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For the eighth season of Mexico – One Plate at a Time, travel with Chef Rick Bayless from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas to explore the cuisine and culture that makes Mexico's astonishing region of Baja California completely irresistible. Recently, some of Mexico’s most talented chefs have fostered a dazzling “Baja Med” cuisine in the restaurants of Tijuana and Ensenada. In addition, the wineries of Baja California Norte are producing world-class, award-winning wines. Paired with the region’s phenomenal seafood, the cuisine of Baja ranks among Mexico’s finest. $10.50

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Astonishing Baja! takes viewers to Mexico’s sun-soaked Baja peninsula. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortez to the east, Baja really is Mexico’s undiscovered territory.

Episodes include:

Mediterranean Baja - The Baja California peninsula boasts a climate reminiscent of those on the Mediterranean Sea. We explore grilled octopus at Tres Virgenes in La Paz and Rick makes tacos of kale and spinach with a green garlic mojo from the gardens of Rancho La Puerta in Tecate. In Tijuana, Chef Miguel Angel Guerrero Yagües grills lamb over wood. Chef Jair Tellez makes geoduck ceviche. At home, Rick grills lamb with fennel and a red chile salsa.

Tijuana Taco Crawl - People are passionate about their tacos in Tijuana. Three local Tijuana foodies take Rick on a taco “crawl” starting with arrachera (skirt steak) tacos at El Yaqui. The feast moves on to include suadero tacos, shrimp tacos at Mariscos El Mazateño, and ends with smoked salmon tacos at Salceados. At home, Rick creates a taco feast for a casual backyard cookout.

Cooking in Wine Country - Rick cooks local leg of lamb with a pasilla olive sauce at Adobe Guadalupe in the Valle de Guadalupe for Baja winemakers. Along the way, Rick shops for just-picked produce at the idyllic farm stand on the grounds of Mogor Baden Winery, artisanal cheeses at Rancho La Campana (a 100-year-old cheese cave) as well as for breads and olives at the charming Cremeria los Globos.

Extraordinarily Delicious Ensenada - Rick demystifies fish tacos at Mariscos El Norteño, a stall opposite the Ensenada Fish market, and at Los Originales El Chopipo. Rick stops at La Guerrerense for the best seafood ceviches and tostadas. In Chicago, Rick hosts a seafood taco party complete with the secrets to making outstanding fried fish tacos at home.

Baja Beach House Cooking - Rick introduces the viewers to some of Los Cabos top chefs and then cooks dinner for them at a luxurious beach house. Margarita Carrillo, chef/owner of Don Emiliano Restaurant in San Jose del Cabo, joins Rick to purchase the local cabrillo fish and to visit Tamarindo’s Farm for organically grown produce. At dinner, Rick, Margarita and the local chefs discuss the philosophy of cooking for people and the meaning of dining together.