Las Vegas Weekly

October 6, 2009 · 7:24 AM

Celebrity chef cancels wedding last-minute; reception goes on

By Robin Leach

Chef Todd English and Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi chat with the chefs during the "quickfire" challenge.

Photo: Trae Patton/Bravo TV

When superstar chef Todd English canceled weekend plans to marry his fiancee, she decided to party on at the reception he’d paid for -- but wore black instead of the white wedding gown, according to sources in Manhattan.

Iron Chef winner Todd, who runs Olives here at the Bellagio and is partnered with Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria Parker in Beso opening New Year’s Eve at CityCenter, has requested privacy “during a difficult time.”

Erica Wang decided to go ahead with the reception reportedly because 150 of her family and friends had already arrived at New York’s St. Regis Hotel where the ceremony was due to take place. Apparently, it also was too late to cancel the band and entertainment! They downed the champagne and ate appetizers of Peking duck and chilled clams before tucking into the five-course dinner that had all been paid for by Todd.

Photo: TVT

Celebrity chef Todd English prepares a meal.

My friends at the New York Post learned that Todd had stood up his fiancee the night before at the rehearsal dinner. The couple had been engaged for more than a year, but insiders say he had become concerned about their relationship, which had become increasingly volatile since the original June wedding date had been delayed.

Erica and Todd met while he filmed his show Food Trip for PBS. It would have been his second marriage.

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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