Luxe Life Blog

Vegas Uncork’d Photo Gallery: Chefs compete; closing night dinner and party

Posted May 10, 2009 • 2:00 p.m.

Cat Cora.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

For Oprah Winfrey’s favorite seafood chef, Rick Moonen, it was a doubly delightful day. He won the chefs’ culinary challenge because the secret ingredient turned out to be his favorite: squid! Then he played host to superstar producer David Foster and friends, including Oprah’s pint-sized singing discovery Charice Pempengco!

Rick was teamed with Adam Sobel, his executive chef of just three months, for the cook-off at MGM Grand’s Convention Center. They beat out Wynn chefs David Walzog of SW Steakhouse with Carlos Guia after Todd Williams of Bradley Ogden’s restaurant at Caesars Palace with Ryan Osaky beat out Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill at Mandalay Bay with Carlos Buscaglia.

Food Network and Iron Chef star Cat Cora, who is seven months’ pregnant with her fourth child, presided over the contest. Cat told me: “At first, I thought I could pop out an entire kitchen crew line or field my own basketball team, but it’s become too much to handle. I’m expecting a new son, and that will be it!”

Rick commented: “It was a tough 12-minute challenge. Our feet were really held to the fire, but knowing squid the way I know squid, I was confident we’d win. Squid can be a little terrifying to even the most accomplished chefs, even after you’ve got a firm handgrip on it!”

The Bon Appetit magazine closing night five-course gourmet gala was held at the Bellagio, and Editor Barbara Fairchild introduced the chefs: Todd English from Olives, Akira Back from Yellowtail Sushi, Julian Serrano from Picasso, Michael Mina and Anthony Amorosa from Michael Mina and Robert Moore from Prime. Jean-Philippe Maury presented the grand chocolate desserts served on an outside ballroom patio by servers who even had their outfits done partly in chocolate!

Akira had flown in Japanese snapper for his carpaccio from Tokyo to Los Angeles and had to drive it in at 6 a.m. as it had missed the previous day’s flight! He insisted that the fish be caught from a single line and not in a net to protect the taste and freshness! Julian joked that he’d gone diving in Maine for his scallops and shucked them on the red-eye flight back to Las Vegas -- and had just changed from his scuba suit into chef whites seconds before serving them!

Joel Robuchon and Alain Ducasse said the worldwide wines supplied by Larry Ruvo’s Southern Wine & Spirits and the food were equal to anything -- if not better -- they’d eaten and drunk anywhere at a master chefs’ banquet.

The day of feasting wasn’t over yet! Rick hosted the midnight after-party for David Foster and Friends, and it was as if the entire Mandalay Bay Events Center audience followed him Pied Piper-style over to celebrate. Cher and Donny Osmond were surprise guests at his concert. Marie Osmond had hoped to be there, but she was under the weather. Cher greeted the crowd but didn’t’ sing, while Donny performed “Puppy Love” and Michael Buble’s hit “Love.”

Once again, the hit of the night was young Filipina singing sensation Charice. David told me that her first album will be released this fall. He said: “It’s all new material. We have 14 sensational tracks that will make her a worldwide star. Her voice is unbelievable, and I wanted to have all new rather than anything sung by other stars. This way she goes up on her own without unnecessary comparison to others.” Also attending David’s party at RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay were singers Brian McKnight and Peter Cincotti.

The four-day food festival continues today with a Mother’s Day brunch hosted by Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio, and then late this afternoon wraps up at the Brenden Theaters in the Palms with the first-ever advance screening of Meryl Streep’s new film Julie and Julia. Meryl, who plays the late celebrated chef Julia Child, stars with Amy Adams. The Norah Ephron movie will be released Aug. 7, and, yes, Meryl has Julia’s unique voice down perfectly! We have the just-posted trailer thanks to the folks from Columbia Pictures I sat with last night.

Everybody up and down the Strip to downtown, from chefs to winemakers to restaurant owners to hotel F&B directors, agreed that Vegas Uncork’d had been a bigger and better success than its two previous outings. I am happy to reveal that the 4th Annual Vegas Uncork’d has been confirmed already for this time next year, even though I’m not supposed to reveal that until the official announcement! (Hey, just doing my job!)

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.

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