Adam Rapoport of Vegas Uncork’d: ‘We’re not going anywhere’
Just 96 hours remain until the start of the four-day, celebrity chef-studded Vegas Uncork’d. At noon Thursday, some of the 100 chefs taking part in next weekend’s fun and feastings will gather at The Vortex at The Linq Hotel to saber off a bottle of prosecco to start Vegas Uncork’d. At the center of the excitement (and chaos) is Adam Rapoport, editor of Bon Appetit, who organizes the program.
He flew here from New York headquarters last week to check that there’d be no last-minute hiccups, and during a tour of the Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits facility, Nevada’s leading beverage distributor, for a Vegas Uncork’d location next year, he spoke with me for a last-minute status report.
“We’re in good standing with just a few days to go. I love the variety of chefs involved this year. I’m looking forward to Picnic in the Park as a cool new event with chefs Tom Colicchio and Alain Ducasse,” he said. “I think it’s important to have another big outdoor event to complement our Grand Tasting around the Caesars Palace pool the night before. That’s always spectacular and one of those things that’s an only-in-Vegas event.
“I’m excited to have guys like Jose Andres back in the mix this year. Bobby Flay was out last year, but this year he’s doing two of our Master Series brunches. We have a very good mix of chefs.”
Adam reflected on the recent passing of Rao’s owner Frank Pellegrino Sr., who died from cancer in January. “It’s sad, yet sweet,” said Adam. “We’ll still celebrate their 10th anniversary with a dinner and our Sunday farewell brunch with owners Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci. You go to the Rao’s in New York, and you feel like you’re in their home.
“I think that’s what was so unique about them as a family running restaurants. You really felt like they were taking care of you. I’m looking forward to that one. All the big names are in place: Giada de Laurentiis, Nobu, Jose Andres, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, Buddy Valastro.”
I asked Adam if interest in chefs and new food creations is still present. “I think there’s a sort of democratization, if that’s the right word. The fact that everyone now is an editor or videographer with Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter, everyone feels invested in the process, which is good. The more they feel involved, the more customers you have, the more support you have for the chefs.
“Everyone is constantly exchanging and commenting on it. That’s good just in terms of people’s involvement. I think there’s that younger generation who look at going out and eating the same way that I looked at going out and seeing bands back in the day, but they’re going out to eat.
“What’s interesting is that in talking about Joel Robuchon or Alain Ducasse restaurants, there’s just not a lot of those being opened. Everything is cyclical, but it’s much more casual today and not so many fancy, expensive Limoges china plates. There are a lot of rich restaurants, but there’s no tablecloth, and there’s an open kitchen.
“You can go to a restaurant like Sazon in San Francisco with its Peruvian cuisine, and it’s $300 a person for prix-fixe. The quality of service is still as high as it was and the exactitude of cooking is where it was, but it’s done in a very different way.
“You do have refined three-star restaurants, but it’s no longer as traditional as we thought. It’s not necessarily the same china or crystal. It’s not necessarily the same flower displays. I don’t think the younger generation who are opening restaurants would know how to open a restaurant like that.
“They were never taught that. Food and eating out with a great chef is theater. It should be transporting and make you feel special beyond what the food tastes like. It needs to be more than just the food.”
With the star power of the culinary kings and queens, is there anything that can be added to Vegas Uncork’d as it continues? Adam had a ready answer: “Picnic in the Park is a good step in that direction to see how we could attract a younger audience who loves food but doesn’t want to spend $200 on an event. I’m the guy who will spend $200.
“But I know a lot of 26-year-olds, 24-year-olds who are really into food, and they would love to go to something for $40. It could be a fun party, and I would love to find a way to crack that code. A fun event for a younger audience so we have a mix of high and low. In the years to come, maybe we can incorporate that with your new Downtown restaurants.
“Picnic in the Park is a move in that direction to give people an alternative if they can’t get into the Grand Tasting, or it’s a little steeper than their price point. We have to keep offering something for everyone in terms of the cost levels, the ages, casual to formal. That’s an important key to a successful event.”
He referenced the “Culinary Journey Around the World” luncheon that I’m hosting with Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner. We’re having Bacchanal Buffet chefs re-create cuisines of Asia (including Japan), France, Italy and Mexico before ending here with American desserts.
As each of the six courses are served, Gary and I will share photos and videos and tell tales of our culinary experiences in each of those global areas. “You have less than 10 tickets remaining for that luncheon, which is new to the program, so that’s a great first-year start,” said Adam. “You will be sold out by Friday lunchtime.”
This year’s Vegas Uncork’d is the 11th annual event. Adam became involved in 2012. “I’ve been five to six years on the job. I think the best events are always those where the chefs are most involved. We challenge them to come up with the concept of their event and really engage them.
“The more they’re engaged, the more the diners are engaged. It’s not necessarily reinventing the event. It’s refreshing it each year and challenging the chefs and inspiring them. If they’re inspired, then the diners are inspired. I want to challenge them. Any time you do something, you want to be challenged. You want someone to push you a little bit and say, ‘Hey, come on, what can we do?’
“ ‘What can we do that’s really awesome? Come up with something really great that you haven’t done before. Let’s think about something new. Let’s really push ourselves.’ Otherwise, it’s too easy to rely on what you’ve already done before. It is important to challenge the chefs and really get the restaurants involved. I think, ultimately, the more they challenge themselves, the prouder they are of the event once it’s done.”
He summed up: “We’re not going anywhere. I love coming back to Las Vegas. I’ve been coming here for 20 years for work. It’s a great city and perfect for Vegas Uncork’d.”
