Top chefs join forces at Vegas’ Taste America

By E.C. Gladstone

Las Vegas is no stranger to superlatives — tallest, fastest, most expensive, most lavish — but when it comes to our restaurant scene, it seems as if all the praise isn’t nearly enough. Paying tribute to Vegas as America’s fastest growing fine dining destination, The James Beard Foundation (arguably the most prestigious organization in America’s gourmet world) has organized the Taste America: Weekend of Winners event for October 24-25.

This is not just going to be one of those sample-station parties. This is the kind of thing you want to get on the treadmill to prepare for! No less than six of Las Vegas’ JBF-winning chefs will be participating, along with other top Vegas chefs, and a dozen additional JBFwinners from across the country. Here’s the line-up:

Friday, October 24

Seven "signature dinners" with very special menus will take place at some of the Strip’s finest restaurants, including WYNN‘s Alex (Chef Alessandro Stratta) and Bartolotta Ristorante Di Mare (Chef Paul Bartolotta), The Venetian ‘s Valentino (Chef Luciano Pellegrini), The Palazzo‘s Restaurant Charlie (Chef Charlie Trotter), MGM Grand‘s Fiamma (Chef Carlos Buscaglia with Fiamma NYC’s Fabio Trabocchi), Rao’s at Caesars Palace (Chef Carla Pelligrino), and Simon at Palms Place (Chef Kerry Simon with Dressing Room’s Michel Nischan).

There will also be a special event at Bellagio‘s Tuscany Kitchen demonstration suite this evening, where you’ll see Picasso’s Chef Julian Serrano, Sensi’s Chef Martin Heierling and Bellagio pastry chef Jean-Phillipe Maury create your dinner in front of you!

Are these bargain meals? Not really, but they promise to be one-of-a-kind culinary adventures (many of the menus are already posted online, and Chef Pellegrini, whose Valentino dinner will feature rare white truffles, tells me it’s actually  "a very, very good deal!" (cocktail receptions, wine pairings, tax and gratuities are included). And if you enjoy the process of cooking as well, the Tuscany Kitchen experience will be unforgettable (The worst part about it is you’ll only be able to experience one!)

Saturday, October 25

If you haven’t booked your flight and hotel room yet, the Taste America Gala at the Palazzo promises to be even more momentous. All the aforementioned Chefs will either be participating or attending, alongside many more JBF-recognized chefs from around the country such as Bobo’s Patric Connolly, Herbsaint’s Donald Link, and Jardiniere’s Traci Des Jardins. The chefswill be preparing a variety of four course dinners in selected teams; A cocktail reception, wine pairings, dessert reception and silent & live auctions will round out this incredible evening.

Earlier in the day, true foodies will also want to check out a free panel discussion featuring Chef Bartolotta and JBF-awarded critics Alan Richman and Jeffrey Steingarten, 10 a.m. at the University of Nevada (801 E. Flamingo Rd.). And at 4 p.m., amazing patissier François Payard will give a chocolate demonstration at his Caesars Palace boite ($20). You’ll find me at both.

And come Sunday? I suggest you join me at one of our finest spas (Venetian‘s Canyon Ranch? Qua at Caesars? Drift at Palms Place? Hard to decide…) for a little recovery pampering.

Insider Tip: Vegas may pretend to be a fantasy land, but the hotels know times are tight—so expect to start seeing some amazing deals on rooms very soon. Four star hotels for well under a hundred a night? Believe it.

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E.C. Gladstone is a former editor for AOLVegas, and interviews top
Strip entertainers, restaurateurs, moguls and behind-the-scenes
players for VEGAS Magazine. Like many Las Vegans, he sleeps only when
absolutely necessary.

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