Las Vegas Weekly

April 28, 2010 · 4:24 PM

Counter Intelligence: Celebrated chef Pierre Gagnaire at Twist next week

By Robin Leach

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Executive Richard Baker, chef Pierre Gagnaire, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas General Manager Rajesh Jhingon and Sylvie Gagnaire attend the opening night gala for the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas at CityCenter Dec. 4, 2009.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Hot off the grill! I omitted a very special chef from yesterday’s Strip Scribbles column about the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, but am happy to correct that now. Celebrated three-star Michelin chef Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurant in Paris, France, was No. 13 on the list. Now foodies have a chance to taste his incredible cooking when he returns to his Twist at Mandarin Oriental in MGM’s CityCenter from May 4-9.

During his visit, Pierre will present Homage to the American Product, a tasting menu inspired by the domestic purveyors and farms used to create the masterpieces served at Twist. The menu is only available during his six-day visit to Las Vegas. Said Pierre: “Homage to the American Product was created with our purveyors in mind, truly showcasing their hard work by presenting their product with respect for the ingredients. I am very excited to come back to Las Vegas and very much look forward to cooking for our guests at Twist.”

His pre-fixe menu highlights include glazed Maine lobster, Washington Bay scallops, Sonoma foie gras, roasted duck from San Francisco, plus a five-dessert platter featuring sweets inspired by French pastries. The pre-fixe menu is $285 per person (excludes tax and gratuity). Guests can add a wine pairing for $95 per person. Guests who wish to make their experience at Twist even more memorable also may book the $888 Maestro Experience, an indulgent getaway that includes the exclusive pre-fixe menu for two, a luxurious room at Mandarin Oriental, a full breakfast in bed and a private poolside cabana the following day.

*Mixologists in a number of U.S. cities are being challenged with the Art of Design competition presented by Effen Vodka to design the ultimate vodka martini. Guests get the opportunity to view the works of local artists, sample the freshly designed cocktails and vote for the most provocative premium martini.

At the Las Vegas event, three mixologists at Fusion Mixology Bar in the Palazzo took home the coveted titles. Emilio Turibico took first place, and Wendy Verdel and Greg Black tied for second place. Their competition was set up Iron Chef style where they had to select five ingredients from a selection of 50 items, plus the liquor under a tough time-clock restriction.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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