TICKETS FOR THIS ON OUR WEBSITE.

WE ARE NOT DONE, THE COLORS AND FLAVORS OF LATINO CUISINE CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER CHICAGO.

CHEF MARK MENDEZ SAYS LATINO CUISINE DESERVES A SPOT AMONG THE WORLD'S GREAT CULINARY TRADITIONS AND THAT IS NEXT .

>> THIS IS AS SERIOUS AS ANYTHING THAT IS OUT THERE.

WE WANT TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS WE CAN BE.

WHEN I GREW UP, MY HOUSE WAS LIKE "I LOVE LUCY."

MY FATHER IS PUERTO RICAN AND MY MOTHER WAS FROM DOWNSTATE ILLINOIS.

IF THEY WERE TO GET MARRIED, HE SAID SHE HAD TO KNOW HOW TO COOK FOR THE RICAN FOOD.

THEY WENT TO PUERTO RICO.

MY GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT HER HOW TO PUERTO RICAN FOOD.

SHE CAME BACK AND THEY GOT MARRIED.

THERE SHOULD BE A SPICE LEVEL, DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SPICY, BRIGHTLY COLORED , ALIVE .

SHOULD BE A LOT OF ACID.

ALL OF THESE NOTES, THIS IS WHAT LATIN AMERICAN FOOD IS.

OTHER CHEFS I RESPECT, THEY'RE GOING TO THE MARKET, WHY?

I REMEMBER GOING WITH THAT ATTITUDE, I SAID TO A SOUS CHEF, HOW DIFFERENT WILL IT BE?

A CHARACTER IS A CARROT.

WHEN I GOT THERE, I TRIED ARUGULA FROM A FARMER.

MY HEAD EXPLODED.

I HAD NEVER TASTED ANYTHING LIKE IT.

DURING THE SUMMER, I GO OVERBOARD.

I ALWAYS PURCHASE WAY TOO MANY TOMATOES, PEPPERS , CHILIS.

WE HAD A KALE SALAD ON THE MENU AND I HATED IT.

IT SOLD LIKE CRAZY.

I WANTED TO TAKE IT OFF.

THEY SAID , PEOPLE REALLY LIKE THE SOLID.

I SAID, I DON'T CARE.

I AM THE CHEF.

WE TOOK A IT OFF COMMITTEE -- I THOUGHT , WHAT DID I DO.

I SHOULD LISTEN.

THE EXECUTIVE CHEF , WHEN I STARTED , HE WAS A KID, I WAS YOUNG , BUT HE WAS YOUNGER, BUT HE HAD BEEN DOING IT LONGER AND SHOWED ME THE ROPES.

HE REALLY HELPED ME LEARN THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO COOK AND SURVIVE.

A GREAT COOK.

GOOD CHEF.

HOW MANY COOKS HAVE SHOWED ME HOW TO DO