Las Vegas Weekly

August 20, 2009 · 11:18 AM

Wolfgang Puck names local chefs for American Wine & Food Festival

By Robin Leach

Robin Leach and Wolfgang Puck.

Photo: Jacob Andrejczak

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has lined up a staggering list of Las Vegas chefs to help him celebrate the amazing three-day American Wine & Food Festival beginning Oct. 2 in Los Angeles. This year is the 27th annual Meals on Wheels charity fundraiser.

The chefs will gather Oct. 2 for a meet and greet music and wine night at Red Seven in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The next day, more than 4,000 foodies are expected to swarm the Universal Studios back lot to taste offerings from the superstars of the culinary world.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

2009 Miss America Katie Stam with chef Thomas Keller, who promoted his latest book Under Pressure at a book signing in his restaurant Bouchon at The Venetian.

Numerous Las Vegas VIPs and Strip hotel executives will be in attendance when it culminates Oct. 4 with the high rollers’ Grand Tasting Dinner. This year, it stars Nobu Matsuhisa and our own Venetian superstar chef Thomas Keller of Bouchon. They will be joined by Mario Batali’s Babbo chef Gina DePalma, Dean Fearing from Dallas, Laurent Gras from L2O and Jereme Leung for the six-course champagne dinner at Wolfgang’s Spago flagship in Beverly Hills.

Last year for the sixth consecutive year, I played auctioneer at the event, and we raised $500,000 from the well-heeled guests!

Photo: PR Plus

Paul Bartolotta and Tom Colicchio.

This year’s guest chefs include Paul Bartolotta (Ristorante di Mare at the Wynn); Tom Colicchio (Craftsteak at MGM); Larry Forgione (American Place at the Wynn); David Robins & Eric Klein (Spago at Caesars Palace); Matt Hurley (CUT at the Palazzo); Pierro Selvaggio & Luciano Pellegrini (Valentino at The Venetian); Julian Serrano (Picasso at the Bellagio); Joachim Splichal (Patina at The Venetian); Alex Stratta (Alex at the Wynn); Laurent Tourondel (BLT at The Mirage); and David Walzog (SW Steakhouse at they Wynn).

In all, some 60 top-ranked nationwide chefs and restaurateurs will take part during the three-day festival, which is hailed as the nation’s largest food and beverage industry charity fundraiser.

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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