Culinary Luminaries Toast To The Beginning Of Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appétit With A Burst Of Champagne At The Saber Off

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More than 15 iconic chefs including Frank Pellegrino Jr., Greg Sherry, Guy Savoy, Lorena Garcia, Rick Moonen, Scott Conant and Shawn McClain joined in the festivities to kick off the weekend of fine wine, refreshing cocktails and exquisite meals at Caesars Palace, The Cromwell, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International's The Park, The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas. And along with Pamela Drucker Mann, Chief Marketing Officer of Condé Nast, Craig Kostelic, Chief Business Officer of Food Innovation Group, Valarie Segarra, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and Michael Severino, Senior Director of Marketing and Special Events at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits of Nevada, Adam Rapoport, Editor in Chief of Bon Appétit, raised a toast, welcoming the crowd and thanking the chefs for their continued support of Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appétit.

Recognized as one of the country's top food, wine and spirits festivals, the four-day event features some of the world's greatest culinary talent including returning favorites Alain Ducasse, Bobby Flay, Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro, Giada De Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, José Andrés, Julian Serrano, Michael Mina, Nobu Matsuhisa, Tom Colicchio, Charlie Palmer and Wolfgang Puck to name a few. New this year, guests can enjoy a Picnic in The Park at MGM Resorts International's newest outdoor dining and entertainment district, and go on a mixology journey with Mariena Mercer at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. To sample a bit of everything, guests can still purchase tickets to perennial favorite The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace and indulge in Sweet Escape: An Evening of Buddy, Beignets, Bonbons & Booze on The Palazzo Pool Deck.

Additionally, Chase Sapphire returned for the fifth consecutive year as a presenting sponsor of Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appétit. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® and Sapphire Reserve^SM cardmembers will enjoy unique access to select experiences and interaction with celebrity chefs throughout the four-day festival.

Events with limited tickets still available include:

• #FoodPorn Cooking Demo & Luncheon with the Too Hot Tamales (Forum Shops at Caesars Palace), Friday, April 28: Bring your camera phone and appetite, as you get up close and personal at a fun-filled live cooking demonstration featuring chef duo, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. Prepare to laugh, taste and sip as the Too Hot Tamales fix a feast for the eyes and shake up creative cocktails. Guests will not only learn the dynamic duo's innovative recipes and cooking techniques but also get the lowdown on how to shoot epic food porn photos with expert tips and tricks from Bon Appétit magazine's social media gurus. Meet the chefs, enjoy a multi-course lunch with specialty cocktails, a takeaway recipe booklet and a chance to purchase personalized cookbooks following the event.
  
  
• Lunch like a Spaniard with José Andrés at Jaleo (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas), Friday, April 28: Experience a taste of Spain with internationally acclaimed culinary pioneer and innovator, Chef José Andrés. Join José as he prepares lágrima paella over their renowned live fire pit in a dish-and-tell session, and shares his favorite stories behind the unique restaurant's menu items, like José's Taco, a slice of jamón ibérico de bellota topped with osetra caviar and gold flakes; Coca con Erizas del Mar, crusty Spanish cristal bread topped with sea urchin, ibérico bacon and butter; their renowned Gin and Tonic program, and more.
  
  
• Picnic in The Park with Alain Ducasse, Charlie Palmer, Michael Mina, Julian Serrano, Tom Colicchio, Shawn McClain, Rick Moonen, Roy Ellamar, Akira Back, Bryce Shuman, David Werly & More (The Park, located between Monte Carlo and New York-New York), Saturday, April 29: Enjoy a Picnic in The Park Vegas style! Featuring live music and some of MGM Resorts' most notable chefs including Alain Ducasse, Charlie Palmer, Michael Mina, Julian Serrano, Tom Colicchio, Shawn McClain, Rick Moonen, Roy Ellamar, Akira Back, Bryce Shuman and David Werly, Picnic in The Park will offer creative twists on classic picnic dishes, Edible Gardens and champagne provided by Veuve Clicquot. We encourage you to embrace your inner-child with a variety of social games including giant Jenga, cornhole and croquet. And don't forget to take a selfie in front of Bliss Dance, a 40-foot-tall sculpture by artist Marco Cochrane and a focal point of The Park experience, or swing by the vintage VW Bus, which has been transformed into a photo booth for the occasion. Located on the Las Vegas Strip between Monte Carlo and New York-New York, this new outdoor dining, and entertainment district will provide an ideal backdrop for you to enjoy a fun, interactive afternoon picnicking with celebrated chefs.
  EARLY ACCESS: Gain early admission to the event with an Early Access ticket. A limited number of tickets are available to deliver the undivided attention of experts on site, an exclusive signature cocktail available only to early access guests, and an opportunity to interact with the chefs in a more intimate setting.
  
  
• Sweet Escape: An Evening of Buddy, Beignets, Bonbons & Booze (The Palazzo), Saturday, April 29: Everyone's favorite baker and TV personality Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro will host a decadent evening to surrender to the sweet side of life, featuring a number of world-renowned chefs of The Venetian and The Palazzo, each preparing a unique take on beignets or bonbons. The poolside reception will include specialty cocktails, a live performance from the electrifying trio Simply Three, and a special appearance by Chef Lorena Garcia of Chica, set to open on Mother's Day, May 14, 2017 in Restaurant Row at The Venetian.
  
  
• The Ultimate Big Cake & Craft Cocktail After-Party with Buddy Valastro (The Venetian), Saturday, April 29: Celebrate the evening with an official after-party at the latest Las Vegas hotspot, The Dorsey, with a colossal cake baked by the Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro. The Dorsey is a high design, memorable spot for the worldly, curious and engaged featuring a hand crafted cocktail menu.

About Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit is where food and culture meet. The award-winning No. 1 food lifestyle brand covers food through the lens of cooking, fashion, travel, technology, design, and home. Under editor in chief Adam Rapoport, the brand has been named AdAge Magazine of the Year in 2015, and has been nominated for 22 National Magazine Awards, including wins in 2014 for General Excellence and Photography. In 2015 Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Pamela Drucker Mann was named AdAge Publishing Executive of the year, the magazine was also named A-List Magazine of the Year in 2013 and "One to Watch" in 2014, and has been Adweek's Food Magazine of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

About the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. Download the virtual reality app, Vegas VR, to experience Las Vegas from your iPhone or Android by visiting http://www.vrtv.vegas/. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.visitlasvegas.com.  

About Chase Sapphire
Chase Sapphire Preferred^® and Sapphire Reserve^SM are premier rewards credit cards for people who are passionate about travel and dining. With Sapphire Preferred^® and Sapphire Reserve, you can enjoy premium travel rewards and benefits, such as 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants with Sapphire Preferred and 3X points on travel and dining at restaurants with Sapphire Reserve, worldwide; points that are worth more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®; 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs; 24/7 direct access to a Chase Sapphire customer service specialist; access to unique events and experiences, and more.  Learn more at chase.com/Sapphire and chase.com/SapphireReserve.

The names and brands mentioned above are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACTS:
Frederika Brookfield: Bon Appétit, 212.209.4415 [email protected] 
Erin McCleskey: R&R Partners, 702.228.0222 [email protected]  
Kate Whiteley: Kirvin Doak Communications, 702.737.3100 [email protected]

SOURCE Food Innovation Group