Best Food Week Ever

Today begins Las Vegas’s biggest and best food week ever….at least in terms of national and international exposure for the chefs and restaurants of our town. Tonight from 6-9 PM is the Star Chefs – Rising Chefs Revue at Green Valley Ranch. Star Chefs is an organization dedicated to educating and promoting young kitchen talent throughout America, and deserves our gratitude for directing attention to the hardworking guys and gals who actually cook the food we enjoy in notable restaurants throughout the U.S. of A. — not their bosses, who are usually on airplanes or in board meetings.

The featured chefs and their signature dishes tonight include:

▪ Zach Allen {Carnevino, B&B Ristorante, Enoteca San Marco}
Averna Pork with Cucumber-Ginger Salad, Asiago Fricco with Kings Ranch Spiced Quince

▪ Anthony Amoroso {Michael Mina}
Pancetta-Wrapped Quail, Marcona Almonds, Brown Butter Jus and Almond Milk Foam

▪ Gerald Chin {PiPS Wine Bar & Cucina}
Tuna Crudo on Eggplant Caviar Tart with Basil Essence

▪ Gregory Engelhardt {Andre’s}
Cube of Poussin, Black Truffle, and Rougie Foie Gras with Poussin and Porcini Jus

Caponata-Crusted American Lamb with Fondant Potatoes, Lamb Jus, and Harissa

▪ Brian Rae {RM Seafood}
Poached Oysters, Braised Bacon and Cabbage with Kimchi Cream

▪ Hotel Chef Award: Joe Isidori {formerly of DJT at Trump International Hotel}
Chinese Braised Prime Short Rib with Cucumber Yogurt and Parsnip

▪ Sustainability Award: Mike Minor {Border Grill}
New Zealand Green Lip Mussels with Ancho Chiles, Sliced Garlic, Chorizo

▪ Pastry Chef Uyen Nguyen {Guy Savoy}
Fresh Dates with Fromage Blanc Sorbet

▪ Mixologist Amanda Gager {StripSteak}
Honey Love The Star featuring St. Germain

▪ Sommelier Michael Shearin {formerly of DJT at Trump International Hotel}
Wine pairings with each chef’s dish

Host Chef
▪ Chef David Root {Green Valley Ranch}

Wisconsin Cheese Showcase
▪ Chef Adam Sobel

Plymouth Gin Showcase
▪ Plymouth Classic Martini

▪ Negroni Moderna

Rising Stars Events
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
▪ Rising Stars VIP Reception, 6:00 pm
▪ Rising Stars Revue Gala, 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino

Tickets are $95/person and would be a bargain at twice the price.

Tomorrow night at Wynn will be the Michelin Guide Official unveiling for its entire lineup of guidebooks for the entire west coast, i.e. Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Although the event is by invitation only, it’s quite a coup to have these unveilings in a place famous chefs used to laugh at. But a huge number of them from these three cities (and more than a few from across the pond) will be to celebrate the awarding of l’etoiles de Michelin. Vive la France!

Biggest and best of all, Friday, the James Beard Foundation begins its Taste America event –featuring JBF award-winning chefs from around the country. Friday will showcase the talents of local and national chefs in series of Signature Dinners at eight of our finest restaurants — one of which — at Fiamma (with Chefs Carlos Buscaglia and Fabio Trabocchi — from Fiamma in NYC) — will be hosted by you know who aka The World’s Greatest Restaurant Critic.*

All of the Friday night dinners, from Valentino to Restaurant Charlie to Bartolotta and ALEX should be off the hook, and the Saturday Night Gala, featuring the food of twelve JBF winners, should be likewise…..but the thing you’re not gonna wanna miss (both ‘cuz its free, fun and ed-jee-kae-shun-al) is the Saturday morning panel discussion on the history of fine dining and food culture of Las Vegas. Beginning at 10:15 AM, in the Stan Fulton Building on East Flamingo Road, you can watch and hear me cross swords with Alan “The Hitman” Richman, Jeffery “The Man Who Ate Everything” Steingarten, UNLV’s Dr. Pat Moreo, and the JBF’s Mitchell Davis.

Come watch as I (along with Prof. Moreo) defend the honor of our humble burg
against the intellectual onslaughts of these imperious East Coasters. And join me in a toast to just how far we’ve come in the past fifteen years.

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* Self-proclaimed, but also heartily endorsed as such by The Food Gal.

6 thoughts on “Best Food Week Ever”

  1. ELV, vous avez fait un grand faux pas!!! Vous êtes un avocat terrible, n’est-ce pas?

    “Les étoiles de Michelin,” pas de “l’etoiles de Michelin.”

    And pardon my French, y’all …

    As for you being “The World’s Greatest Restaurant Critic,” I want to hear that personally from The Food Gal, of her own free will, mind, soul, spirit, body, being, etc., beyond a resaonable doubt, yada, yada, yada ….

    It sounds like you’re going to be very busy, having a fun time. I really want to go to that panel discussion Sat. morning …

  2. Thanks for the heads-up on the Rising Chefs Revue. Fun event. Which dish was your favorite John?

  5. John Curtas- I would have loved to meet you at the StarChefs event. I didnt realize you where there? Obviously, from your pictures you where there. I met, and cooked for everyone there in the building, except you I guess. Why didnt you stop by? Nice event coverage for someone with such opinions!

    I would have loved to cook for you that night. I could then finally say that after these many years cooking behind Andre’s stoves- I have had the pleasure. Maybe then your opinions of his (Andre’s)food and restaurants could be taken a bit more seriously- by the pros at least.

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