Las Vegas Weekly

October 9, 2008 · 9:21 AM

Hot Off the Grill: Superstar chef invasion underway for Strip

By Robin Leach

Photo: TVT

Thomas Keller

Hot Off the Grill! America’s most expensive restaurant and one of the world’s most expensive Japanese restaurants, where diners get a whopping $450 prix-fixe meal -– before wine, tax and tip -- is on its way to the Vegas strip. MGM executives have pacted with Chef Masa Takayama to bring his Masa luxury-restaurant from Manhattan to the new Aria resort casino under construction at City Center. Masa, located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, admits most of its dinner checks for two people exceed $1,000. It has become the first Japanese restaurant in America to receive the coveted three-star Michelin rating in its 2009 New York City guide published this week -- after 10 visits by Michelin inspectors.

Michelin says it sells more than 22 million maps and guides in 70 countries around the world. It is highly respected in Manhattan food circles because it is used by all visiting Europeans for their dining picks. Masa is described as “being painfully expensive but divine” and foodies say if you had seven days to live you’d eat two dinners and one lunch there in the same week! Michelin also gave two stars to the new Adour restaurant there, run by Mandalay Bay’s Alain Ducasse.

Just 24 hours later this week the respected Zagat Guide to New York eateries was published and congratulations are due our Venetian starchef Thomas Keller from Bouchon because his “uber-pricey” Per Se restaurant in Manhattan was ranked No. 1, just ahead of our Wynn chef Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who runs Prime at the Bellagio. It’s the first time Thomas debuted in the No. 1 spot after five years in the top three. He also ranked first in the Top service category.

Hotel tycoon Steve Wynn has revealed his new lineup of chefs for the December debut of his new Encore signature resort -- and in keeping with his policy they all live and work here full-time. Theo Schoenegger of the four-star Patina in Los Angeles, Jet Tila, recognized Asian cuisine expert, Marc Poidevin, former executive chef at Le Cirque, Mark LoRusso, from Tableau at the Tower Suites and Kim Canteenwalla will lead their kitchen crews. Theo will open Theo’s, his first Vegas restaurant with a deconstructed approach to Italian cuisine and a market driven menu with chefs table for 10-guests. Jet Tila will open Wazuzu, a modern Asian bistro named after the Chinese word that means “Nine Dragons.” In homage a large crystal dragon made of 90,000 Swarovski crystals and 2,400 flickering lights will adorn Wazuzu’s wall.

Marc, who has been Wynn’s executive chef of catering and special events, takes over at Switch, a French-inspired steak and seafood restaurant, where each night it will undergo a physical transformation as seats, walls and chandeliers move to give diners a different dramatic and theatrical dining experience seven days a week! Since Mark LoRusso’s Tableau restaurant is being changed over to my friend Larry Forgione’s new American Place restaurant opening in February he will introduce Botero Steak named after the famous artist Fernando Botero and will overlook Encore’s pool in a sexy sophisticated setting alongside Victor Drai's new XS nightclub. Kim Canteenwalla who has been a partner of Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s restaurants at Luxor and Palms Place strikes out on his own with Society café Encore, an almost round-the-clock casual fun restaurant open for breakfast, lunch dinner and late-night dining. Says Steve: “I’m thrilled to welcome these fine chefs to our impressive family of culinary talents. They each bring an exciting and fresh approach.”

Roy Yamaguchi.

In other food news, my friend Roy Yamaguchi, who has 34 of his Roy’s restaurants scattered around the globe with two right here in Vegas, is now starring in his own Hawaii Cooks show every Saturday morning on PBS -- seen here locally on Channel 10. This Saturday he cooks with celebrated Santa Fe chef, Loretta Barret Oden at the Cuisines of the Sun festival at the Mauna Lani Bay Roy was one of the innovators of Hawaiian Fusion cuisine so check out his seafood emphasized show. I wrote the forward for his new cookbook that comes out next month in time for the holidays. Chef Geno Bernardo at Nove in the Palms has created a tasting menu from the little-known Marche region of Italy- that’s just below Venice. His five-course meal for just $65 includes porcini salad, red mullet crudo, tagliatelle and roast rabbit but its his own grandmother’s family-secret recipe for Pasta e’ Fagiole that is a stunning knockout.

Chef Geno Bernardo.

Please support my chef friend Tom Maloney from Aquaknox at the Venetian. He has lined up over 40 top chefs when he hosts the 11th annual Signature Chefs dinner as a fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Described by many as “the best eating experience in Vegas” it will take place next Saturday, October 18, at the Venetian with just about every top chef in Vegas manning the stations. Money raised provides research for treatments to combat birth defects and infant health problems. Then a week later -- Saturday October 25 -- the adjoining Palazzo resort casino plays host for the first annual James Beard Foundation gala dinner when starchef and JBF award winner Charlie Trotter is honored for his Restaurant Charlie and C Bar there. Twelve award-winning chefs from around America will do the honors with our host chefs David Robins from CUT, Luciano Pellegrini from Valentino, Ludo Lefebvre from LAVO and Zach Allen from Mario Batali’s Carnevino.

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