However, some of the better chefs seem to ask the question as if trying to elicit a bit more magic from a great dish, or an insight into what it is they do and how others perceive it. Las Vegas has quite a few very talented people cooking food in its kitchens and restaurants and you can be sure that if you can a chance to ask a question they’ll ask you a bit about how you thought the food came out.
Kerry Simon – KGB Burgers at Harrah’s Las Vegas
Jerry Simon doesn’t just do burgers, he does plenty of things well, but at KGB he is bringing his trademark edge to the world of the beef between two buns. His simple questions, “how’s the bun?” and “what do you think about the beef?” say so much about how he constructs his food. Research combined with someone who really cares about the end product mesh well with an atmosphere that makes me want to hum along to a Judas Priest song while sipping a vodka cocktail. It’s that kind of a place where I’d feel comfortable if I still had my 80’s mullet or my current day overpriced jeans and designer t-shirt.
Noe Alcala – Hussong’s Cantina at Mandalay Place
I love a great story and I always enjoy listening to the road that takes some chefs into the kitchen. Noe Alcala is that relaxed guy who explains his time in the family kitchen as he examines your face as you taste his food. He speaks of small towns in Mexico and elderly women cooking food from memory in such a way that I want to do an apprenticeship with strangers speaking a foreign tongue and introducing me to fabulous flavors. His food comes across as authentic and true, with very little pretense and a foot in another world while delivering it to the world of the Las Vegas clientele.
Joel Robuchon – L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand Las Vegas
Chef Joel Robuchon jokes as we discuss some failed experiments in the kitchen, but he retorts that cooking is "...the only thing I know how to do, so what else am I going to do?" I laugh, he chuckles. I start to ask another question when Robuchon begins to rummage through his pockets. Obviously distracted, he pulls out his phone. Is he going to make a call in the middle of our conversation, I wonder? I pause, but he wants me to continue talking. As I finish my question, he lifts the phone to my face to show me a dish he has been working on. His passion for food is the reason you’ll eat at L’Atelier and your own passion will have you returning.
Jet Tila – Wazuzu at Encore Las Vegas
If there is a guy you’d want to walk around a kitchen with it would have to be Chef Jet Tila. Taste his food and you realize that he not only holds true to some traditions but he seems intent on making you rediscover some of those dishes that you long ago decided on dispatching to some other place in your culinary experiences. It’s comfort food for anyone who grew up in Los Angeles and it’s an introduction to a segment of a new Americana in cuisine and culture. Blur the lines, open the doors and realize that what might seem obvious can clearly be surprisingly new and exciting. Do I like the food? Can you tell?
Julian Serrano – Julian Serrano at Aria Resort Las Vegas
I’m positive I’m related to Julian Serrano, because his cool demeanor is what I would love to emulate, his passion for Spanish food is infectious and the thought of being able to surround myself with so much Spanish wine has me working on my Spanish accent. Small plates that explode with flavor, Paella that is soothing and a dining room that commits me to a long conversation about Rioja or Sangria is what Julian Serrano is all about.
