This just in: Pascal Sanchez, Chef de Cuisine extraordinaire at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire, has left his post to return to France.

Gee Pascal…ELV can’t imagine why a talented soul like yourself would ever want to leave this place….

Was it our 112 degree summers?

The agriculture-challenged environment?

A complete lack of neighborhood food culture?

Our almost non-existent, bought-and-paid-for food journalism?

The corporate mendacity of the Strip?

Gosh…you mean you couldn’t adjust to all that?

Well…ELV for one, will miss you….and your avant garde execution of cuisine Français.

We’ll also miss you because you were a passionate and talented chef who could cook rings around most folks around here pretending to be such.

And because you were the first French-Mexican we ever met.

;-}