The James Beard House aims to educate, inspire, entertain and foster an appreciation of cuisine among members as well as the general public, while benefiting the non-profit James Beard Foundation. Once the home of James Beard, the James Beard House is today regarded as a culinary performance space.

This dinner, on June 1 will begin with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres and canapés, many of which are inspired by the chefs’ history of cooking together as well as other experiences that have shaped their culinary style.

Purdy and Alana have shaped a five-course menu reflective not only of Alizé’s innovative cuisine, but also of their own ingenuity. The menu for the June 1 dinner showcases the chefs’ adeptness at merging a range of ingredients, techniques and flavor profiles to create a brilliant progression of tastes, from light and clean to rich and dense. Gérard Bertrand Winery’s US Director, Mark Fine, developed the wine selections to complement each course. Selections were chosen for their texture, body and flavor.

The meal will begin with a light, crisp king crab salad with marinated summer melons, lychee fruit and yuzu vinaigrette, accompanied by Gérard Bertrand Gris Blanc Rosé 2011. From there, each course will become progressively richer, culminating in a fourth course that will showcase Purdys’ passion. His Rack of Lamb will include house-made spicy merguez sausage, apricot couscous, harissa lamb jus and basil oil. The highly limited-production, Château L’Hospitalet Reserve 2010, will offer a classic food and wine pairing to round out the rich explosion of flavors guests will experience in this course.

About reservations
Seating at the James Beard House dinner is limited; tickets will be available to the general public beginning May 1. Ticket and menu information are available online at jamesbeard.org. Reservations can be made by calling (212) 627-2308. The James Beard website’s event page for the dinner will have an OpenTable field for ticket purchases beginning May 1.

Kick off football season in the heart of the action at the best sports book and bar in Las Vegas 

WHAT:             

Lagasse’s Stadium® at The Palazzo Las Vegas® is bringing the excitement and anticipation of the annual football draft at Radio City Music Hall to the West Coast when they host a lively drafting party like no other on the Las Vegas Strip. On Thursday, April 26, Lagasse’s Stadium will be THE only place to be for fans to cheer on their favorite players and teams in a sports-viewing mecca.  Radio personality Mike O’Brian from 96.3 KKLZ will be broadcasting live on site from 4-6 p.m. before the first round coverage starts at 5 p.m.

Named “Best Sports Lounge” by Vegas Seven, “Best Sports Bar” by Las Vegas Review-Journal and one of the “Top Sports Bars in Las Vegas” by Yahoo! Sports, Lagasse’s Stadium is revered by those who love to eat, drink and watch football.  With more than 100 HD TVs including a 9 foot x 16 foot main TV, fans of the game never worry about missing the action. 

Throughout the action-packed draft weekend, fans wearing their favorite team jersey can enjoy $3 domestic draft beer specials.  For those die-hard fans who want to remember the momentous occasion, commemorative “I Got Drafted” t-shirts will be available for $10.

Chef Scott Pajak has also created a special Draft Day Menu inspired by a “New York State of Mind” theme including:

• All-beef hot dogs with three styles to choose from: chili cheese dog, Chicago dog, buffalo chicken dog - $6 each
• Pastrami on rye with pickle spear & fries- $12
• Manhattan clam chowder - $7
• Pulled pork sliders and fries - $11
• Beef and cheddar sliders and fries - $11

For dinner or Stadium seating reservations, please call Lagasse’s Stadium at 702.607.2665.

Lagasse’s Stadium combines celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s signature cuisine and kicked up eats for the sports fan. With an innovative take on tailgating, Lagasse’s Stadium features game day favorite menu items and free flowing brew.

WHEN:
Thursday, April 26 through Saturday, April 28
Coverage starts:
Thursday, April 26 (Round 1) 5 p.m. PST
Friday, April 27 (Rounds 2 and 3) 4 p.m. PST
Saturday, April 28(Rounds 4-7) 9 a.m. PST
 
WHERE:            �
Lagasse’s Stadium
The Palazzo Las Vegas
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S

New Contemporary Steakhouse to open mid-May

 

 Photo Credit: Erik Kabik/Retna Digital

Photos were released that give the first look inside Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas, the celebrated chef and television star’s first Las Vegas restaurant.  The images reveal the centerpiece of the 7,500 square foot, two-story restaurant: the Union Jack painted on the ceiling and the energy inducing neon sculpture that will hang directly below it.

