Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air will host a one-of-a-kind dining experience on Tuesday, June 18, as Chefs Wolfgang Puck, David Chang and Roy Choi join forces to present the ultimate Chefs Dinner. The event will feature an amuse bouche followed by five courses of Asian-inspired dishes using farmers’ market ingredients selected by the chefs that morning.

The June 18 Chefs Dinner at Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air is priced at $190 per person, excluding beverage, tax and gratuity, and open to hotel guests and non-hotel guests. Optional wine pairing is available for an additional $80. For information and reservations, please call 310.909.1644.

The evening’s chefs are a globally celebrated trio.  Master chef Wolfgang Puck is acclaimed for his bold, innovative school of cooking that redefined fine dining in America. From the introduction of Spago, known as one of the world’s most iconic restaurants, to the creation of Chinois and CUT, and winning three James Beard awards and an Emmy, Wolfgang Puck has long set the standard for cuisine, service and style. His popular, namesake restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, represents one of his newest restaurant experiences for Los Angeles and is a hotel restaurant like no other, featuring a spectacular garden setting and two distinct dining venues offering the best of indoor and outdoor California cuisine.

Another James Beard Award-winner participating in next month’s Chefs Dinner is David Chang of Momofuku, which includes restaurants in New York City, Sydney, and Toronto. Chang is the recipient of four James Beard awards, including the 2013 Outstanding Chef Award. He has also generated acclaim as a member of the Time 100, and as the recipient of GQ magazine’s Man of the Year accolade. Before founding Momofuku Noodle Bar, Chef Chang worked in the kitchens of renowned culinarians Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud and Tom Colicchio. He has garnered awards from Food & Wine and Bon Appétit, published the Momofuku cookbook in 2009, and launched his own quarterly print journal, Lucky Peach, in 2011.

Los Angeles’ own Chef Roy Choi is considered a true culinary revolutionary. His Kogi BBQ taco trucks, Chego!, A-Frame and Sunny Spot restaurants, and renowned menu items including Korean-Mexican tacos, have placed him on the leading edge of the gourmet food truck and social media restaurant movements, well before they came into vogue. Named Food & Wine’s Best New Chef for 2010, the classically-trained Choi pioneered the use of Twitter as a food truck locator.  His newest restaurant venture, featuring the tastes of Korea translated through an L.A. state of mind, will debut at The Line, a new hotel set to open in L.A. in late 2013.  Chef Choi is also completing his first book, L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food, to be published this fall.

Enjoy a Three-course Prix Fixe Dinner at Andrea’s and Premium Ticket to Le Rêve -The Dream

Andrea’s, the new hip Asian restaurant at Encore and Le Rêve-The Dream, the evocative aqua spectacle in-the-round, have partnered to offer guests a decadent dinner and show package starting at $185 per person. The “Dream with Your Eyes Open” package is available Friday - Tuesday and is subject to availability.

Andrea’s combines hip Asian dining in a lively atmosphere, making it ideal for pre and post show dining. The three-course prix fixe menu features a choice of appetizers including Imperial Lettuce Cups, Hamachi or Five Spice Squid. For the main course, indulge in Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein, Pan Seared Salmon, Jidori Chicken Breast or a 9 oz. Filet Mignon (additional $20). The culinary experience concludes with a festive Happy Buddha Fortune Cookie for dessert. Andrea’s is open nightly from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Voted Best Show in Las Vegas by the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association for three years in a row, Le Rêve has redefined the traditional theatrical experience at Wynn Las Vegas. Throughout the show, comedy and dance intertwine with artistic athleticism for an awe-inspiring experience. From a thrilling high-dive, to synchronized swimmers doing the tango in red high heels, Le Rêve is captivating from beginning to end. Le Rêve performs Friday - Tuesday at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

To book the “Dream with Your Eyes Open” package, call 888.320.7110 and mention “Dream with Your Eyes Open.” For more information on Andrea’s and Le Rêve, please visit www.wynnlasvegas.com.

