Las Vegas Weekly

April 22, 2009 · 10:25 AM

Photo Gallery: George Maloof and Guy Fieri receive awards from UNLV

By Robin Leach

Robin Leach, George Maloof and Guy Fieri at UNLVino.

Photo: TVT

Congratulations to former UNLV students George Maloof and Guy Fieri for being presented with Awards of Excellence during the 35th Annual UNLVino “Sip for a Scholarship,” a three-day wine-tasting fundraiser.

Guy, the self-proclaimed “bad boy” host of four shows on the Food Network, and George, head of the Palms, receive a 21-cork Dom Perignon salute in Rain at the Palms. It was the first “Bubble-Licious” night of this year’s event.

More than 1,400 wines were featured in the oldest and largest wine tasting in Nevada on the final day, with a flotilla of New World wines south of the equator also featured during the fundraiser.

George, who earned his Bachelor’s degree in hotel administration in 1987, was recognized for his support of education in our Las Vegas Valley and for creating the innovative entertainment venues at the Palms. One of his UNLV professors told me: “He was an intellectual scholar with a hunger for knowledge. You just knew he would go on to be a savvy and successful businessman.”

Guy, with his trademark bleached blond spiky hair, graduated from UNLV in 1990 with the same degree. After the celebration, Guy and his team went to Iron Chef winner Kerry Simon’s restaurant in the Palms Place condo-tower for a Food Network reunion.

Since I am one of the original “fathers of the Food Network,” Guy insisted that I do Patron shots with him at Kerry’s bar! He told me that he hopes to be able to shoot one of his TV series here during the next year.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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