Gordon Ramsay Steak, designed by EDG Interior Architecture + Design, will be a fresh, high-energy dining environment that playfully transports guests from Paris to London.  Set within the Paris Las Vegas resort, which is whimsically modeled after the “City of Lights,” the restaurant design will celebrate Chef Ramsay and the city of London, where he lives.  This innovative concept will reflect edgy, exciting and bold designs and will bridge the resort’s Parisian theme with Ramsay’s British heritage.

A large-scale, neon sculpture commissioned by EDG Interior Architecture + Design from Canadian artist Andrey Berezowdky of SWON Design will serve as the figurative heart of the room.  Representing the energy of Chef Ramsay and inspired by his hand movements while he cooks, the red piece of art will hang just below the enormous Union Jack that makes up the ceiling of the dining room.  The piece will be 12′ x 12′ x 4′; although, if laid flat, the hand-blown glass tubes would stretch more than 250 feet.  The piece took more than a month to create-one whole week consisted of only glass blowing-and was shipped from Montreal to Paris Las Vegas in numerous 10 foot sections; it took more than a day to assemble. 

Tickets on Sale Now

  

Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit announces a line-up of world-renowned chefs including Bruce Bromberg, Scott Conant, Jose Andres, Stephen Hopcraft, David Myers, Anthony Meidenbauer, Jason Smith, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger for the highly anticipated Celebrity Chef Poker Tournament May 11 starting at 10:30 p.m. Taking place at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, a first-year resort partner at the epicurean festival, the event presents a rare opportunity for players to enjoy a world-class poker tournament alongside everyone’s favorite celebrity chefs and culinary personalities from Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay in an incredible outdoor setting overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard.

“Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit is excited to co-host the Celebrity Chef Poker Tournament because it will provide guests an opportunity to get to know their favorite chefs outside of the kitchen,” said Adam Rapoport, Bon Appétit’s Editor in Chief. “This year’s Vegas Uncork’d is definitely going to be the most dynamic one yet, with tons of new programming, there is something for everyone. Make sure you get your tickets to the poker tournament soon-this event is sure to sell out fast!”

Tournament prizes consist of a first prize of $2,500, a second prize of $1,500 and a third prize of $1,000 All prize winnings will be donated to Communities In Schools, the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, and Vegas Roots Community Gardens, Las Vegas’ first public garden aimed to create social change through agriculture.

The late-night event will feature live performances by DJ Who and Paulo, flavorful dishes from STK, a unique menu of handrolls from Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill and specialty cocktails from David Myers’ 18A cocktail program at Comme Ça.

Space is limited for this exciting gaming event and tickets are available today for purchase at VegasUncorked.com. Player tickets are $200 per person and include a seat in the poker tournament. Spectator tickets are $85 per person.

David Burke is offering up some sumptuous cuisine for Easter - here are some of his options:

 

David Burke Townhouse

133 E. 61 Street (Lexington-Park) 

212.833.2121 / www.davidburketownhouse.com

Brunch: $65/person; dinner: $75/person

David Burke’s flagship restaurant is celebrating Easter with a three-course brunch featuring dishes such as “DBT Eggs Benedict” with chorizo, shoestring potatoes & hollandaise, roasted leg of lamb and steak & eggs with egg ravioli and charred ramps. Dinner offers other seasonal highlights, such as soft shell crab with lemon-olive oil crushed potatoes and creme fraiche panna cotta with spring berry salad. 

 

David Burke Kitchen

23 Grand Street (Sixth Avenue) 

212.201.9119 / www.davidburkekitchen.com 

Brunch: $42/person

Along with a Bloody Mary or mimosa, guests who come for brunch on Easter Sunday  can order a three-course prixe-fixe menu with options such as Burke’s signature pastrami salmon and spring lamb chops with spring vegetable ragu, pea & mint puree. Traditional hot cross buns are playfully reconstructed as a bread pudding, served with cinnamon raisin ice cream and dark chocolate sauce.

 Starkus now heads to nationals event in New York City

 

Photo Credit: Roni Fields

J.R. Starkus, lead bartender at Rick Moonen’s rm seafood located inside Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, took top honors last week after winning the local round of the first-ever Campari “Best Aperitivo” Cocktail Competition in conjunction with the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild (USBG).

The competition was open to all active members of the USBG, the leading non-profit network for professional bartenders, and was held at Southern Wine & Spirits Las Vegas. Twelve local bartenders were required to design one, original cocktail utilizing the legendary one-of-a-kind red spirit, Campari.

Starkus’ next step will be a trip to New York on Sunday, May 13, where he will go up against the 23 other USBG winners from across the United States during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. The judges include industry luminaries: USBG President David Nepove, The Modern Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, and aperitivo expert Jacques Bezuidenhout.  The USBG national winner will receive a trip to Beijing to compete in the 2012 International Cocktail Competition.

