Don’t cry for him, Las Vegas; for Eric Klein has gone on to what some might argue is a better place – Los Angeles.  There, the man who’s helmed the kitchen and created the menus at Spago Las Vegas, for the past decade (ever since David Robins traded-in his toque for a tie, to become Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group’s Managing Partner, Operations & Corporate Chef – Las Vegas), will assume his new corporate gig, as Corporate Executive Chef of Wolfgang Puck Catering – overseeing the food prepared by our nation's premiere catering company, at swellegant affairs and posh happenings, in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington D.C.   And Las Vegas' grooviest gastronomes gathered to wish him well, while raising some money for a favorite cause, at the fourth annual SIP & SAVOR.

A benefit for Keep Memory Alive, SIP & SAVOR is an annual foodie fundraiser that brings together the culinary teams from each of Wolfgang Puck’s six Las Vegas restaurants – Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars), Cucina by Wolfgang Puck (The Shops at Crystals), LUPO (Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino), Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (MGM Grand Las Vegas), Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (Downtown Summerlin), and CUT (Palazzo Las Vegas) – as well as the team from Wolfgang Puck Pastry; and artfully arranges each group’s stations around Spago’s various dining rooms, interspersed with stations from a number of Puck’s favorite wineries.

I love this event, and not just because I’ve been curating the music, since its inception; nor because it's pretty cool to look up and see Wolfgang Puck carving a small cow's worth of Wagyu beef (though to my mind, both are pretty compelling arguements).  There’s are any number of reasons why, after nearly a quarter of a century, Spago still ranks as one of Las Vegas’ premier dining establishments – even in the face of a seemingly never ending parade of the latest restaurant openings and rebrands – the food, the service, the ambiance, the way they treat their regulars (like family, sure; but like family you actually enjoy spending time with).  Now, just imagine what you get when they’ve pulled-out all of the proverbial stops, both to raise money for a longtime philanthropic partner, and to fête one of their own.  It’s pretty cray.

Needless to say, SIP & SAVOR was a blast, as per usual.  And to get an idea of the sheer scale of the evening’s culinary offerings, I’ve listed what each of the chefs offered, at their respective stations, below.  It’s was no joke.  Then again, to Puck, Robins, Klein, et al., food is no joking matter.  Rather, it’s one meant to be savored.

SIP & SAVOR | A signature Wolfgang Puck experience
Spago Las Vegas | The Forum Shops at Caesars
Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#SipAndSavor4

SPAGO – Forum Shops at Caesars
Executive Chef Eric Klein

 Caviar and Accompaniments

Calvisius Caviar
House Smoked Salmon & Sturgeon
New Potatoes Wrapped in Gold Foil
Classic “Jewish” Pizza
Lemon Chive Blini
Accompaniments: Chives, Red Onions, Sour Cream, Egg Yolk, Egg White, Capers

****

CUCINA BY WOLFGANG PUCK – The Shops at Crystals
Chef Matt Andrews

Charcuterie and Antipasto

Sliced Cured Italian Meats with Moustarda
Pork and Duck Rillettes
Wood Oven Roasted Porchetta with Salsa Verde
Heirloom Tomatoes with Tuscan Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Celery, Radishes, and Olive Oil
Grilled Squash and Zucchini with Garlic and Oregano
Pickled Eggplant Caponata
Tuscan-style White Beans
Marinated Baby Artichokes
Stuffed Tuscan Sweet Peppers
Marinated Calabrian Chilies
Mixed Sicilian Olives with Citrus and Chili
Insalata Mista with Escarole, Chicory, Endive, and Bagna Cauda
Assorted Artisanal Breads

****
LUPO – Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Executive Chef Michael Tiva

PASTA!  Filled, Handmade, and Extruded

Buratta Ravioli with San Marzano Tomato, Basil, and Garlic (cooked to order)
Casserecce “Cacio e Pepe” with Pecorino Cheese, and Black Pepper (cooked to order)

****

WOLFGANG PUCK BAR & GRILL – MGM Grand Las Vegas
Executive Chef Dustin Lewandowski 

Bar Food and Beer

Truffled Potato Chips with Maytag Blue Cheese Sauce
Big-Eye Tuna Tartare with Avocado, Spicy Mayo, and Sesame Wonton
Crisp Chicken Wing “Lollipops” with Fresh Lime, Fresno Chiles, Scallions, and Cilantro
Mesquite Grilled Steak Skewers with Creamy Slaw and House Steak Sauce
Maryland Blue Crab Cakes with Basil Pesto Aioli and Tomato Relish
Grilled Jidori Chicken Skewers, with Yuzu-Kosho Aioli and Japanese Cucumbers
Prime Beef Sliders on Brioche Bun with Sweet Pickles

****

WOLFGANG PUCK BAR & GRILL – Downtown Summerlin
Executive Chef Spencer Rudow

Seafood and Shellfish

Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette
Seafood and Shellfish Paella with Spanish Saffron

****

CUT – Palazzo Las Vegas
Executive Chef Matt Hurley

BEEF!  Dry-aged, American and Japanese

Bistecca with Cavatappi Pasta Mac & Cheese and Housemade Steak Sauce (carved to order)
Japanese Wagyu New York with Japanese Shishito Peppers and Yuzu Kosho

****

WOLFGANG PUCK PASTRY
Executive Pastry Chef Kamel Guechida

Sweets and Petits Fours

Lemon Poppy Seed Meringue Lollipop
Raspberry-Filled Pancake Pops with Lychee White Opalys Chocolate Sauce
Peanut Butter Bar Mousse
Guanaja Chocolate Cremeux with Passion Fruit Gelee and Feuillantine Chocolate Crunch
Banofee Parfait with Caramelized Banana and Toffee Sauce
Tiramisu with Expresso Soaked Chiffon and Mascarpone Cream
Chocolate Bonbons (assorted)
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mini WP Chocolate Bar
Mini Brownie Bites