Master Chef to Open Award-Winning Steakhouse CUT
Las Vegas, Sept. 25, 2007 – Master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is bringing his critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant CUT to Las Vegas. The Beverly Hills, super-chic steakhouse will open at The Palazzo late December. CUT will mark the sixth fine dining restaurant from the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in Las Vegas, recognized as a leader in revolutionizing the dining landscape of the city.
“I believe that we have some of the finest restaurants in the world in Las Vegas,” said Wolfgang Puck. “It’s wonderful to bring CUT to local residents and visitors. We’re offering something new and exciting – our own version of the American steakhouse – modern, innovative food in a contemporary, energized environment.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most popular spots in the United States, CUT has raised the bar within the fine dining industry and has garnered high praise from prestigious publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times (Three Stars), Wall Street Journal and Wine Spectator, to name a few. Noted food critic John Mariani awarded CUT, “Restaurant of the Year” in the November 2006 issue of Esquire magazine, less than six months after opening. In April 2007, CUT was nominated for “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation, considered one of the highest marks of distinction within the culinary community, and in August 2007, Bon Appétit magazine named CUT one of the top three steakhouses in the nation.
Puck has named Matthew Hurley to serve as the executive chef of the 160-seat restaurant and 60-seat bar and lounge. Hurley began his more than 12-year career with the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group as a prep cook at Spago, Las Vegas, training under Managing Partner, Operations & Corporate Chef-Las Vegas David Robins. Until most recently, Hurley held the position of Corporate Catering Chef for the Las Vegas-based Private Dining & Catering arm of Puck’s company, a multi-million dollar division catering intimate affairs and extravagant galas.
Hurley has spent the last few months at CUT working alongside Puck and Chef Lee Hefter, Managing Partner and Executive Corporate Chef of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, to develop the Las Vegas menu, which will offer a contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse. From USDA Prime Nebraska corn-fed, 35-day dry-aged steaks to true Japanese Wagyu Beef, CUT will cater to true steak connoisseurs. Guests also will enjoy a wide array of entrees such as the Kobe Beef Short Ribs, Lobster & Crab “Louis” Cocktail with Spicy Tomato-Horseradish and Roasted Wild French Turbot “French Riviera” Style for two. The menu will integrate Puck’s passion for eating and dining “well” incorporating Puck’s philosophy – Wolfgang’s Eat, Love, Live! ™ – utilizing only the freshest, all-natural and organic ingredients possible to create a seasonal menu filled with innovative tastes.
Las Vegas-based design firm Avery Brooks & Associates (ABA) will craft the space for CUT, providing a modern interpretation of a classic steakhouse. Custom-made, large, bronzed glass doors will welcome diners into an environment that captures the contrast of both historical and modern sensibility through design, material and lighting. The restaurant will feature rich textures such as a basket woven felt wall which will provide a soft white architectural envelope accented by bronze mirrors, honed limestone and custom-walnut flooring. ABA will bring a stylistic and contemporary spin to the romance of old lamp-lit dining with a unique custom-designed lighting feature that will evoke a relaxed and intimate ambiance. Sculpted chairs of minimalist design will offer a unique form that combines the warm texture of aged leather with glossy ebonized ironwood. Leather table tops framed in brushed metal will provide a contrast to the English Windsor wood slab tables that will occupy the center of the space.
Adjacent to the restaurant’s intimate main dining room will be an energetic upscale bar and lounge showcasing exclusive custom cocktails, classic drinks and a smaller menu featuring CUT’s popular appetizers such as the Mini Kobe Beef Sliders. The dynamic lounge will feature an eight foot tall upholstered sofa in rich black pony-style fabric offset by vibrant cherry lacquer cocktail tables providing a perfect vantage point to people watch.
Private dining space also will be available featuring a fully retractable bronze glass wall that will open to a contemporary wine wall located just outside the kitchen, offering patrons a backstage glimpse into the bustling kitchen.
“We’re very excited to bring CUT to Las Vegas at The Palazzo,” said Tom Kaplan, senior managing partner of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. “We’re continually looking for ways to deliver fresh, new dining experiences that further shape the fine dining scene in Las Vegas. With its smart, sophisticated design, hip and contemporary bar and modernized steakhouse menu, CUT is the perfect match for the energy of the city.”
The original CUT and ultra lounge sidebar opened inside the acclaimed Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel, in June 2006. Designed by legendary architect Richard Meier, CUT is the 2006 winner of the American Institute of Architects/Los Angeles Chapter Restaurant Design Award, honoring excellence in restaurant design.
The award-winning restaurants of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group include Spago (Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Maui), Postrio (San Francisco and Las Vegas); Chinois (Santa Monica and Las Vegas); Trattoria del Lupo and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Las Vegas; Wolfgang Puck American Grille at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City; and CUT and sidebar at the Beverly Wilshire. Opening in October 2007, the Wolfgang Puck Grille at the MGM Grand Detroit and The Source at the Newseum; Opening in November 2007, Spago at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch.
The Palazzo is a stand-alone resort currently being built by Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) in the heart of the famed Las Vegas Strip. When combined with the neighboring Venetian and Sands Expo and Convention Center, The Palazzo will give the company the largest hotel and convention complex in the world. In addition to Jersey Boys, the $1.8 billion Palazzo will feature more than 3,000 all-suite rooms and offer its new shopping, dining and entertainment on two luxurious levels. The 450,000-square- foot retail space, The Shoppes at The Palazzo™ will be highlighted by Barneys New York and connected to The Venetian via The Grand Canal Shoppes.
