Deann Bayless

Together with her husband, Rick Bayless, she opened Chicago’s Frontera Grill in 1987, followed by Topolobampo, with both restaurants earning the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant award. Bayless has served on the boards of Chicago Public Media and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs and, with Rick Bayless, established the Bayless Family Foundation to support Chicago’s theater community. She holds a B.A. from Wheaton College and master’s degrees in English and Theater from the University of Michigan.