The Sumptuous Nightlife of 2010 Vegas Uncork’d

Vegas Uncork’d isn’t all food tasting and cooking demos – there’s also the type of high-quality nightlife that only Las Vegas can provide.  Such was the case at Saturday night’s Fashion Feast Gala at the Bellagio.

The gala’s opening cocktail hour was catered by Todd English (who mentioned that when not eating caviar straight out of the tin, he enjoys kicking back with a Pabst Blue Ribbon – you heard it here first!).  Immediately in front of the main entry, Mr. English was personally serving oysters two ways: crispy with a tomato and truffled potatoes, or paired with caviar and crème fraîche.  There were also passed canapes, cocktails, and champagne to hold diners over until dinner.

The event was sponsored by luxury clothier Fendi, making a prominent display throughout the room – from the evening wear shown off by models, to the catwalk down the main dining room, to the light fixtures, to Cat Cora’s wardrobe for the evening.  The crowd was well dressed too, with tuxedos and evening gowns around the room.

The feast itself was an exclusive event that, sadly, I was unable to attend, but with chefs from every Bellagio fine dining establishment in collaboration on the main meal, I’m sure the food was spectacular.  Bellagio Executive Chef Edmund Wong commented that preparations had been well underway a day and a half before the event began.

Later on in the evening, it was time for Crushed: Wine that Rocks, an after-hours event at the Palazzo Hotel pool area.  Guests enjoyed the casual, mellow atmosphere while sampling salumi and cheeses from Zach Allen at CarneVino, as well as burgers and fried from First Food and Bar.

Joe Bastianich was the host for Crushed. The theme of the event was wine paired with music, and Bastianich, passionate about the concept, explained his choice of band – Six Foot Nurse, the “world’s best Led Zepplin cover band” – and the wines complementing the music selection.

Despite strong winds, guests’ spirits weren’t dampened in the least by gusts that threatened to send wine glasses flying from servers’ tables.  The party went well into the night, and marked a spectacular 2010 Vegas Uncork’d final bash.  We can’t wait until next year!

You can check out all my pics of the 2010 Vegas Uncork’d event weekend on Flickr. Can’t get enough Vegas Uncork’d coverage? Head over to Food Wishes, Average Betty, Eating Las Vegas, and Food Fashionista for more from the great Sin City event.

~Jim Rennie