bucks or more for less than a pound it get kind of pricey. If you can get some good fresh caught large mouth bass, that works wonderful. As you know any good firm fish. Sea bass works well too.

[Halsey]

12:32 PM on 05/13/2010

I also wondered if maybe the Mexican President might like something "different'..but for all we know..his presidential chef..cooks him German brautwurst with venison all the time...don't assume since he lives in Mexico..he eats "mexican" food daily..any more than any of us eat apple pie or bar-b -que daily...
18 ingredients in the mole sauce!..OMG!....This is an Oaxcacan speciality..and I'll bet Bayless nails it!... good for him!..and..man..would I love to try his cerviche!..so so..where in LA IS his restaruant going up? (not that I can afford it..)

[VOTER]

04:19 PM on 05/13/2010

Make that 28 ingredients for the mole.

: )

[Pema]

09:34 AM on 05/17/2010

the trick to mole is a pinch of fresh rosemary and a pinch of brown sugar, a dear friend of mine is from oaxca and taught me how to make some dishes, these two simple things are a oaxacan cooks secret. enjoy.

[mikala]

12:02 PM on 05/13/2010

You show your ignorance about food. America does not have a cuisine it is a melting pot of other nationalities cuisines. Rick Bayless is renown for his understanding and presentation of Mexican cuisine and its history. Tacos, burritos, and chili rellenos is that your knowledge of Mexican foods? Probably so like most Americans you are ignorant about other cultures and their culinary superiority which our great chefs in this Country celebrate. It is just too bad that you have to show your bigotry about a State Diner. Do you even have a clue how many fruits and vegetables are native to the U.S? Educate yourself before you post about what is an "INSULT" because your post is an "INSULT"to America.

[didereaux]

08:42 AM on 05/13/2010

What a goddam INSULT! Serving a Mexican menu to the head of the Mexican government is in effect saying that he can't get good Mexican cuisine at home!

It would be far more appropriate to serve him an All-American menu featuring our own produce, meats and vegetables. We have the chefs(good chefs in abundance who are masters of our regional foodstuffs).

But no, I am wrong, this is yet another of the never-ending strings of Obamas' pretentions and condescensions. Bush sends back the African cows that were gifted us, and Obama serves -quasi Mexican to the head of Mexico...will Bayless include tacos, burritos, and chili rellenos?

[peacepunk33]

11:56 AM on 05/13/2010

Huh?

[johnnygoodwud]

02:04 PM on 05/13/2010

'quasi mexican', you obviously are way out of your league here and have never been to a bayless rest. better stick with taco bell

[didereaux]

03:51 PM on 05/13/2010

Yes, quasi-Mexican! Bayless adapts Mexican recipes and techniques, he is a chef you know. Secondly I don't like Taco Bell. And lastly, I take your ignorance extends to not knowing that Bayless actually was a consultant to taco Bell. Yeah I thought not.

[Mahi Joe]

08:27 AM on 05/13/2010

A side of Rick that many probably don't know about is his generosity for his contributions to many non for profit organizations. I know that each year at the Steppenwolf gala he usually auctions off two dinners for 12 guests at his home which gets thousands of dollars in bids and the money goes to the charity. And believe me he dosen't skimp on the food he prepares for his guests.

[ghunt]

02:05 AM on 05/13/2010

His book, "Authentic Mexican" features a killer hot sauce recipe. Love it!

[laurenot]

12:35 AM on 05/13/2010

Can't wait til his Red O restaurants open in LA! (I posted some photos of the progress on the restaurant debut on my blog: http://gnoshings.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/scooping-bayless-red-o-west-hollywood/)

[ghunt]

02:02 AM on 05/13/2010

Can't wait either. Crappy architecture, but I'm sure the food will be great!