Top chefs prep to pay tribute to Rick Bayless

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Some of Pittsburgh’s most wellknown chefs — from Apteka’s Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski to Whitfield’s Casey Renee to Justin Severino of Cure and Morcilla — gathered last month to select hors d’oeuvres and desserts to be served at “From Garden to Mexican Table,” a gala that will pay tribute to master chef and expert of Mexicancuisine, Rick Bayless.

The seven-time James Beard Foundation award winner, who is Oklahoman by birth but Mexican by heart, has been a face and voice of the southof-the-border cuisine for more than 30 years through his Chicago restaurants, PBS shows, cookbooks and the development of the Frontera product line of sauces and chips. He also is a winner of Bravo’s“Top Chef Masters,” with a history of support for sustainable farming practices.

The gala will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. June 14 at The Pennsylvanian, Downtown, and hosted by the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. The event will feature a cocktail hour with a presentation to Mr. Bayless that will be followed by a seated dinner. Tickets are $350. The past honorees at the gala have been Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, JacquesPepin and Ina Garten.

Attendees will sample summer beautiesof Western Pennsylvania with the chefs’ takes on Mexican-American cuisine. Each chef on the dinner team will craft two hors d’oeuvres or two desserts to accompany an entree from Bill Fuller of Big Burrito Group and a “porkcastle” by Mr. Severino.