The Las Vegas Strip, arguably the most widely recognized stretch of land in the world, is currently home to 197 restaurants, 34 different styles of cuisine, and 21 Michelin stars divided amongst 16 establishments. Logistically, no where else in the world would one find such a concentration of culinary presence in such a relatively small area. Although many factors contributed to this phenomenon, including a conscious effort in the mid-1990s by the city to transform Las Vegas into a more family friendly destination, it was the fashionable new epicurean lifestyle that helped the town evolve into a gourmand’s utopia.
Spago Las Vegas: The Beginnings of a Culinary Zeitgeist
A trend was started amongst world renowned chefs when Wolfgang Puck opened Spago at Caesars Palace in 1992. Identical to the iconic Beverly Hills restaurant of the same name, Spago Las Vegas would set forth a precedent that many other restaurants would follow. Chefs were to establish an international presence and transform the Las Vegas strip into a culinary "Mecca" for Michelin starred eateries from around the world.
Initially a number of critics were skeptical as to if Las Vegas, then best known for gluttonous buffets and complementary breakfasts, was capable of harboring the culinary elite. It was felt the city’s predilection for being an assault on the senses might deter the type of guest that normally frequents establishments of such high caliber. But the success of Spago, and later Michael Mina and Bradley Ogden, allayed such argument. A new era of appreciation for luxury food had taken hold in America, and Las Vegas as well.
Las Vegas Establishes an International Identity
Las Vegas had been a tourist destination for some number of years, but the inclusion of ultra fine dining assisted in elevating its status in the international arena of travel. Prior to the opening of the Las Vegas outposts of Joël Robuchon and Guy Savoy, one would have had to travel to France in order to partake in the stellar forbearance the aforementioned restaurants offered. Las Vegas now provided an experience analogous in not only the menu and restaurant design, but in their particular savoir-faire as well. For when one leaves the environs of the casino floor and enters these establishments, the only detectable difference from their counterparts is the language spoken by the staff. The restaurants are appointed identically and just as exquisitely as the originals, and the food is prepared with the same finesse and precision that is found in their Paris locations.
During the period of time in which the majority of restaurants of this style were introduced, the city experienced a surge in international visitors. According to a report made available on April 12, 2010 from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas hosted 5.6 million international visitors in 2009, up from 2.1 million in 1999.
Although this increase cannot be attributed with any certainty to the world class cuisine the city began offering, statistically one could postulate that it is of high probability a large number of these guests frequented one of the 108 establishments considered fine dining during their stay. As well, an increase in the number of guests invariably indicates an increase in the amount of revenue generated by food sales, and in 2009 the average amount spent on food by a guest was $250.32 USD, up from $85 USD in 1992. Therefore, in a fiscal sense, this shows the increase in international tourism could be partially credited to the presence of these restaurants.
Las Vegas and Wine
There are currently 169 Master Sommeliers in the world, four of which are employed in hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. In addition, there are 112 certified sommeliers in the city, the highest concentration in the country. The Mandalay Bay Hotel, home to Charlie Palmer’s much lauded Aureole, employs two sommeliers with the Master distinction. Aureole is best known for its exceptionally innovative wine storage and retrieval system, which was designed by Adam T. Tihany and Master Sommelier Stephen Geddes.
It houses its 9,865 wines in a 42 foot high vertical rack comprised of glass and steel, and incorporates “wine angels” attired in black body suits who, after a request is received from a sommelier, enter the bottle’s code and are lifted via a mechanized cable system to its location for retrieval. The theatrics of this process are particularly fitting, not just for a city as boisterous as Las Vegas, but for a wine list that includes such prized selections as a Château d'Yquem 1924 and Lafite-Rothschild 1982.
A City of Reinvention
Las Vegas is a city that constantly reinvents itself. Hotels are razed then rebuilt in a varied theme, entertainment options are as diverse as the guests, and dining choices are as differing as the restaurants in which they are served.
As a guest of Las Vegas one expects to be afforded all the luxuries a city contingent on customer satisfaction offers, as well as to receive the highest standards of service in the delivery of those luxuries. Cuisine is no exception, as evidenced by the myriad of fine dining options made accessible to both the intrigued vacationer and well traveled gourmand. No where else in the world will one find a culinary epicenter such as the one found in Las Vegas, nor the international presence represented by its food.
Sources:
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Travelpulse.com
Michelin Guide Las Vegas 2009
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
Jkalal Assar - Jkalal Assar's work has appeared in "Food and Wine", "McGraw Hill Economics 36th Edition" and "Salon". He is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu ...
