Competitions that will be held during the LVIHRS will include the Las Vegas Culinary Challenge, the LVIHRS Hospitality Competitions, the Hospitality Hero Awards and the LVIHRS Menu Competition.

�Our competitions are an important element for the Show,� said Felix Rappaport, president and COO of New York-New York Hotel & Casino and chairman of the LVIHRS. �Not only do the competitions allow us to showcase the talent and achievements of the hospitality industry, but they are an avenue in which we, the industry, can show our appreciation.�

Las Vegas Culinary Challenge

The country�s next generation of chefs will compete during both days of the LVIHRS for American Culinary Federation (ACF) gold medals at the Las Vegas Culinary Challenge. Southwest Gas is once again sponsoring the event with additional support provided by the Real California Cheese, US Foodservice, the Art Institute of Las Vegas, and Anderson Dairy. The Culinary Challenge is hosted by the Fraternity of Executive Chefs.

Each competing chef will prepare a signature dish at one of six cooking stations according to the general rules and guidelines of the competition.  Prior to the competition, the chefs must provide recipes and a complete diagram or photo of the dish.  No advance cooking is permitted and competitors are allowed to bring in only whole and raw materials in the amounts stated in the recipes.  Competition categories include chicken or duck, pork tenderloin, fish, hot and warm dessert, cake decoration and decorative centerpiece.

Judging the competition is lead judge John Hui, Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) at Caesars Palace; Gustav Mauler, Certified Master Chef (CMC), at Spiedini and OXO at Rampart Casino, Sazio at The Orleans and Bull Shrimp at Green Valley Ranch; Jurgen Weise, CMC, chef instructor at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco; Richard Schneider, CMC, food and beverage director at the Stardust; and David Kellaway, CMC, executive chef at Mandalay Bay.

LVIHRS Hospitality Competitions

Join the nation�s top housekeepers from more than 25 of Las Vegas� major hotels Wednesday, June 19 from 2:30 - 4 p.m. as they compete in several exhilarating contests of skill, speed and accuracy including a bed-making competition, buffer pad toss, a Johnny mop toss and a vacuum relay. 

In the bed-making competition, contestants will be judged on the number of beds made during an allotted time and neatness of the beds. 

The buffer pad toss will measure accuracy and teamwork as a blindfolded contestant will attempt to toss five buffer pads to a person 20 feet away who will try to catch the buffer pads with a toilet plunger. Contestants will attempt to throw five Johnny mops into a toilet bowl from a distance of 20 feet in the Johnny mop contest and in the vacuum relay, contestants will assemble a vacuum and clean a carpeted area free of confetti. 

Hospitality Hero Awards

The Hospitality Hero Awards will honor hospitality employees who have demonstrated selfless acts of courage while on the job. Such acts encompass saving a life or lives, protecting a property from catastrophic loss or making a significant impact on the quality of life for citizens in the community. The awards committee will select recipients from both lodging and restaurant industries. 

The Hospitality Hero Awards are the industry�s way of showing its appreciation to the people that have gone above and beyond their duties by saving lives and property. Award winners will be recognized during the International Hospitality Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m.

LVIHRS Menu Competition

The LVIHRS Menu Competition will award restaurant menus based on design, creativity and merchandising power within seven categories including: restaurants with an average check less than $15, an average check of $15-$35 and an average check over $36. Other categories include: children�s menu; dessert/appetizer/drinks; wine; and room service. Finalists and award winners will be recognized at the the Menu Design Display on the LVIHRS exhibit floor sponsored by Heartland Payment Systems.

The LVIHRS is open to all hospitality industry professionals. Registration is available at www.LVIHRS.com or by calling 800-272-SHOW.