Las Vegas Weekly

December 6, 2010 · 12:36 PM

Exclusive: Star chef Gordon Ramsay to open restaurant on The Strip

By Robin Leach

Chef Gordon Ramsay at Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace on Aug. 24, 2010.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com

Controversial star chef Gordon Ramsay is headed to The Strip with his first Las Vegas restaurant. Vegas DeLuxe has learned exclusively that the larger-than-life TV kitchen king has signed a deal with Caesars Entertainment.

I can confirm that he will open the Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse, taking over the current space occupied by Les Artistes at the Paris. That restaurant will shut down at the end of next month, and by June 1, Gordon will be ready to celebrate the grand opening of his upscale bistro.

Gordon is no stranger to Las Vegas. He filmed Season 2 of Hell’s Kitchen at Green Valley Ranch. When I talked with him after the finale during that time, he told me that he wanted to have a Las Vegas outpost eventually but was too busy then to plan it.

Now finally it will happen, and it’s coming amid many changes taking place at the Paris. Upcoming also in the spring will be the opening of the nightclub Chateau and the Sugar Factory retail and private party megastore.

“I think you will see Caesars slowly taking away the French overtones of the Paris with these moves,” I was reliably told. “Obviously, with the Tour Eiffel right there in the casino, you can’t ignore the French theme. But ‘les directions’ will become the directions in every way, and the staff will slowly phase out the French-language greetings.”

Hubert Keller reopens Fleur

In other restaurant news, star chef Hubert Keller reopened his restaurant Fleur (formerly Fleur de Lys) at Mandalay Bay with a tapas menu, and customers packed the open bar and seating area on the casino floor during the weekend. Next door, celebrity chef Charlie Palmer has shuttered his restaurant Aureole for a redesign and makeover so that upon reopening, the famous “ Flying Angels Wine Tower” will be visible to passers-by from the casino and en route to the Events Center.

Mandalay Bay also is promising a new Irish pub saloon, Ra Rai, to open on St. Patrick’s Day.

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.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

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

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