Lunch with Rick - ole!

We have a fantastic publication in St. Louis called Sauce Magazine.  It's a free, monthly newspaper that is dedicated to food, restaurants, food events and recipes in St. Louis.  They are also the hosts of many special events in town.  Such as the one today, an afternoon with Rick Bayless.  I bought tickets for it the second I heard it advertised.  I had tried to get reservations for Chef Bayless' Topolobompo restaurant in Chicago for my birthday last year to no avail. I watched him win Top Chef Masters with great excitement.  I have a pretty serious chef crush on Rick Bayless.  It was solidified today with his charming stories, breezy personality and delicious food.

Yes, that first picture is me during a private meet and greet moment with Chef Bayless.  Next is me posing with the cookbook he would be signing in just a moment, as seen in the last picture. 

I watched him make guacamole.  It's so cool to see the master of modern Mexican cuisine make something as simple and delicious as guacamole.  And then to eat it.  What a great afternoon.