Vegas Uncork’d begins with Perrier-Jouet saber off at Linq Hotel — PHOTOS
Celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, the Too Hot Tamales from Border Grill at Mandalay Bay and The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, were the first female chefs to kick off the 11th Annual Vegas Uncork’d today. They wielded sabers to remove corks on two magnums of Perrier-Jouet in a ceremony at The Vortex at The Linq Hotel.
Other celebrity chefs on hand to launch the four-day food-and-wine festival included Guy Savoy, Frank Pellegrino Jr., Julian Asseo and Wolfgang Fischer from Caesars, plus MGM Resorts chefs Michael Mina, Rick Moonen, Shawn McLain, Julian Serrano, Roy Ellamar, David Werly and Anthony Amoroso.
The Venetian and The Palazzo chefs and restaurateurs included Lorena Garcia, John Kunkel and Olivier Dubreuil along with Scott Conant from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Bon Appetit Editor in Chief Adam Rapoport was there with colleagues Pamela Drucker Mann and Craig Kostelic. Bon Appetit is the headline sponsor of Vegas Uncork’d.
Michael Severino of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Valarie Segarra of our Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority also attended the saber off, which was captured on video by Christopher Rauschnot @24K Media. Our thanks to Christopher and also Tom Donoghue for his photo gallery.
Tonight the Master Series dinners are at Caesars with Michael Chow at his Mr Chow and Frank Pellegrino Jr. celebrating the 10th anniversary of his restaurant Rao’s. Chef Timon Balloo hosts a three-kitchen tasting at his Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill at The Venetian.
On Friday, I will join Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner for a six-country tour showcasing the food that’s wowed us in Japan, elsewhere in Asia, France, Italy, Mexico and here in Las Vegas as we talk about our culinary travel adventures in each country.
Wolfgang Puck will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his restaurant Spago at Caesars, and Friday night more than 100 chefs and vintners will host the Grand Tasting around the Garden of the Gods pool.
On Saturday there are brunches at Giada de Laurentiis’ Giada at The Cromwell and Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill at Caesars. This is the first Picnic in the Park when 10 MGM Resorts chefs host a barbecue with games and music. Buddy Valastro hosts a “Sweet Escape” beignets and bonbons party at Azure Pool at The Palazzo before he holds court at Dorsey Bar at The Venetian.
Said Adam: “This is the only weekend of the year when this many renowned chefs come together in one destination to host intimate dinners and allow guests from around the world to indulge in an epicurean experience of a lifetime. This 11th Annual Vegas Uncork’d is definitely going to be the most dynamic one yet.”
