Las Vegas Hosts First Restaurant Week

(PRESS RELEASE) - LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas is universally recognized as one of the most exciting destinations for gourmet dining in the world.

Today, celebrity chefs and master sommeliers from across the globe have a presence in the planet's most exhilarating city. Many of the most exceptional of these culinary stars, including Tom Colicchio, Michael Mina,

Bradley Ogden, Wolfgang Puck and Carla Pellegrino, will come together for the first time for Las Vegas Restaurant Week Sept. 2 - 8.

Unlike any other city in the world, Las Vegas offers visitors rare, one-of-a-kind experiences. Restaurant Week will be no exception with celebrity chefs on hand to make the weeklong event a great success. Tom

Colicchio will conduct a wine-pairing dinner at Craftsteak Sept. 4, for example, and Michael Mina will host a Michael Mina Cookbook Dinner at NOBHILL Sept. 5. Both will take place at MGM Grand.

Francisco and Chicago, diners are given a unique opportunity to enjoy world- class cuisine at a very special price with participating Las Vegas restaurants offering three-course menus for just $50.07 per person. A

portion of the price will assist Las Vegas-based Three Square, a non-profit organization created to end hunger within the city by serving an average of 3,000 meals a week to the elderly and those in need.

"Restaurant Week is a wonderful opportunity to offer the experience of our city's restaurants at a great value while working with a wonderful organization - Three Square - to help alleviate hunger in our community," said David McIntyre, vice president of food and beverage at MGM Grand and co- creator of Restaurant Week in Las Vegas. "We are confident the seeds of our efforts will grow much larger in the years to come."

Michael Mina said, "I am very grateful to be a part of the first

Restaurant Week in Las Vegas and hope the local community as well as our visiting guests will enjoy the special menus and events to benefit this great cause."

"We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to participate in Las

Vegas' first ever restaurant week," said Chef Bradley Ogden whose namesake restaurant at Caesars Palace is the only eatery in Las Vegas to win the coveted Best New Restaurant of the Year award from the James Beard Foundation. "Over the past five years Las Vegas has exploded onto the culinary scene and now features some of the finest chefs from around the world. Las Vegas Restaurant Week is a great way to showcase this talent to the entire city."

Other participating restaurants and resorts include Aureole and Fleur de Lys (Mandalay Bay); Todd English's Olives, Shintaro and Circo (Bellagio); Bradley Ogden, Rao's and Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill (Caesars Palace); STACK and Onda (The Mirage); Fusia and Steakhouse (Luxor); Garden Grill and the Steakhouse (Circus Circus); Nine Steakhouse and Nove Italiano (The Palms); Isla and Social House (Treasure Island); Orchid and Valentino (Venetian); Maggiano's (Fashion Show) and T-Bones (Red Rock), along with such independent restaurants as Vintner Grill and Rosemary's Restaurant.