WOLFGANG’S TWO NEW RESTAURANTS
For celebrity starchef Wolfgang Puck it’s been a very busy few days. His sixth fine dining restaurant here in Vegas, the critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant Cut from Beverly Hills, officially opens tonight at The Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas.
“I believe that we have some of the finest restaurants in the world in Las Vegas,” said Wolfgang Puck. “It’s wonderful to bring Cut to Vegas residents and visitors. We’re offering something new and exciting—our own version of the American steakhouse—modern, innovative food in a contemporary, energized environment.”
His new Springs Preserve Café also held its official grand opening celebration at the eco-friendly outdoor museum attraction. The 8,600 square foot facility is one of Wolf’s 13 catering operations around the country, serving nearly 100 different museums, clubs, libraries, institutes and attractions. This new outpost showcases organic ingredients from local artisan producers and growers and complements the Preserve’s commitment to sustainable living with both indoor and outdoor dining available, plus a birds-eye panoramic view to the Preserve’s amphitheater and the skyline of Vegas—from the Stratosphere to the North and the Mandalay Bay resort to the south. My chef friends, Peter Sherlock and Erin Foughey are in charge of the catering division’s operations there.
They will also be providing the 24-hour room service café at the new Cosmopolitan condo-tel on the Strip alongside City Center when it opens next year. Wolf’s café is the first eco-friendly quick service eatery to open in Vegas, and the menu, which incorporates Wolf’s health-oriented culinary philosophy, is all about his WELL program—Wolfgang’s Eat Love Live. His gold-standard rule means caged and crate free animals, certified organic produce and local within 200-miles of the Preserve, free-range products, natural and all natural foods and sustainable farmed seafood that doesn’t jeopardize the affected ecosystem.
Wolf’s Cut restaurant in Beverly Hills grabbed instant praise from prestigious food critics nationwide, and less than sixth months after opening won “Restaurant of the Year” from Esquire magazine, was nominated for “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation, and last August Bon Appétit magazine named Cut one of the top three steakhouses in the nation. Vegas’ own chef Matthew Hurley will serve as the executive chef of the new Cut here after a 12-year career with Wolf’s Fine Dining Group starting as a prep cook at Spago in Caesars Palace training under Managing Partner, & Corporate Chef David Robins. Most recently Matt was Corporate Catering Chef for the Las Vegas-based Private Dining & Catering arm of Puck’s company, a multi-million dollar division catering intimate affairs and glittering galas.
His menu offers a contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse. From USDA Prime Nebraska corn-fed, 35-day dry-aged steaks to Japanese 100% Wagyu Beef from the Kagoshima Prefecture, Cut caters to true steak connoisseurs. Guests can enjoy a wide array of signature entrees including the Kobe beef short ribs “Indian spiced,” slowly cooked for eight hours served with curried cauliflower puree; Colorado lamb chops with cucumber-mint raita; and the wild French turbot “French Riviera style” for two. To accompany the entrees, the chef has prepared a large selection of house-made sauces, including Cut’s signature Argentinean chimichurri, as well as delectable side dishes such as Cut’s popular creamed spinach with fried organic egg and the soft polenta with parmesan. The menu also integrates Wolf’s philosophy—Wolfgang’s Eat, Love, Live!—utilizing only the freshest, all-natural, organic and humanely treated ingredients possible to produce a seasonal menu filled with imaginative tastes. Vegas Beverage Director Tim Wilson has crafted an extensive international wine list of more than 500 selections focusing mainly on wines from the United States, France, Italy, Spain and Australia. For the design of Cut, Puck retained Vegas-based Avery Brooks & Associates to create the 160-seat restaurant and 60-seat bar and lounge, providing a modern aesthetic to the traditional steakhouse.
The lounge and restaurant walls are adorned with a group of 12 paintings by Los Angeles-based artist John Millei. Tonight, Wolf and Palazzo president, Rob Goldstein will officially open the new Cut and host a reception for the artist to unveil his Maritime Paintings.
“We’re extremely excited to bring Cut to Las Vegas at the magnificent The Palazzo resort,” said Tom Kaplan, senior managing partner of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group.
“We’re continually looking for ways to deliver new, innovative dining experiences that further shape the restaurant scene in Las Vegas. With its smart, sophisticated design, hip and contemporary bar and modernized steakhouse menu, Cut is the perfect match for the energy of the city.”