Q+A: Adam Rapoport talks Vegas Uncork’d, the ultimate gathering of celebrity chefs
The 11th Annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appetit food-and-wine festival returns to the Las Vegas Strip from April 27-30, and Bon Appetit Editor in Chief Adam Rapoport promises “bigger and better” than ever.
“I like the fact that we have a great rotation of participation properties this year. In addition to Caesars Palace, we also have The Venetian and The Palazzo back in the mix along with MGM Resorts and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas,” Adam told me.
“That’s a good roster of participating properties. That’s always the first key. Get the properties, and then comes the talent.” Adam and I talked as he put the finishing touches to the four days of feasting. Part of our extensive chat was posted Tuesday:
Could we call this the ultimate gathering of celebrity chefs?
It is extraordinary talent: Nobu (Matsuhisa), Wolfgang Puck celebrating his 25th anniversary with Spago. Bobby Flay is back this year. He took last year off, so he’s back. We have Gordon Ramsay and Jose Andres, who I love is back in the mix. We have Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse, the Voltaggio Brothers, Julian Serrano, Akira Back, Buddy Valastro the “Cake Boss.”
Giada (de Laurentiis) is in the mix again this year. It’s a pretty good lineup. What I always liked about Vegas Uncork’d is not only do you have all these chefs participating, but you have them in their own venues.
Going to brunch at Giada with her there is really nice and sitting on that patio verandah overlooking the Strip and being open air and having her serve her food in her environment with her there is very different than being in a white tent somewhere on a field with the chef. Guests experience their whole vision.
Mr Chow at Caesars is new this year?
Yes, Mr Chow is on our Thursday night Master Series. If you’re going to eat Mr Chow’s food, you need to be in Mr Chow’s environment because that is half the experience with the sculpture floating down from the ceiling and the white wall. Restaurants are about the experience as much as the food, and I think that’s what makes Vegas Uncork’d unique.
So for me, of course, the big highlight this year is the culinary journey around the world with Caesars President Gary Selesner and some guy named Robin Leach.
Yeah, I’ve heard of him! It should be a very fun luncheon. How will you top each other? What is the strategy?
Gary and I are not only friends, but we also agreed that we’re going to try to top each other as we keep moving around the world. We’ve not fully narrowed it down yet, but the basic theme is that when I went to France, I ate this. And he said, “Well, when I went to France, I dined there.” And I say, “Yeah, but, in Florence, I discovered …” We’re going to make a list of all the countries that we’ve both been to, then see which one had great anecdotes so that the Bacchanal chefs can re-create the food and experiences that we had.
Awesome! That’d be good. That’d be extremely cool.
It may be Kuala Lumpur, it may be Jakarta, it may be Sydney, but we’re going to take a trip around the world with anecdotal dining stories, and guests will enjoy them the way we did.
I’ve always pushed for this ever since I got involved in Vegas Uncork’d, which I think is my sixth year now. I’ve always wanted the guest to have an experience that they can’t have any other night or day of the year. It should be unique, it should be different than just sitting down to a meal at that chef’s restaurant.
It should be something, an experience, they should get to hear from you, go on a journey, learn something. Those are always the best events at Vegas Uncork’d. I want to go and experience something I can’t get with any other reservation.
Which would be like Nobu this year teaching the art of sushi.
He is the best teacher you could ask for, and he’s doing two teppan grill experiences back-to-back sitting at the table with the flat top, the grills, and doing the dinners right in front of you. I’ve been to a lot of Nobu’s in my life, but I’ve actually never seen Nobu when I’m at a Nobu. You don’t even expect to.
But to be able to go to Nobu and have him there at Vegas Uncork’d right in front of you doing his thing, that’s impressive. You’ll see him in action making sushi and hear about the philosophy of sushi making from one of the world’s most foremost artisans and restaurateurs.
Gordon Ramsay is reportedly bringing all the winners from “Hell’s Kitchen”?
His events are always fun, and he’s such a pro. You just turn him on, and he just goes. I’ve always enjoyed them the last few years, being there with him and interacting with such a fun guy. You can give him a hard time, and he will give you a hard time right back in an entertaining manner. Having his energy at Vegas Uncork’d is always an awesome thing.
If you were planning to attend only one event for Adam Rapoport, what event would it be?
Honestly, the event I enjoyed the most last year, and I’m looking forward to it again this year, was the brunch with Giada. I just love that space. I love the waking up, perhaps having a drink or two the night prior, go to a nice sunny restaurant with open windows.
Maybe having a mimosa or two, being served wonderful food, seeing Giada, who is always smiling, is a bright burst of energy. I just had such a relaxing yet fun, yet Vegas-y event that I can’t wait to get back.
How many people are we expecting for Vegas Uncork’d start to finish?
Somewhere around the 2,500 to 3,000 mark. The Grand Tasting around the Garden of the Gods pool at Caesars Palace will be huge again, more than 50 renowned chefs and free-flowing wines and spirits from around the world.
Then the following afternoon, we’re doing our first-ever event at The Park by T-Mobile Arena, which just opened. That will be very pretty. MGM’s most notable chefs with the Voltaggio brothers, Alain Ducasse, Julian Serrano, Charlie Palmer, Shawn McClain, Roy Ellamar and Akira Back.
Guests will be able to embrace their inner child with classic board games, social games such as foosball, shuffleboard, ping pong, plus coloring books. To have this picnic experience with all these different chefs cooking will become a Grand Tasting in its own right.
Check out Robin’s Royal Rundown of 2017 VUBBA events and celebrity chefs in our story posted Tuesday. For more: VegasUncorked.com.
