Mario Batali, Celebrity Chef, Paints Dot At Heidelberg Project

Celebrity chef Mario Batali, when he’s not running his New York City restaurants or appearing on television has a vacation home near Traverse City and a love for Michigan food.

He stopped by the famed Heidelberg Project on Detroit’s east side today and did what has basically turned into Detroit’s version of the walk of fame – painted a dot on the street that is the center of the art project known the world over.

Tyree Guyton, the creator of the project, welcomed Batali with a paintbrush. It’s unknown if the orange crocs Mario was wearing were intentionally chosen to match the orange dot or not.

“Still amazed by the genius that is The Heidelberg Project, a Detroit-based community organization to improve the lives of people and neighborhoods through art…just wow,” said Batali on Faecbook.