On June 4, the inimitable chef Alain Ducasse will bring together two of his renowned chefs, Jean-Philippe Blondet of London and Winnie Wong of Las Vegas, for an innovative four-hand dinner at Rivea before The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards.
Chef Alain Ducasse at his restaurant Rivea at Delano Las Vegas; PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
As one of the most Michelin-recognized chefs in the world—with an impressive total of 21 stars over his illustrious career—Alain Ducasse is no stranger to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. This year, the prestigious award ceremony is taking place in the U.S. for only the second time ever and for the first time in Las Vegas, a vibrant food-focused city with arguably one of the highest concentrations of culinary talent globally. “Las Vegas is already on the map of the culinary scene, but the fact that The 50 Best chose to hold their ceremony here is really putting an extra light on the destination as one of the top culinary [destinations] in the world,” shares Ducasse, who was among the first non-American chefs to open a restaurant in Las Vegas 20 years ago. “It’s very well deserved.”
Ahead of the awards, on Tuesday, June 4, Ducasse has orchestrated a special collaboration dinner between two of his chefs: Jean-Philippe Blondet of the three-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London and Winnie Wong, executive chef of Rivea at Delano Las Vegas. Attendees are in for a treat as the dynamic duo will combine their individual culinary styles and techniques during the innovative six-course dinner and wine pairing, with Ducasse as the star guest of the evening. The meal will be a unique mashup of flavors and presentations from both restaurants: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester boasts French contemporary haute cuisine presented with a twist, and Rivea’s menu features French- and Italian-focused dishes inspired by the food markets of Provence and Italy.
Rivea dining room; PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
“We are going to bring a bit of London to Las Vegas,” shares chef Blondet, who is particularly excited to showcase fusion and synergy with the Rivea team. “It is good to have this collaboration between all the chefs and to have all these personalities together. The goal is, of course, to deliver something unique for the guests but also for us to have fun with each other.”
Chef Ducasse shares in Blondet’s enthusiasm: “It will be a nice, unique menu delivering contemporary French cuisine with two different twists. It’s the first time we are doing such a collaboration here in Vegas.” The evening’s special menu will present six courses, including hand-dived sea scallop with Kristal caviar—a signature dish from Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester—followed by Australian black truffle risotto and seared fillet of turbot with artichoke and shiso, and concluding on a sweet note with a chocolate creation from Ducasse’s famed chocolate shop Manufacture.
Ducasse says the primary focus of this special evening will be on the personalized work of the two powerhouse chefs, Blondet and Wong. “It will be, first and foremost, the [collaboration] of two of my mentees who have been working with me for a long time, are great professionals and will be delivering their own specific vision of their cuisines,” he says. “Even though they’re both members of the Ducasse family and have trained [with me], they will be delivering their own specific personal vision of contemporary French cuisine.”
A dish from Rivea, similar to what will be prepared during the special four-hand dinner on June 4; PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
While the meal is undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, the restaurant itself can’t be overlooked. Rivea is perched 64 floors above the Strip at Delano Las Vegas, with stunning, expansive views matching its masterful dishes. The adjacent Skyfall Lounge, which will host a Champagne reception before the dinner, is also part of Ducasse’s brand, with a cocktail program that gorgeously complements the Rivea menu. “What was very special when I [first visited] Rivea is that the venue by itself is a big wow factor,” Blondet shares. Ducasse agrees: “The view is magic,” he enthuses. “It’s probably one of the best places in Las Vegas that has everything to seduce our [guests], who will hopefully come back after this four-hand dinner.” In an interesting link, the design of both Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and Rivea was handled by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku of Jouin Manku Architecture—although the restaurants feature interior design elements that are uniquely their own.
Sparkling city views from Rivea's 64th-floor perch at Delano Las Vegas; PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
Rivea certainly fits right in among Las Vegas’ remarkable culinary landscape, and the four-hand dinner on June 4 marks the city’s constant gastronomic evolution and well-deserved status on a global scale. “Las Vegas is probably the [one] place in the world where you have the highest concentration of talented chefs, Michelin-starred chefs, renowned chefs, etc. So it’s very, very exciting,” Ducasse shares. “And, of course, it’s a place of competition, but of good competition, with colleagues and friends. … I’m amazed by this concentration of creativity.”
The four-hand dinner will begin with a Champagne reception at 7 p.m. at Skyfall Lounge, followed by a seated dinner at 8 p.m. at Rivea. The experience is $295, plus tax and gratuity. Make a reservation through the booking link.
Photography by: COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
