Las Vegas Weekly

May 9, 2009 · 9 AM

Photo Gallery: Chefs serve up Grand Tasting and play blackjack

By Robin Leach

French star chefs Joel Robuchon, Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy.

Photo: TVT

It was one of the most unique nights in Las Vegas culinary history. On one side of Caesars Palace, there was the Holy Trinity of the world’s top three French chefs, and I snapped the historic photo! Just 50 feet away were Iron Chef winners Cat Cora and Bobby Flay, who were still duking it out with each other.

More than 70 chefs and vintners set up tasting stations for more than 1,000 fine-food fans throughout the resort casino’s pool. Food Network star Bobby had 450 coconuts cut in half for his delicacy, and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio was on hand to autograph copies of his cookbook.

“We have more of the world’s best chefs around this pool than any city in the world at this moment,” marveled my friend, Larry Ruvo, head honcho of Southern Wine & Spirits, which partnered as a lead sponsor in the Bon Appetit event.

Before Night 2 of the four-day fun feast ended, the star-lineup of the kitchen geniuses moved over to the XS pool in the Encore, where Elaine Wynn hosted a blackjack tournament, and she joined in the fray for 21 with her celebrity chefs Daniel Boulud Paul Bartolotta, who was just named a James Beard Award winner for the second time.

It was a double-win week for Paul. In addition to winning the prestigious James Beard Award as best chef in the Southwest at the start of the week, Paul also won last night's blackjack tournament with its $10,000 prize pot!

Vegas Uncork’d continues today and tomorrow, and we’ll join the chefs tonight when Rick Moonen throws open his RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay for a party with music stars from tonight’s David Foster concert there. We’ll have the full photo galleries Monday with highlights of all the kitchen demos, lectures, wine tastings and the ultimate cook-off challenges.

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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