Rick Bayless is chef of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago, creator of Frontera gourmet foods, cookbook author and host of Mexico - One Plate at a Time.
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Staying Localby Tracey Vowell
Now, as a result of our effort, we have a veritable deluge of ingredients available to us, each in its appropriate season, produced locally by people that have, in their own way, become part of the Frontera Family. The next time you are dining at Topolobampo or Frontera Grill, look for the names of our local producers on the menu. Maple Creek pork, Crawford lamb, Gunthorp chickens and ducks, Swan Creek boar goat, Steve Grebb’s garlic. That just starts the list. Knowing where your food comes from is the first step to answering, How many local farmers do you know? |
About Rick Bayless |
How many local farmers do you know? Not the ones that are growing commodity grains and feed for animals, but the ones that are working to improve our food supply, the ones that are working to preserve genetic diversity and to recreate that sense of community that has become so elusive in recent times. As a restaurant, we have worked diligently for years to develop direct relationships with farmers, committing ourselves to using their produce consistently, and establishing long-term arrangements for the production of some of our more exotic ingredients. All of this effort secures the achievement of two goals: to support local businesses, especially agricultural efforts, and to secure the best possible ingredients for you, our guests.