Executive Pastry Chef Kamel Guechida Creates Sweet Confections

 

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino presents a whimsical Easter display created with the exquisite attention to detail for which the Robuchon team is known. Designed by Executive Pastry Chef Kamel Guechida, the seasonal display showcases the spirit of Easter with chocolate bunnies, hens and eggs; sugar picnic baskets with colorful bows, flowers, shells and fish plus a variety of fondant bird cages filled with sweet surprises.

“Creating the Easter display at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is one of my favorite projects of the year,” said Chef Guechida. “Mr. Robuchon’s cuisine requires the precision of intricate details with each dish and I adapt that philosophy throughout all of my pastry creations. I love working on the small components of a dessert piece; from tiny sprinkles to painting chocolate. I aim to deliver the “wow” factor with something guests will only see at our restaurant in MGM Grand.”

The process of creating the Easter display was a labor of love. Guechida and his team of 10 spent more than 1,000 hours over six weeks discussing, sketching and testing dozens of ideas before finalizing the presentation of nearly 500 pieces. Over 110 pounds of milk, dark and white chocolate, 2,000 tablespoons of sugar and 50 containers of colored cocoa butter were used to create and decorate all of the beautiful items on display at the restaurant.

The Easter display will be available for viewing at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon through Monday, April 30.

For more information or to make reservations at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, call 702.891.1111 or visit www.mgmgrand.com

Chefs Susan Feniger and Kajsa Alger Offer a Weekend of Spectacular Special Menus to Celebrate Both Passover and Easter at STREET

WHO:
Chefs Susan Feniger and Kajsa Alger of STREET restaurant in Hollywood.
 
WHAT:
To celebrate a weekend of delicious spring holidays, STREET has diners covered by offering two special menus for both Passover and Easter. The Saturday Seder for the second night of Passover will be lead by Rabbi Eleanor Steinman from the congregation Kol Ami and STREET will offer a glass of wine for the blessings, a haggadah, and a traditional Seder Plate to accompany the meal. Easter brunch, held on Sunday, is all about the eggs, as the chefs have created an eggs-travagent menu featuring delicious egg dishes from around the world.

PASSOVER MENU:

Fava Bean Besara

Rosso Brunno Tomatoes and Minted Onion

Smoked Fish and Potato Bimueolos

Spicy Pepper Sauce and Pickled Cauliflower

Matzo Ball Soup

Warm Halloumi Salad

Grapefruit, Tangerine and Grilled Treviso

with Fresh Thyme Vinaigrette

Morroccan Lamb or Morrocan Vegetable Tagine

with Matzo Crepes or Jeweled Rice

Eggplant Hummus

Spiced Apple Cake

with Honey and Date Crumble

*Full wine list and cocktails will also be available.

EASTER MENU:       

Thai Deviled Crab and Asparagus Salad with Poached Egg

$15

Chicken and Waffle Scotch Eggs

$12

Fresh Berries, Rhubarb, and Mandarin Tangerines

with Ginger Crème Anglaise

$10

 

Spring Carrot Soufflé

with Goat Cheese, Bacon and English Peas

$12

Brioche Egg Bread Sliders

with Spicy Jamon Diablo and Homemade Pickles

$10

Russian Deli Plate

with Horseradish Spiked Egg Salad, Baby Beet Salad, Rye Toast, Salmon Caviar, Smoked Fish

$13

Spring Vegetable Egg Roll and Sesame Spinach Salad

$10

Linguine Carbonara

with Crawfish, Fresh Peas, and Spicy Andouille

$15

*Full wine list and cocktails will also be available.

WHEN:               �
Passover Celebration                        Easter Brunch
Saturday, April 7th                                  Sunday, April 8th
6:00 p.m.                                                      11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
 
RESERVATIONS:  �
Passover Celebration                              Easter Brunch
$55/person                                             Menu Prices
323.203.0500                                          323.203.0500
 

WHERE:
742 North Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA        �
www.eatatstreet.com/

 

About STREET:

Susan Feniger’s STREET is a dining destination dedicated to the diverse flavors of the global kitchen. Located in the heart of Hollywood, STREET’s modern space includes a large patio, a sexy fire pit and chef’s kitchen window seats that offers diners an inside peek. Imbibers can enjoy bottomless champagne cocktails brunches and bold cocktails during happy hour and at the bar, while non-alcoholic indulgences include specialty teas and refreshing coolers