Number One Food Show on TV, Bravo's - Top Chef- , Selects The M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas as the Production's On Site Studio / August 2009

Hotel Online
News for the Hospitality Executive

advertisement

Number One Food Show on TV, Bravo's "Top Chef", Selects The M Resort
Spa Casino in Las Vegas as the Production's On Site Studio

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 13, 2009 - The sixth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns when "Top Chef: Las Vegas" premieres Wednesday, August 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The M Resort Spa Casino, the newest resort in Las Vegas, served as the official production location for the show. Chef'testants competed
throughout the property, during the filming process, stirring up amazing food and fierce competition to become Top Chef.

"We opened the resort talking about our fresh approach to casino dining and the importance we place on food. Having the No. 1 food show on cable film at our resort affirms our commitment to creating an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience and developing chef talent in our cooking studio and in our restaurants," said Anthony A. Marnell III, Chairman and CEO of the M Resort.

No stranger to fostering talent and introducing unique culinary concepts to the city, the Marnell family is credited with bringing many
innovations to the Las Vegas market while owning and operating the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino from 1992 to 2001. Many of the innovations are still widely used today.

First in Las Vegas to host James Beard Out of House Events, which included the most recognized American celebrity chefs. It was the catalyst in attracting the late Jean-Louis Palladin, who eventually made the Napa Restaurant his home.
First in Las Vegas to introduce programs that exemplified an unsurpassed dedication to food.
First full seafood buffet in Las Vegas.
First in Las Vegas to sell specialty foods made on premise.
First to establish roof restaurants and lounges in Las Vegas.
First to have a master sommelier on staff in Las Vegas.
First to have own charcuterie on premises in Las Vegas.
Largest wine cellar and tasting room in Las Vegas - first to open it to the public.

Bravo's "Top Chef" offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. The series features 17 aspiring chefs who compete for their shot at culinary stardom and the chance to earn the prestigious title of "Top Chef." Each episode holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a quickfire test of their basic abilities and the second is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and inventiveness of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for a range of demanding clients. The challenges not only test their skills in the kitchen, but also uncover if they have the customer service, management and teamwork abilities required of a Top Chef. The competing chefs live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle that comes with being a master chef and each week someone is asked to "pack up their knives" and go home.

Dining and Drinking At The M Resort
Dining is the heart and soul of the M Resort, with nine restaurants and five destination bars, all owned and operated by the Marnells. With a passion for food and a desire to introduce new culinary experiences to the public, the M Resort offers a wide variety of dining choices that are designed to become another form of entertainment. The resort has dedicated a block of more than 30,000 square feet of kitchens and culinary facilities to support the nine dining outlets that also feature their own exhibition-style kitchens.

"Food and beverage is not an afterthought at the M Resort. It is our centerpiece and we believe it will be one of the many reasons our guests visit us again and again," said John Lipkowitz, Executive Vice President and General Manager, M Resort. Lipkowitz has been influential in the conceptualization of many Vegas firsts by using his extensive culinary background and operational expertise to bring the first James Beard Out of House events to a Las Vegas resort in 1995.

Each restaurant was developed to allow for innovative social environments and the majority feature outdoor dining terraces with paramount views of the Las Vegas Strip. The dining line-up includes:

Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet, which incorporates a live action cooking studio;
Marinelli's, featuring authentic Italian dishes with recipes from the Marnell family recipe book;
Terzetto, a steak and seafood restaurant with Terzetto Oyster Bar providing a casual dining option;
Veloce Cibo, the top-floor restaurant and lounge;
Red Cup Cafe, an art-deco inspired 24-hour eatery serving American, Asian and south-of-the-border dishes;
Hostile Grape, a wine cellar, bar and tasting room;
Baby Cakes, a European-inspired patisserie;
Vig Deli, an eatery next to the race and sports books and
Piazza Grille, a Mediterranean casual dining outdoor restaurant near the expansive pool.

The variety of destination bars compliment the commitment to dining and provide various atmospheres for personal enjoyment:

32° Draft
Hostile Grape
M Bar
Ravello Lounge
Villaggio Bar

The restaurant mix provides a fresh approach to casino dining and was specifically designed to meet the needs of the surrounding Las Vegas community and discerning tourists alike.

M Resort takes great care in preparing dishes to ensure they are made from fresh, quality ingredients, some of which are homegrown and all are hand-picked and made-from-scratch. Terzetto will include a reserve list of prime cuts of beef from the Marnell family ranch and Marinelli's will feature selections from the Marnell family recipe book as well as a selection of wines from the Marnell private label.

About M Resort, Spa and Casino
M Resort Spa Casino is located on over 90 acres at 12300 Las Vegas Blvd. S. on the southeast corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard. Situated higher in elevation than other resort-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the M Resort provides optimal views of the world-famous Las Vegas skyline from its guest rooms, suites, conference center and restaurants. The resort offers 390 guest rooms and suites, over 92,000 square feet of gaming, nine restaurants and five destination bars, more than 60,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center and a 100,000 square foot events piazza. Future developments for M Resort will bring up to one million square feet of retail in a partnership with Taubman Centers Inc. and a 14-screen digital movie entertainment complex. For more information, visit www.theMresort.com.

Contact:

M Resort Spa Casino
http://www.theMresort.com

.
.

Also See:	M Resort Spa Casino, the Newest $1 billion Resort in Las Vegas, Opens / March 2009
	Anthony Marnell III Planning to Build the M Resort, a $1.8 billion Casino, Resort and Commercial Center in Henderson, Nevada; Wants to Push the Envelope with the Design and Architecture / November 2007
	Opening Spring 2009, the $1 billon M Resort, Spa and Casino, Las Vegas Appoints William Conn, Vice President of Hotel Operations / May 2008