Last night at Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appetit, Chef Todd English and Las Vegas Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute student Todd Huelsman placed first in the Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge - beating Chef Akira Back who was paired with student Todd Huelsman. As a first place prize, Todd Huelsman walked away with a $20,000 scholarship, courtesy of Chase Sapphire Preferred, to go towards furthering his culinary education.  The Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge was a live grilling battle that paired student Todd with Chef English against student Andrew and Chef Back to reimagine a classic French dish. The winning dish, a rich foie gras mousse paired with chicken payard, topped with panko asparagus and finished with a demi-glace, wowed the judges and took first place in the culinary competition.

Three of Chef Emeril Lagasse’s restaurants-Delmonico Steakhouse, Table 10, and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House-have created special lunch and dinner dishes using fresh soft shell crabs in a weeklong celebration of the seafood, May 6-12. From sautéed to pan-fried, cornmeal crusted on salads or crispy on New Orleans French bread, soft shell crab will be the highlight of three to four unique entrees at each of the restaurants.

“Seafood is such a huge part of Chef Emeril’s history and culinary repertoire,” said Sean Roe, culinary director of Emeril’s Las Vegas restaurants. “Soft shell crabs are at their peak in this season, and we love highlighting such a signature Gulf product with New Orleans flavor.”

The soft shell crab specials will be offered at each restaurant for lunch and dinner, with prices ranging from $20-$40.

Soft Shell Crab Week Menus

Table 10

The Shoppes at the Palazzo

3327 Las Vegas Blvd., South, Ste. 2900

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.607.6363, emerilsrestaurants.com

Lunch: Daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dinner:  Daily, 5-10 p.m.

Lunch

Soft Shell Crab Sandwich on grilled New Orleans French bread with Creole mayonnaise, fresh cut fries and cabbage slaw

Dinner

Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Emeril’s essence emulsion and sweet onion salad

Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs with fava beans, wild morel mushrooms and spring pepper sauce

Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House

MGM Grand

3799 Las Vegas Blvd., South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.891.7374, emerilsrestaurants.com

Lunch: Daily, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Daily, 5-10 p.m.

Lunch

Cornmeal Crusted Soft Shell Crab with organic Bibb lettuce, bacon, pickled fennel and creamy Herbsaint dressing

Pan Fried Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy with heirloom tomato and Creole mustard

Dinner

Toasted Tortilla Crusted Soft Shell Crab with spicy tomatillo sauce, roasted sweet corn and chiles

Crispy Fried Soft Shell Crab and Crabmeat Cake with pickled mirliton slaw and wild ramp sauce

Delmonico Steakhouse

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino

3355 Las Vegas Blvd., South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.414.3737, emerilsrestaurants.com

Lunch: Daily, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Sun-Thu, 5-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 5-10:30 p.m.

Lunch

Soft Shell Crab Sandwich on toasted brioche with green onion aioli, local tomatoes and Old Bay fries

Dinner

Crispy Soft Shell Crab Louis Salad with avocado, teardrop tomatoes and red onion

Sautéed Soft Shell Crab with fresh pea salad, heirloom lemon vinaigrette and baby heirloom tomatoes

2013 Program Hosted by The Pub’s Executive Chef Timothy Radigan and Nationally Recognized Brewery Representatives

The Pub at Monte Carlo invites guests to experience  pub-style food offerings while sipping refreshing craft beers at Gus’ Beer and Bites, a fun,  interactive beer pairing dinner series. Named after The Pub’s iconic whale Gus, each dinner will showcase beers from renowned breweries, providing guests with insights into the multifaceted world of craft beer, and will be paired with an extraordinary five-course menu created by The Pub’s Executive Chef Timothy Radigan.

Gus’ Beer and Bites begins Wednesday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. and will be held monthly. Tickets are priced at $64.04 per person, all-inclusive, and available for purchase to guests 21 and older at Monte Carlo’s Reservations webpage or by calling (702) 769-6699.

“The Pub at Monte Carlo is known for its impressive beer portfolio and we are enthusiastic to grow our list by partnering with breweries across the country,” said Radigan. “Craft beers continue to grow in popularity and by offering our guests an exclusive opportunity to taste a variety of notable beers, along with a compelling menu that complements the flavors of each selection, we will create a memorable experience.”

