Chef Rick Bayless receiving the Julia Child Award in 2016
Sixty-one years after the world was first introduced to Julia Child's exuberant, passion-filled personality, her name remains synonymous with her inventive recipes and her natural-born talent for making even the most complex dishes seem like a walk in the park. From films like Julie and Julia, to the recent debut of Max's series Julia and the prospering Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and The Culinary Arts, Child's capacity to make cooking a joyous adventure lives on today—in millions of kitchens across the globe.
On Tuesday, March 19th, Chicagoans will raise a glass to honor Child's renowned legacy and to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Julia Child Award. The award honors individuals and teams who have significantly impacted the world through the culinary arts. In 2016, it celebrated chef Rick Bayless, owner of Chicago's Topolobampo, Frontera Grill, Xoco, Tortazo, Bar Sótano and more. Bayless has dedicated his career to bringing Mexico's mouthwatering flavors and vibrant culture to the States, garnering him a Michelin star, seven James Beard Awards and the designation of Top Chef Master.
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Bayless will host the event at his luxe River North dining venue, Topolobampo, presenting dishes from Michoacán and Oaxaca to visitors from near and far. Bayless has worn many hats since starting in the culinary industry decades ago—he has published nine cookbooks, hosted PBS' highly-rated TV series, Mexico–One Plate at a Time and even made his stage-right debut with a 5-week run at Lookingglass Theatre, where he created Cascabel, telling theater-goers a culinary story through song and dance.
This year, Topolobampo will celebrate 35 years of culinary excellence. Its success is a testament to its innovative fine dining selections and Bayless' dedication to bringing authentic Mexican fare to the Windy City. At the event, guests can immerse themselves in Topolobampo’s elevated ambiance—all while sampling inspired, carefully curated course options—expertly paired with fine wines, cocktails and beverages.
Some of Topolobampo's most popular dishes include the Tacos Estilo Escuinapa with crispy spiny lobster taquitos, rich tomato broth, tangy fall vegetables and herb-garlic mussels and the Carne Asada with mole negro, tamal de chepil, grilled wagyu ribeye, homemade Oaxacan black mole, herb-chepil tamal, avocado-leaf black beans and charred huauzontle greens. At the event, guests can anticipate exquisitely plated offerings that showcase groundbreaking culinary techniques.
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The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and The Culinary Arts' cross-country dining experience will make six stops, each serving as a waypoint to honor Julia Child Award recipients in their hometowns. Every event will generate vital funding for The Smithsonian Food History Project at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington D.C., an initiative that explores American history through food and drink with public programming, historical archives and educational exhibitions.
The tour will culminate with the presentation of the 2024 Julia Child Award to its 10th recipient at the Food History Gala held in association with the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC on Oct. 17. The award recipient will receive a $50,000 grant to go toward a culinary-related cause of their choice, marking the $500,000 milestone in grants provided to Julia Child Award recipients in the last decade.
Since 1995, the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and The Culinary Arts has aimed to carry on Child's legacy of making the culinary arts accessible to all by providing resources toward food education, culinary history research, scholarships for culinary training, food literacy programs and more. The nonprofit has provided more than $3 million in grants to further the initiatives of other nonprofit organizations. Tickets for the tour are now available for purchase here.
See more: The 15 Most Sought-After Reservations In Chicago
Photography by: Jaclyn Nash/Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
