From Casino Town to a World-Class Culinary Destination

"This used to be a place for gamblers. Their goal was to spend money, so food was secondary. I think they mostly went to all-you-can-eat buffets. People still go to buffets, but in the last 10 years or so, the options beyond that have exploded."

"The shift in American tastes has also been significant. It used to be unthinkable to travel just for good food. Now, people come to Vegas solely to eat. They plan their dining itinerary before they even leave, deciding which restaurant for the first night, which for the next. Of course, they don't forget to gamble between meals (laughs)."


The buffets mentioned here refer to all-you-can-eat restaurants. The concept is said to have originated in the early 1940s when the owner of "El Rancho Vegas," a hotel on the main street known as "The Strip," offered a late-night dining service (all-you-can-eat for $1) to keep casino patrons within the hotel. The idea of offering elaborate dishes at a low price proved popular, and other hotels soon followed suit.

To maximize time and money spent on casinos (or shows and strip clubs), spending on food was kept to a minimum. Buffets, reflecting a preference for efficiency, were a long-standing staple for Vegas visitors. This dynamic began to shift in the early 21st century. World-renowned chefs and master sommeliers started opening restaurants within the major hotels lining The Strip.

"You can find almost anything delicious in Vegas. Whether you suddenly crave pizza at 4 AM or fresh sashimi directly from the Tsukiji fish market, it's no trouble for Vegas. And the quality, while perhaps not quite on par with New York or San Francisco, is getting very close."

Underscoring his words, "Bon Appétit" recently ranked Vegas as the fifth best culinary city in the U.S. "There's no other place in the world with such a concentration of restaurants by famous chefs. And new places are still opening every month. I felt there was something we, as an American gourmet magazine, could do in this evolving city, so nine years ago, we partnered with the tourism board to launch 'Vegas Uncork'd' (hereafter, Uncork'd)."

Uncork'd is a four-day culinary festival held annually from April to May. During the event, over 20 themed events are offered. What's unique is that "Bon Appétit" editors are involved in all of them. They decide which chefs to invite, what themes to create, and where to hold the events. Just like creating pages for a magazine, they meticulously craft content from scratch with innovative approaches to entertain attendees.



"The hallmark of this festival is the opportunity to casually interact with famous chefs. If Guy Savoy is right in front of you, you can even take a photo together. Pierre Gagnaire, Bobby Flay, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Masaharu Morimoto... These chefs, who travel the world year-round, all gather in Vegas during Uncork'd. It's also characteristic of Uncork'd to see these elegant chefs, usually in their white coats, enjoying themselves in a festive mood. That's the magic of Vegas (laughs)."

※Vegas Food Revolution: In the past, major hotels with casinos provided exclusive "gourmet rooms" for high rollers (those who gamble large sums of money) to dine away from the casino's hustle and bustle. In the late 1990s, wealthy patrons using high-end restaurants began expressing dissatisfaction with this exclusive treatment, prompting hotels to invite renowned chefs from around the world to open restaurants on their premises.

Vegas: A Microcosm of America

The Ultimate Festival for Both Chefs and Guests

"Vegas is my second home. It's like a culinary reunion here, so how could it not be fun? (laughs) And the themes that the Bon Appétit editors come up with each time are unique. There are lively, casual events like eating plenty of tequila and tacos, and more formal ones like enjoying champagne pairings with a full course by Guy Savoy. So, attendees can choose based on their mood for the day. I think it's a fantastic festival that's enjoyable for both chefs and guests."

Indeed, Uncork'd's popularity is growing year by year, with popular events selling out quickly. This year saw a record-breaking 5,060 attendees, 80% of whom were from the U.S. This likely reflects the growing interest in food among Americans that Knowlton mentioned earlier.

"Interestingly, even people who don't usually dine out will spend money on good food once a year when they come to Vegas. For them, it might be the only opportunity to experience food prepared by top chefs outside of their own home cooking. It's quite remarkable. It can change their perception of food, showing them 'Wow, there's such amazing food out there!' In that sense, Uncork'd plays a crucial role in introducing American citizens to the world of gastronomy," Knowlton analyzes.


For us on the reporting team, Uncork'd was a series of revelations. In particular, the delicate cuisine prepared by American chefs and its high level of quality were astonishing. It wasn't just about hamburgers, greasy steaks, and French fries; there were exquisite dishes with umami comparable to French or Japanese cuisine.

"Vegas is essentially a microcosm of America. As Vegas continues to evolve, so does the American culinary scene. We've moved beyond an era where restaurants with unchanging menus were popular; people are gradually becoming more conscious of what they eat and their health. We're finally starting to catch up to countries with mature food cultures like Japan."

"For example, this year we held our first 'Farm-to-Table' themed event. The concept of cooking with fresh ingredients from local farms is still quite new to Vegas, especially since the surrounding area is desert. Growing vegetables and dairy farming are difficult. However, the situation has changed dramatically since the top chefs at the forefront of the culinary world began working to realize the farm-to-table concept here."

The new movement shaking up Vegas's culinary scene, Farm-to-Table. In the second part of this feature, we venture beyond The Strip to investigate how far this global movement, which has been making waves in the culinary world for several years, has penetrated Vegas and who the key players are. We decided to hit the streets to find out.

—The Evolution of Local Sourcing Found in Las Vegas
Continue to The World's Finest Flavors Converge in Las Vegas (2)