Upon arrival, guests will be escorted to The Pub’s upstairs dining room to enjoy passed appetizers and craft beer samples. Following, attendees will be seated as Radigan and a brewery representative begin the evening’s program. The hosts will guide guests through each intricate pairing, providing specific information on the featured beers and flavor profiles that create the superb combination. Guests will receive a printed dinner menu and a stationary pad for beer tasting notes as a keepsake.

The 2013 schedule of events for Gus’ Beer and Bites is as follows:

Left Coast Brewing Company: Wednesday, April 24

Left Coast Brewing Company, an independent brewer based out of San Clemente, Calif., will start the evening with its highly rated seasonal spring beer Una Mas, perfectly accented by a line-up of satisfying spring eats.

New Belgium Brewing Company: Wednesday, June 26

Based out of Fort Collins, Colo., New Belgium Brewing Company will feature several tempting beer selections, including the well-known tasty amber Fat Tire, alongside Radigan’s summer cuisine menu selections.

Boston Beer Company: Wednesday, August 28

The flavors of a late-summer menu will flawlessly pair with the Massachusetts brewery, Boston Beer Company, including the full-flavored Samuel Adams Boston Logger.

Goose Island: Wednesday, September 25

Known for an innovative selection of craft beers, Goose Island will showcase its flagship Matilda, along with several other offerings that provide a quenching accompaniment to the seasonal menu.

Alaskan Brewing Company: Wednesday, October 30

Alaskan Brewing Company, an environmentally sustainable brewery, will start off the evening with its flagship Alaskan Amber beer alongside the bold flavors of fall-themed culinary creations.

Lagunitas Brewing Company: Wednesday, November 20

The mouthwatering pub-style offerings will seamlessly highlight Lagunitas’ most sought-after beers including the filtered pale wheat drink, Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale.

InBev Belgian: Wednesday, December 11

InBev Belgian, a large brewery based out of Europe, will allow guests to escape the winter chill and indulge in its notable beer, Leffe Blond, accentuated by a warming array of winter-themed cuisine.

Three Days of Celebration Culminate with Street Food Fair May 5

Dos Caminos celebrates a return to Las Vegas with a Mexican street food fair in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  The festivities begin Friday, May 3 with DJ entertainment and food and drink specials all weekend in the restaurant, while Sunday, May 5 is highlighted by an outdoor street food fair under a 4000 square foot tent in the parking lot.

Throughout the weekend guest can savor special dishes including Alaskan King Crab Guacamole, Tecate Beer Battered Soft-Shell Crab Tacos, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers, Ancho Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Cocoa Rubbed Smoked Beef Brisket Quesadilla and Tres Leches Verbena Flan.

Starting at 11 am Sunday, Corporate Executive Chef Ivy Stark and the Dos Caminos team head outside to serve up stations highlighting street food, including tacos, an al pastor spit, grilled corn, mango on a stick, ice cream and more, along with agua fresca, tubs of beer and margaritas, all available for purchase.

Mariachis will entertain throughout the day on Sunday, which will also feature guacamole and cocktail making demonstrations Chef Stark’s will sign her cookbook Dos Caminos Mexican Street Food.

A portion of proceeds from the day will benefit the Three Square Food Bank.

Dos Caminos is open seven days a week, serving dinner from 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday.  On Saturday and Sunday the restaurant serves brunch from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and a small selection of favorites on the sunset menu from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. before dinner becomes available.  A happy hour menu is featured at the bar Sunday - Friday from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. - close.

Dos Caminos is located at 10820 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89135.  For reservations call 702.462.8800.  For more information: www.doscaminos.com

Hussong’s Cantina & Taqueria at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place celebrates Cinco de Mayo Sunday, May 5 with a line-up of affordable drink and food specials while mariachis and models amp up the night.

