Las Vegas Weekly

May 7, 2010 · 7:08 AM

Photos: Star chefs kick off 2010 Vegas Uncork’d at Mix

By Robin Leach

Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Mayor Oscar Goodman and chefs Joel Robuchon, Carla Pellegrino, Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy at the Vegas Uncork'd kickoff at Mix in The Hotel at Mandalay Bay on May 6, 2010.

Photo: Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau

More than 50 top star chefs gathered yesterday afternoon to help Mayor Oscar Goodman kick off the 4th Annual Vegas Uncork’d epicurean extravaganza, with the official red carpet welcoming at Alain Ducasse’s restaurant Mix atop The Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

After the champagne saber celebration, Caesars Palace played host to the first four Masters Dinners with Bobby Flay, Bradley Ogden, Guy Savoy and the Pellegrini family at Rao’s, and then it was the Sushi and Sake celebration at Subiya in MGM Grand that continued past midnight.

Today on Day 2 of Vegas Uncork’d sponsored by Bon Appetit and its Editor Barbara Fairchild, star chef Wolfgang Puck kicks it off with a food lecture at Bellagio, followed by lunch in his CUT steakhouse in the Palazzo.

Tonight, it’s the signature Grand Tasting poolside at the Garden of the Gods in Caesars Palace, followed by a celebrity chef blackjack tournament at the Wynn pool, with two-time winner Paul Bartolotta defending his title. The Grand Tasting features some 75 chefs, 50 restaurants and 100 wines and spirits, plus hosted lounges, book signings, demonstrations and much more.

Las Vegas entertainers, plus actress Laura Prepon and Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, will join culinary kings and queens for the red carpet arrivals. The expected guests includes Cat Cora, Bobby Flay, Barbara Fairchild, Rick Faugno, Matt Goss, Hubert Keller, Andrew Knowlton, Frank Marino, Rick Moonen, Chazz Palminteri, Francois Payard, Luciano Pellegrini, Joel Robuchon, Rita Rudner, Guy Savoy, Julian Serrano and Rene Lenger.

Our thanks to Glenn Pinkerton of Las Vegas News Bureau for the red carpet and Mix photographs. Vegas DeLuxe will be covering all the action from noon to midnight with Twitter reports and photos, and we’ll return tomorrow with the newest of our photo galleries.

GUESS WHO CAME TO DINNER?

After an Epicurean Foundation dinner at Mandarin Oriental honoring chef Joel Robuchon, Joel and Laurent Tourondel of BLT in The Mirage ventured to the 23rd floor of the hotel to tour the kitchen of Twist, chef Pierre Gagnaire’s first U.S. restaurant. Pierre led the tour as guests peered in the large picture window in awe of the three culinary masters.

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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