Las Vegas Weekly

May 5, 2010 · 1:33 PM

Strip Scribbles: Susan Feniger and Rick Moonen are back on Bravo tonight

By Robin Leach

Rick Moonen celebrates his victory on Top Chef Masters during his viewing party at RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay on April 21, 2010.

Photo: TVT

Two of our Mandalay Bay star chefs return in the championship round tonight on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters with their second appearances. Rick Moonen of RM Seafood has an added reason to celebrate at his restaurant tonight because his hosting duties on PBS’ Chefs-A-Field: King of Alaska won him Best on Location TV Show at Sunday’s James Beard Media Awards in New York. On Monday night at the chef awards, his fellow MGM Mirage chefs Tom Colicchio of the Craft restaurants and Claude Le Tohic, executive chef for Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand, also won awards.

“Among our collection of restaurants, we are very fortunate to have amassed an array of extremely talented chefs,” said Jim Murren, president and CEO of MGM Mirage. “I am thrilled for Rick, Claude and Tom to have been nationally recognized for their abilities by the prestigious James Beard Foundation.” Claude, who won Best Chef Southwest, said, “I’m delighted to have received such an esteemed honor, but I couldn’t have done it without my incredible team at Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand.”

Rick said, “I’m so proud of the Chefs-A-Field episode, which brought to light the sustainability issues I have spent my career fighting for. Winning the James Beard Award is the highest honor in the culinary world, and I could not be prouder of this achievement.”

This is the first win for both chefs and inducts them into the James Beard Award-winning MGM Mirage family that includes Aureole, chefs Julian Serrano, Shawn McClain, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Todd English, Michael Mina, Masa Takayama and this year’s winner for Outstanding Chef, Tom Colicchio, for his Manhattan restaurant Craft.

You can join Rick tonight at 7 at RM Seafood to watch the episode as he tries to win $100,000 for our Three Square food bank. Meantime, Susan Feniger of Border Grill at Mandalay Bay also is competing on the show but is celebrating Cinco de Mayo at one of her L.A. restaurants. Susan is competing for the $100,000 on behalf of the Scleroderma Research Foundation.

*Steve Wynn must’ve smiled a little today when he heard about the record $106.5 million paid at a Christie’s auction last night in New York for Pablo Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves & Bust. He owns one in the series that now belongs to the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum.

*H&M opens its largest store in America this fall at the three-level, 50,000-square-foot space in Caesars Palace Forum Shops previously occupied by FAO Schwarz. It will become the company’s new flagship.

*Las Vegas glamour meets New York swagger as the folks at Pure Management Group launch the open-air Chaos club in Manhattan on May 18. The nightlife innovation and dance experience with celebrity appearances will be open only through summer on Tuesday and Saturday nights. “Chaos will take the hottest nightlife experience in Las Vegas and import it twice a week to one of the best venues in New York City. Chaos will deliver a new style and energy to New York nightlife,” said Ned Collett, CEO of Pure Management Group.

*In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Mac King Comedy Magic Show, Harrah’s Las Vegas President Rick Mazer presented headliner Mac King with a proclamation from Mayor Oscar Goodman yesterday declaring it Mac King Day. Rick and the Bear presented Mac with a cake in recognition of the 5,200 shows performed to more than 1 million audience members at Harrah's, and Darrin Bush of Las Vegas News Bureau captured the photos for our VDLX photo gallery.

*Contributing photographer Scott Harrison was at Deseret Bookstore in Henderson when former GOP presidential candidate and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney autographed copies of his new book No Apology: The Case For American Greatness yesterday.

*The effort by Carlos Santana and the local nonprofit Project Sole resulted in nearly 400 pairs of shoes, some of which will be sent to Chile for those affected by the devastating earthquake. Volunteers from Project Sole have been collecting the gently used shoes before each performance of Santana’s concert at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

*Celebrated French chef Guy Savoy of Caesars Palace had dinner last night at Twist in Mandarin Oriental, with fellow celebrated chef Pierre Gagnaire overseeing each course. … Another French culinary king, Joel Robuchon, checked out industry night at Lavo in the Palazzo and was joined by several executives for Perrier Jouet Champagne and Ketel One cocktails. … Denver Broncos quarterback Brady Quinn flew with Maverick Helicopters last night on the Vegas Nights flight highlighting The Strip. Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was along for the thrilling ride, and we’ll post his amazing aerial shots next week. … Stephen Jackson of the Charlotte Bobcats was at Blush in the Wynn at 1 a.m. with an entourage of six bodyguards and didn’t leave until just before closing. … Rapper Ludacris dined on a quick dinner at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms. Also there was Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings accompanied by Palms owner George Maloof. After dinner, Tyreke went into the kitchen and signed chef Barry Dakake’s famous Shakedown Door.

*Celebrities partied all over the Hard Rock Hotel before the big fight weekend came to a close. Jamie Foxx performed multiple songs at Rehab and then decided to play bartender, serving bottles of champagne to people around him. He capped off the day by spraying his cheering fans with bubbly. Still going from the night before at Vanity, Ray J joined Jamie’s stage table. Timbaland stopped by to chat with Jamie about working together. Chris Brown chilled at the pool. Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls and teammates hung out before continuing the party at Vanity. Rapper Too Short also joined Jamie at his stage table before they went off to Skybar. Also at Skybar: Eva Pigford, winner of America’s Next Top Model Season 3 with girlfriends before they hit Vanity. Vanity also drew Chester Taylor, Michael Strahan, Antonio Esfandiari, Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, Jamie Sharper, Winky Wright and Ricky Hatton. Singer Trey Songz and record executive Kevin Liles remained low key at the back of the club despites shout-outs from DJ Five. Porn star Jenny Hendrix was spotted in a booth next to the DJ. … Chester Taylor dined at Strip House in Planet Hollywood. … Carly Chaikin, who just appeared in The Last Song with Miley Cyrus, enjoyed dinner with friends at Lavo in the Palazzo. … Ricky posed for photos with executive chef Barry Dakake at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms. Brady Quinn also was at N9NE.

TONIGHT’S TIPS

Sushi Samba in the Palazzo hosts a karaoke party for all 51 Miss USA contestants and reigning Miss USA Kristen Dalton. … Led Zepagain pays tribute to Led Zeppelin at the Las Vegas Hilton. … The annual San Gennaro Feast, five days of Italian fun and food, gets underway at Silverton Casino Lodge with actor Chazz Palminteri as the grand marshal on Friday and entertainers including Tony Sacca, John Garafalo and Tony De Bruno.

TOMORROW’S TEASES

Iron Man creator Stan Lee arrives with the stars for three days of launch festivities for Iron Man 2. He’ll do an audience Q&A tomorrow at the first screening and will be honored with a star on the Brenden Walk of Fame on Friday that I will host, and I’ll emcee his tribute dinner Saturday.

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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