Offering a taste of Baja, Hussong’s serves up a tasty dish special in addition to the restaurant’s regular menu. Guests can bite into Cinco de Drinko Ribeye and Shrimp Banderilla, cubed ribeye and shrimp on a skewer with onion, red bell pepper, chile poblano and drizzled with a chimichurri salsa. The steaming kabob is placed on top of creamy white rice made with sour cream, a mixture of cheese and cilantro, finished with a fresh rustic tomato and cucumber salad and served with a grilled 12″ flour tortilla on the side.

Enjoy your meal with Hussong’s signature Original Margarita or toast to the celebration with $4 pints of Pacifico and Modelo Especial, $5 shots of Cazadores tequila or $20 chalices of Cazadores Margaritas and $20 buckets of Corona and Corona Light.

In honor of the holiday, Hussong’s will turn up the heat with Cazadores models while the restaurant’s Rock n’ Roll Mariachi band gets the room moving with song requests and mash-ups of classic rock hits and Latin serenades. Never a dull moment when he steps on the scene, Benny the Mini Mariachi will also make an appearance during the night’s festivities.

The Venetian® and The Palazzo® will award $12,000 in new scholarships over the next three years to aspiring and continuing culinary students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Administered by the James Beard Foundation, The Venetian and The Palazzo Culinary Scholarship will allow students to follow their path to success in the rewarding world of the hospitality industry.

The association between the hotels and the James Beard Foundation is not new.  In fact, The Venetian and The Palazzo are home to more James Beard Award-winning chefs than any other hotel in the world.

All students pursuing their undergraduate degree in the culinary arts management program at UNLV are eligible to apply. The scholarships are available on a competitive basis and will be awarded in the amount of $4,000 over the course of three years, starting in the 2013-2014 school year calendar.

“We are thrilled to share this opportunity with deserving students interested in the culinary arts in our local community,” said John Caparella, president and COO of The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo. “As an organization, we are passionate about our food and beverage offerings, and partnering with James Beard Foundation is a great way to expose these students to an exciting career.”

Application forms can be found online at www.jamesbeard.org/scholarships. All scholarship application materials, including transcript, must be postmarked by May 15, 2013. Scholarship winners will be notified in August 2013.

On Monday, April 15, The Spotted Pig will host Filipino night, when April Bloomfield and her sous chef Edie Ugot will prepare traditional dishes from Edie’s Filipino heritage.

These dishes will be offered from an a la carte menu, alongside the restaurant’s signatures.

April & Edie have cooked Filipino cuisine together in the past, and are bringing back some of the favorites as well as new dishes from Edie’s background. The menu for the evening includes plates such as lumpia, crispy egg rolls with sweet chili sauce ($17), and sizzling sisig with fried egg ($12) as well as entrees such as Kare-Kare oxtail stew with Asian vegetables ($29) and Ginataang Alimasag, a dish of crab cooked in coconut milk ($33). All Filipino dishes will be served with classic dipping sauces, calamansi limes and rice.

As always, tables at The Spotted Pig are first-come, first-served.

Tickets on Sale for UNLVino’s High-End ‘BAR-b-q’ Brunch, Featuring Farm-to-Table Cocktails and Cuisine at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Sunday, April 21

In its 39^th year, UNLVino is expanding to four days of spectacular events by introducing a mixology-focused “BAR-b-q” on Sunday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature celebrity chefs Scott Conant, Angelo Sosa and Gustav Mauler; craft cocktails by Master Mixologist Francesco Lafranconi; and farm-to-table, gourmet fare from a collection of Las Vegas’ favorite restaurants. Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada has enlisted local farmers to provide the freshest spring produce for UNLVino’s first BAR-b-q, a high-end epicurean affair honoring MGM Grand President and COO Scott Sibella.

“We are pleased to introduce BAR-b-q as UNLVino’s first mixology-focused event,” said Michael Severino, Director of Marketing & Special Events for Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. “Given Las Vegas’ burgeoning mixology scene, the talents of Francesco Lafranconi and a truly extraordinary event venue, we are excited for BAR-b-q to join the ranks of UNLVino’s longstanding, signature events.”

