Rick Bayless to be inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame

Renowned chef and culinary icon Rick Bayless will be inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame on Wednesday, August 27 in a ceremony from 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St. in Chicago. Bayless is the third recipient of this prestigious Chefs Hall of Fame award, following the inaugural induction of Chef Charlie Trotter in 2006 and last year's recipient Chef Jimmy Bannos.

Tickets for the event, featuring a cocktail reception, silent auction, awards presentation and Wandering Feast, are $175 per person ($200 at the door). Tickets may be purchased on line at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38403.

In case you haven't heard of the Chicago Culinary Museum (I hadn't until I received an email from my good friend Cary Miller, the guru from Food Industry News,) it's a dynamic project supported by Mayor Daley, Jesse White, and just about every who's who in Chicago's culinary world, with the hopefully not so long term goal of building a permanent Culinary Museum in downtown Chicago. It's the brainchild of chefs John S. Castro and Chef John W. Kaufmann. Kudos to them for undertaking this mammoth project which will certainly solidify Chicago as the culinary world leader and keep us the dining destination for all worldwide.

The proceeds from this event will be used towards that end, and on the shorter term, for funding temporary exposition space. The money raised will also go to funding traveling expositions and the museum's educational lecture programs. You can read more about the museum, event and Rick Bayless in our press release at: August 27 Culinary Museum Press Release.