Chefs in place for The Slanted Door’s outpost in Las Vegas

There’s still no word on an opening date for The Slanted Door in the Forum Shops at Caesars, but we do know who will be running the kitchen. Lanny Chin has been tapped to serve as chef de cuisine for Charles Phan’s Vietnamese restaurant, with Keris Kuwana serving as executive pastry chef and executive sous chef.

Chin, who has represented Las Vegas as a contestant on the Food Network’s “Chopped,” comes to The Slanted Door from Clique Hospitality Group, where he oversaw the company’s venues at the Palms. Prior to that, the Ohio native served as executive chef for the PKWY Tavern chain.

Kuwana most recently oversaw the dessert program at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. Her resume also includes time in the kitchens of Aureole, Alex, Charlie Palmer Steak and the off-strip bakery Sugar & Spice. She says that while she’s never tackled Vietnamese desserts, many flavors in the cuisine are similar to those from her Hawaiian background. She adds that her creations won’t be exclusively, or even primarily, Vietnamese in origin.

The Slanted Door, which is an offshoot of Phan’s San Francisco original, was originally expected to open in summer. At this point, the restaurant’s representatives are predicting a winter debut.

Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter.