CHEF RICK BAYLESS: What I Would Cook for Obama’s Inauguration
He hasn't been officially asked yet, but just in case, award-winning chef Rick Bayless has come up with a six-course menu for January's inauguration that tells the story of President-elect Barack Obama in delicious detail.
By Kelly Smith Killian, Editor-in-Chief -- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/14/2008 11:56:00 AM
Rick Bayless is appointed White House Chef by President-elect Barack Obama (many speculate that his name is on a short list of contenders) he does have his sights set on Washington, D.C.—at least in the short term.
Bayless, owner of Chicago’s Frontera Grill and Topolobampo—the latter a favorite Obama haunt specializing in authentic Mexican cuisine—says he has cleared his calendar for the week for the inauguration (which will take place Jan. 20, 2009), though he hasn’t yet been formally asked to cater any event. “Wouldn’t you clear your calendar?” says Bayless. “The Obamas have always been so supportive of what we do, so we would love to be able to show our support in the way that we can do it—by preparing some really good food.”
In case the call does come, Bayless already has come up with a menu that reflects Barack Obama’s diverse background. “Who knows if they would want us to serve these things, but if we were to come up with our perfect menu, then our idea is to weave together things that represent different parts of his life,” he says.
Bayless tells R&I what his culinary tribute to the Obamas would include:
Guacamole
- “Michelle [Obama] loves guacamole. We do all different kinds of seasonal guacamoles at Topolobampo, and they’re always commenting on those.”
Tortilla soup
- “They also love our tortilla soup. It’s a signature of the restaurant. Everything changes on our menu, but the tortilla soup is always there.”
Hawaiian yellowtail seviche
- “My favorite fish to make seviche out of is this fish from Hawaii--a type of yellowtail that’s farm-raised in nets in the sea. It’s the most amazing stuff in the world and it reflects [Barack Obama’s] connection with Hawaii [his birthplace].”
Roasted beef with red-chile guajillo sauce
- “For a main course, we’re really in love with this grass-fed beef that comes from Kansas, which is originally where [Barack Obama’s] mother is from. We roast whole rib-eyes and then slice them. The last time the Obamas were in, we were doing a rack of lamb with red-chile guajillo sauce with grilled onions and little fresh corn tamales on the side. They loved it so much that we thought it would be the perfect setup for this roasted beef.”
Apple tarts with cajeta
- “If you’re going to do an inauguration for the 44th President of the United States, you should probably do something as American as apple pie. We would infuse the apples for our apple tarts with cajeta, which is this wonderful, rich goat’s-milk caramel.”
Coffee
- “The first proprietary blend of coffee we ever did for the restaurant was a blend of Kenyan, Indonesian and Mexican beans. [Barack Obama’s father was born and raised in Kenya and the President-elect himself spent a few years of his childhood in Indonesia.] I love the balance: the Kenyan beans are very winey; the Sumatra beans are real earthy; and the Mexican beans are real bright. So each of those balances off, and we hope that’s going to be a great representation of his presidency—that it’s going to be perfectly balanced.”
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