Mercadito restaurants in New York City, Chicago, and Las Vegas kick off 2015 with the most exclusive roster of guest chefs to date, showcasing culinary skills for the Fifth Annual Tacos for Strength campaign.
Each month, Sandoval invites a different chef to create a taco inspired by culinary or personal passions, which will be served in all Mercadito restaurants with a portion of proceeds going to Share Our Strength. Tacos for Strength has sold more than 3,500 tacos and raised thousands of dollars to benefit Share Our Strength since its inception.
From Top Chef Masters and James Beard winners to several Food & Wine Best New Chefs and celebrated television culinary personalities, highly regarded chefs join Mercadito’s Chef Patricio Sandoval in his initiative to support Share Our Strength and its mission to end childhood hunger.
The 2015 Tacos for Strength campaign features:
- January: John Gremo- 17◦ South, Las Vegas
- February: Graham Elliot- Graham Elliot Bistro in Chicago, judge on MasterChef and MasterChef Junior and Culinary Director of Lollapalooza
- March: Guillermo Tellez- Tippling Hall, Chicago
- April: Radhika Desai- contestant on Top Chef
- May: Rick Moonen- Rick Moonen’s rm Seafood and Rx Boiler Room in Las Vegas, runner-up on Top Chef Masters)
- June: Sammy “D” DeMarco- host of Chowmasters
- July: Joe Farina- Rosebud, Chicago
- August: Kurt Guzowski- TETE, Chicago
- September: Kim Canteenwalla- Made L.V., Honey Salt and Andiron, Las Vegas
- October: Alex Stratta- Tapas by Alex Stratta, Las Vegas
- November: John Tesar- Knife, Dallas
- December: Patricio Sandoval- Mercadito, Chicago, Las Vegas and New York City
The 2015 Tacos for Strength program launches with Chef John Gremo of 17◦ South in Las Vegas and his New England Fish and Chips Taco with New England fresh haddock, diced tomato, cilantro, lemon, and a fresh dill caper tartar. Born and raised in New England, Chef Gremo stays true to his roots and his love of New England cuisine with his take on the taco for January.
February continues with Chef Graham Elliot who chose to create a Smoked Salmon Taco with pickled shallots, fried capers and dill crème fraiche.
Additional chef creations for Tacos for Strength will be announced at a later date.
