Chicago chef Rick Bayless won the finale of Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters, which aired on Wednesday night. He is chef and co-owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo.
The spin-off of Top Chef had renowned cooking masters engaged in stressful challenges. Bayless stuck with the Mexican regional dishes that are his mainstay in Chicago. He maintained a calm and composed demeanor throughout the competition.
Bayless was triumphant over competitors Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Michael Chiarello of Bottega in California’s Napa Valley.
The Top Chef Master won a $100,000 prize and will donate it to Frontera Farmer Foundation, which supports small Midwestern sustainable farms.