If you were in Vegas from December 5-7 and weren’t at Ultimo at The Venetian, then you should be ashamed of yourself for missing out on an extremely appetizing, celebrity chef-filled event. The weekend brought together chefs Daniel Boulud, Emeril Lagasse, and Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro for a very special dining experience.
Welcoming nearly 200 guests, Ultimo kicked off with a Grand Banquet prepared by chefs Boulud and Lagasse that ended with a 10-story cake from the “Cake Boss.” During the evening’s live auction which benefited the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Robin Leach (with his well-known voice) acted as the evening’s emcee. Sisaundra Lewis (season six contestant of NBC’s The Voice), world-renowned pianist Danny Wright (Billboard Magazine’s Top 10 artist) and Venetian headliners Human Nature also performed for guests throughout the night.
Starting off Saturday morning with a French brunch hosted by Chef Boulud, attendees were treated to French-American classics and Champagne at his new restaurant db Brasserie. Afterwards, the festivities continued with a race car experience at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Exotic Racing, a private baking class from the Cake Boss himself and an afternoon at the Canyon Ranch Spa Club.
Finishing out the day was an intimate Dine Around experience where diners were able to try The Venetian’s collection of gourmet restaurants while seated in the Palazzo Waterfall Atriums & Gardens. Of the sampled dishes, chef Valastro’s lasagna and Bouchon’s braised short ribs were high on guest’s favorite’s list. At the exclusive after party inside The Venetian’s high-roller Paiza Club at the Richard Hennessy lounge, attendees listened to a presentation from a Hennessy expert on the history of Cognac while sipping on the cocktails and liquor-infused desserts.
As the three-day affair came to a close, chef Lagasse hosted a Truffle Farewell brunch at his award-winning Delmonico Steakhouse and brought in over 25 lbs. of the delicacy and paired them with farm fresh eggs and premium beef. Organized by Sebastien Silvestri, The Venetian’s F&B VP, the successful event was thanks to a team of 70 chefs, 20 planners, 80 servers and sommeliers, and six global winemakers.
