Since his family specialized in dairy and beef production, he had the unique opportunity to see hard work and dedication be transformed into high quality foodstuffs. His family was justifiably proud of their work and their meat and dairy products demanded premium prices.

Young Geno did the usual chores of a rancher’s son, and by age 12 had also been drawn to the kitchen. He was so adept at helping his mother and grandmother prepare meals that soon hungry field hands came to expect young Geno’s special touch. In high school he decided to study cuisine and dreamed of being a chef.

Geno came to Chicago and enrolled at St. Augustine College. He still writes part of the text used by students of the Professional Cooking program and counsels young aspiring cooks.

After graduation in 1986, Geno came to the attention of Rick Bayless of the nationally acclaimed Frontera Grill. His rise was nothing short of meteoric, as he rose from line cook to Souschef in little more than a year. In 1989, he became managing Chef, second only to owner Bayless, winner of the coveted James Beard Foundation “Chef of the Year” award.

Chef Bahena is passionate about the food of his native Mexico. He is a master juggler, preserving old customs, yet staying on the cutting edge. In the kitchen he is adventurous and innovative, preparing extraordinary food that departs from the Tex-Mex mainstream. He creates hearty, emphatically seasoned dishes with well balanced flavors.

In 1987, the Rick Bayless family opened the colorful, vivacious Frontera Grill in Chicago and Geno started in an entry level position for about 8 months, after which he was promoted to sous chef.  After working for three years as a sous chef, Geno became a managing chef at both restaurants, specializing in contemporary regional Mexican cooking. In 1989 came the earthy, elegant Topolobampo, one of the country’s only fine-dining Mexican restaurants. Both have been widely acclaimed, receiving awards and distinctions from, among others, Conde Nast Traveler, Holiday Travel, International Herald Tribune, Wine Spectator, Restaurants & Institutions (Ivy), Chicago, Zagat, local newspapers and trade journals.

In a feature article about him in the September 13th Chicago Sun Times, Oliva Wu said, “Bahena is a fast making the little known cuisine of Guerrero his specialty, reinterpreting it with Bayless for Topolobampo and in his own catering service”.

As a consultant, Chef Bahena was instrumental in developing the recipes for the Taco Bell Border Lights campaign. Geno’s interest in language and culture, matching food within classical music, led him through a career in catering and teaching cooking classes--mostly centered on the foods of Mexico--paid for school and gained him a reputation and satisfaction that surpassed what academics offered.

Rick was chosen “Best New Chef of 1988” by Food and Wine magazine with Geno as his managing Chef; in 1991 the James Beard Foundation voted him “Best American Chef Midwest”; in 1993, Chefs in America proclaimed him Chicago’s best chef; and in 1995 he won the Farberware Millenium “Chef of the Year” award given by the James Beard Foundation.

In addition to his role as managing and executive chef, Geno writes part of the test for young spring students for St. Augustine College, has catering service and teaches cooking classes. He is a founding member and program chair for Chefs Collaborative 2000 (an educational initiative of Old-ways Preservation and Exchange Trust, working in areas of sustainable agriculture and traditional cooking), and a Padrino at the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum in Chicago.

He is active in environmental issues, including the support of local organic/sustainable farms, and in fund raising for many organizations, especially Share Our Strength, the country’s largest hunger advocacy group.