Author: John Curtas

Bob Taylor (1923-2010)

Bob Taylor

BOB TAYLOR Bob Taylor, founder of “Ranch House Supper Club,” in North Las Vegas, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2010, one day short of his 88th birthday. Bob was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps, as an airplane armored gunner and mechanic, keeping our airplanes in the air. Bob built the Ranch House Supper Club in 1955. He brought in aged beef from Chicago Stockyard Packing. He cut up all of his own steaks and personally cooked them over a mesquite coal fire. An evening at the Ranch House meant you took a trip “way out of town” back in those days, but the effort was well worth it, as this was the premier steak house of that era. This practice was continued until he sold the Ranch House in September 1980. Bob said he served three generations over the 25 years.
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I’m ELV and I’m an Addict

Two of these men can cook, one writes about it.ELV in the throes of his addiction with two of his favorite dealers.*

(ELV note: Yours truly has a book in him that will probably never be finished or published. Here is one of the chapters.)

“Hi ELV!” is how all those twelve-step programs start, and then they sink into one maudlin account after another of each individual’s slide into personal oblivion. Here’s my story:

It started innocently enough, as all addictions do. In 1982 in Wheeling, Illinois. “The first one’s free,” said Jean Banchet – at the time the celebrated chef/owner of Le Francais (considered at the time the best French restaurant in America). Then, in 1983. Andre Soltner, the dedicated Alsatian running New York’s best French restaurant, made a personal appearance at my table at Lutece. “Just take another hit, no one will notice,” he purred. And so I did.

Oh yeah, and Jacques Pepin — he of the velvet delivery and oh so elfish countenance — he was one, insidious seducer as well. Maybe the worst of them all.

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