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"Let's Be Frank" columns
The man who created Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and founded “The Food Network” is calling it “outrageous and unfair” And in the words of actor Peter Finch when he starred in “Network” with Faye Dunaway he’s “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.”
Robin Leach says that, “It’s hard to believe but totally true that in the newest list of
nominees in 52 different categories for the James Beard Foundation Awards not one Las Vegas celebrity chef or resort restaurant gets a tip of the toque for food!”
In fact the only nomination at all for anything on the Las Vegas Strip was the “Outstanding Wine Service” nomination to Steven Geddes at Aureole in Mandalay Bay and Robert Smith, the wine director of Picasso in the Bellagio.
“No disrespect,” continues Leach, “but the one and only chef and restaurant here that garnered any recognition whatsoever is Saipin Chutima at the off-Strip shopping mall Lotus of Siam Thai restaurant. The long overlooked nomination is very well deserved for the category labeled ‘best chef in the Southwest’ (NV, AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX and UT). Located in the non-descript Commercial Center on East Sahara many food critics simply proclaim it the ‘best Thai restaurant in the entire country.’”
Leach says that this baffling situation even comes after many Las Vegas-based chefs have
made a pilgrimage to the New York headquarters of the Beard Foundation at their own expense.
“They paid their own airfares and hotels, tickets for their kitchen staffs, plus the foods and
wines to present special dinners for which they are unpaid,” notes Leach. In fact, proceeds from ticket sales for those meals go to the coffers of the Beard House, a food organization that was racked with its own financial scandal a few years back.
The James Beard Foundation describes itself as the nation’s preeminent recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries with award for restaurants and chefs, cook books, food journalism, design and graphics and broadcast media. The glaring Las Vegas omissions and oversights can be scene on its website: jbfawards.com
“In the interest of fairness,” adds Leach, “ I will point out that some East Coast and West Coast ‘name’ chefs who have restaurants here that were recognized for their ‘outstanding
Talents’ ranging from best cookbook, to best TV show to best new restaurant -- but none of their Vegas-based operations garnered any praise whatsoever.
“Among the only names we recognize here: Jean-Georges Vongerichten from Prime at
the Bellagio and Mario Batali & Joseph Bastianich who run B&B, Enoteca at The Venetian and Carnevino at its new adjoining Palazzo, Wolfgang Puck who has six restaurants in town here and Tom Colicchio who is at MGM Grand.
“So where were our superstars: Michael Mina, Paul Bartolotta, Bradley Ogden, Martin Heirling, David Robins, Julian Serrano, Barry Dakake, Andre Rochat, Alex Stratta, Michael Jordan, Kerry Simon, Steve Martorano, let alone the big VIP names of Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Charlie Trotter, Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, Roland Levi, Nobu Matsuhisa and David Burke? I apologize if I’ve omitted any of my chef friends but the smoke is steaming out of my ears and I’m thumping my keyboard way too hard!
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