Las Vegas Weekly

September 11, 2010 · 8:29 AM

Photos: Project Dinner Table is truly a Las Vegas treat

By Don Chareunsy

Project Dinner Table at El Cortez Walkway and the Emergency Arts Building on Aug. 7, 2010.

Photo: Nate Ludens

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

Today is the fifth Project Dinner Table this 2010 season sponsored by Nevada Beverage Co. Hosted at the historic Fifth Street School at 401 S. Fourth St. downtown, tonight’s Project Dinner Table features chefs from MGM Grand preparing the exquisite six-course meal for one long table of 125 diners.

The chefs for this evening’s dinner are Jennifer Bargisen, banquets; Stefano Chiarugi, Fiamma Trattoria & Bar; Steve Hopcraft, Seablue; Stephan Chevet, Shibuya; Patrick Schaffer, Studio Cafe; and Kamel Guechida, Joel Robuchon. Dinner at 6 p.m. benefits the Vegas Valley Children’s Book Festival supporting children’s literacy. Tickets are $125 per person and include dinner, entertainment, gift bags, philanthropy, cocktails and coffee.

I attended my first Project Dinner Table last month -- Aug. 7 at the El Cortez Walkway and the Emergency Arts Building downtown featuring The Mirage executive chef Jeff Braun and executive pastry chef Everett Williams and benefiting Nevada Cancer Institute. It was fabulous. The food, spirits and company, including my sister Michelle visiting from Spokane, Wash., were exceptional, and I highly recommend Project Dinner Table’s events, which this year have been presented in April, May, June and last month before tonight’s culinary extravaganza.

The evening began with a reception at the Emergency Arts Building with cocktails and tray-passed hors d’oeuvres including organic watermelon and feta cheese; scallop crudo; organic portobello pot stickers; and char-grilled beef sirloin. It was great to tour EAB for the first time.

The main-event six courses paired with beer were incredible: spicy cucumber-creme fraiche soup with a falafel crouton as an amuse; a California Family Farms tomato and house-stretched mozzarella cocktail; ragu of fregola (California Family Farms summer squash, zucchini, English peas, artichokes and Herbs by Diane) -- it was so fantastic, I had two helpings; spinach and goat cheesed-stuffed organic chicken over a polenta cake; and sensational sweets, among them brown butter Madelines, caramel, biscotti, organic Granny Smith cider gelee, handcrafted and homemade “Twix” and almond butter toffee.

It was a delight to meet Philip Nobert and Tanja Nikolic Nobert, who were sitting across the table. Philip served as a photographer for the evening, and his wife oversaw the art project, a large sheet of white paper in which guests were invited to leave a note and drawing to document the wonderful evening. Rick Moonen of RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay was among the evening’s guests.

Remaining Project Dinner Table events for the year are scheduled for Oct. 30 at Gilcrease Orchard, with the final dinner taking place Nov. 14 with chef Roy Ellamar from Sensi at Bellagio. When I ran into Moonen last month at Todd English P.U.B., he told me that he would be overseeing October’s dinner, but his name is not listed in the Project Dinner Table’s press release.

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

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

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

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