BAR-b-q guests will enjoy world-class cuisine and beverages amongst the incredible Frank Gehry architecture of the Keep Memory Alive Events Center at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Live entertainment will be provided by Richard Femenella & the Chris Hermes Band. Tickets are $100 in advance and $125 at the door and are now on sale at UNLVTickets.com.

BAR-B-Q EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Honoree Scott Sibella.One of four industry leaders to receive the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence at the 39^thannual UNLVino, MGM Grand President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Sibella will be the guest of honor at BAR-b-q. An alumnus of UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administrationand 25-year hospitality industry veteran, Sibella will be recognized for distinguishing himself through inspirational leadership, character and work ethic.

• Farm-to-Table Cuisine. Celebrity chefs Scott Conant of Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. Enoteca (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas), Poppy Den’s Angelo Sosa and Gustav Mauler of Spiedini (JW Marriott) will showcase signature dishes from their critically acclaimed restaurants. Guests also will indulge with farm-fresh fare from Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons Hotel), Diego (MGM Grand), Fiamma Trattoria & Bar (MGM Grand), Mundo (World Market Center), Shibuya (MGM Grand) and Todd English P.U.B. (The Shops at Crystals). Menu highlights include:

o    Charlie Palmer Steak: Devil’s Gulch BBQ Pork Belly with Hatch green chili rub, pomegranate molasses and celeriac slaw

o    Diego: Shrimp Ceviche Verde marinated in lime and orange juice with avocado mousse

o    Fiamma Trattoria & Bar: Cannoli Di Primavera stuffed with fresh ricotta

o    Mundo: Sweet Chicken Tamale

o    Poppy Den: Korean BBQ Short Rib with green apple and cucumber kimchi

o    Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. Enoteca: Balsamic Glazed Short Ribs and Caramel Budino

o    Shibuya: Hamachi Jalapeno on Yuba Chip

o    Spiedini: Char-Siu Chinese Roasted Pork Tenderloin with house-baked slider buns and fennel apple slaw; BBQ Brisket Arancini of slow-roasted beef brisket with a honey bourbon glaze, nestled in a delicate risotto ball

o    Todd English P.U.B.: Scallops with scrambled eggs, Chilaquiles, Ancho barbeque sauce, smoked corn and Cotija cheese

• Craft Cocktails & Premium Spirits.One of the world’s foremost mixologists, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada’s Francesco Lafranconi, will stir up a menu of BAR-b-q-exclusive libations incorporating locally sourced ingredients at three bars throughout the event. Commonwealth, Downtown Las Vegas’ hottest new bar also will delight guests with its renowned classic cocktails. Serving as an ambassador for his family’s hundred-year-old whiskey dynasty, Eddie Russell of Wild Turkey Bourbon will be in attendance, a testament to UNLVino’s prominence in the beverage industry. Beverages will be provided by Absolut, Bundaberg, Campari, Diageo, Dripping Springs, Fiji, Flight 69, Sauza and United States Beverage.

• Fresh Local Produce.Unique to this event, local farms will bring a taste of spring with fresh produce to be incorporated into BAR-b-q’s culinary and cocktail menus. Hydro Greens and Two Lazy Sisters Farm will provide early-season greens and herbs such as lettuce, peas, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and basil, which also will be available for guests’ enjoyment in their purest forms. Additional farms will be confirmed in the coming weeks; visit UNLVino.comfor up-to-date information on BAR-b-q participants.

• Live Entertainment.The BAR-b-q “soundtrack” will come courtesy of Richard Femenella & the Chris Hermes Band, whose soulful sounds have been refined through decades of performing. Guests will groove to musical selections ranging in genre from cool jazz to soft rock, with live renditions of songs by iconic artists such as B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Etta James.

A time-honored Las Vegas tradition, the 39^th annual UNLVino will welcome wine, beer and spirit enthusiasts for four days of tasting events, April 18 to 21: Bubble-Licious at The Venetian, Sake Fever at The Mirage, The Grand Tasting at Paris Las Vegas, and BAR-b-q at the Keep Memory Alive Events Center at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. This year’s theme is “Fall in Love Again,” a concept inspired by internationally renowned artist Romero Britto’s Las Vegas-themed painting created exclusively for the event.