{"id":6505,"date":"2014-05-14T12:36:02","date_gmt":"2014-05-14T16:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/?p=6505"},"modified":"2014-05-14T12:36:02","modified_gmt":"2014-05-14T16:36:02","slug":"vegasuncorkd-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/2014\/05\/14\/vegasuncorkd-2\/","title":{"rendered":"VegasUncork’d 2014: The Grand Tasting"},"content":{"rendered":"

VegasUncork’d 2014 was one of the most exciting and fun food festivals I’ve been to in a long while. \u00a0The weekend, by Bon Appetit and sponsored by Chase Sapphire Preferred, was filled with demonstrations, meet and greets, tastings and special events, like Pastry Making with Chef Francois Payard.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Part 1<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of this series I wrote about the event in general and about Sushi making with Chef Nobu. This is Part 2,\u00a0the grand tasting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The grand tasting was held at Caesar’s Palace Garden of the Gods Pool. \u00a0There were dozens and dozens of celebrity chefs in attendance including\u00a0Thomas Keller; Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay; Francois Payard; Michael Mina;\u00a0Giada De Laurentiis; Bobby Flay;\u00a0Buddy Valastro; and\u00a0Joel Robuchon just to name a few. \u00a0The grand tasting, and other events, allow every day people to mix and mingle with top chefs, journalists and celebrities while eating and drinking some of the best food and drinks in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chase card members were invited into a VIP Chase lounge where Chef Nobu, among others, hung out for hours apparently. \u00a0I was not at the 2013 event, but heard from others that this year’s Chase VIP lounge was leaps and bounds above the 2013 lounge. \u00a0I was impressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event was, to put it mildly, crowded. \u00a0Purchasing early admission for an extra price might be worth it if you want the best chance of seeing\u00a0the chefs and getting warm\/hot food. \u00a0Towards the end of the night the crowds thin, and so do the celebrity chefs, leaving their staff behind to tend with the\u00a0throngs of hungry party-goers<\/span><\/p>\n

There were so many good dishes, way too many to write about, but here were a few highlights. \u00a0There were\u00a0cocoa with miso foie gras macaroons\u00a0from Michael Mina and black truffle macaroons from Francois Payard. \u00a0Mini Burger on a doughnut from\u00a0Fukuburger and from KGB. \u00a0There was a carpaccio fritter from\u00a0Jean Georges, sticky toffee pudding from Gordon Ramsay, cake pops from Haakasan, \u00a0Meyer lemon tarts from Bobby Flay, cupcakes from Sprinkles, and much, much more!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n