Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit Debuts Palazzo After Hours - Crushed: Wine that Rocks!

LAS VEGAS, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit, the culinary world's most extraordinary epicurean event held this year from May 6-9, introduces to its 2010 lineup Palazzo After Hours – Crushed:  Wine that Rocks! This new event takes place May 8 poolside at The Palazzo beginning at 10:30 p.m.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100309/LA67277)

With Crushed, restaurateur, winemaker and rock and roller Joe Bastianich pairs the great wines of the world with the greatest music of all time. Accompanied by Scott Ian of Anthrax and the electrifying band Six Foot Nurse, Bastianich will lead guests and chefs on a synesthetic exploration of explosive tunes from Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, asking the audience to listen with their palates and taste with their ears. Along with outstanding wines, this poolside after-hours celebration also features signature bites from the all-star lineup at The Venetian and The Palazzo, including a Slider Bar from First Food and Bar Executive Chef Sam DeMarco, salumi and cheese from executive chef Zach Allen of Carnevino, and a Rockin' Wing Bar from Chef de Cuisine Vince Chiyuto of Lagasse's Stadium.

"Held in what is hands-down the most exciting epicurean environment anywhere, Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit makes an ideal backdrop for introducing the Crushed concept to a  sophisticated and – most importantly – fun-loving audience," said Bastianich.

Bastianich, who owns B&B Ristorante at The Venetian in partnership with Chef Mario Batali, joins a roster of Vegas Uncork'd personalities that includes some of the world's most recognized chefs and decorated sommeliers. Unlike that found at other major culinary events, all epicurean talent headlining programs at Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit maintains a Las Vegas restaurant or works in its kitchens or wine cellars every day.

"We are honored to add The Venetian | The Palazzo, as well as Joe Bastianich, an icon within the wine and spirits world, to this year's event," said Paul Jowdy, publisher, Bon Appetit magazine. "We've always believed in the vitality of Las Vegas and its culinary scene, so it comes as no surprise that more and more top names in the epicurean arena taking note and signing on to be part of Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit."

Added Rob O'Keefe, executive director of Vegas Uncork'd:  "Each year, our goal is to build upon the previous event's success by carefully selecting innovative, new offerings to add to the schedule. Crushed fits perfectly into this strategy."

The playground for Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit is destination wide and features five anchor partner resorts, each of which offers an enviable roster of on-site restaurants and in-house chefs: Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Wynn | Encore. Joining the lineup for the first time this year as an associate partner is The Venetian | The Palazzo. The event's charitable partner is the Three Square Food Bank, which is dedicated to providing wholesome food to hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community.

To purchase tickets and to see more information about this year's event lineup, please visit www.VegasUncorked.com. There, you may also opt in to receive information about additional events as they are added to the schedule.

Vegas Uncork'd Presented by Bon Appetit is made possible by the following sponsors: the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, exclusive travel partner Travelocity and exclusive automotive sponsor Infiniti.

ABOUT JOE BASTIANICH

Joe Bastianich is a passionate winemaker, teacher and restaurateur whose collection of restaurants with partner Mario Batali includes Las Vegas' B&B Ristorante and New York City's Babbo, which earned three coveted stars from The New York Times and the prestigious Best New Restaurant in America award from the James Beard Foundation. In 2005, he was recognized as an Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional by both the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appetit magazine. Most recently, he and Mario were awarded the 2008 James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurateur Award. Joe feels fortunate to be "working within the vernacular of the Italian table."

ABOUT Bon Appetit Magazine

Bon Appetit magazine celebrates the world of great food and the pleasure of sharing it with others. Every issue engages over 8 million readers in a hands-on experience regarding all aspects of the epicurean lifestyle -- cooking, dining out, wine and spirits, travel, entertaining, shopping, and kitchen design. Both creative inspiration and practical guide, Bon Appetit delivers just the right mix of sophistication and accessibility, indulgence and simplicity -- and quality.

Bon Appetit is published by Conde Nast, a division of Advance Publications, which operates in 24 countries and is the world leader in exceptional content creation. Please visit http://www.bonappetit.com.

ABOUT THE PALAZZO LAS VEGAS

With over 3,000 expansive suites, luxury shopping and world-class dining and entertainment, the $1.9 billion, 50-story Palazzo Las Vegas, AAA® Five Diamond and Mobil Four-Star Award winner, literally takes luxury to new heights.  Highlighted by a flagship, 85,000-square-foot Barneys New York, The Shoppes at The Palazzo features more than 60 luxury boutiques.  In addition, 20 remarkable stores and luxury brands made their Las Vegas debuts at The Palazzo, including Chloe, Tory Burch, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg , Van Cleef & Arpels, Catherine Malandrino, Anya Hindmarch, and Michael Kors.  Additionally, The Palazzo offers a variety of cuisines from a collection of award-winning chefs such as CarneVino by Mario Batali, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Table 10 by Emeril Lagasse and Restaurant Charlie by Charlie Trotter. Other one-of-a-kind offerings include, Tony Award winning Broadway musical, JERSEY BOYS, the chic dining and nightlife LAVO, the world's largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub, and the ultimate sports bar, sportsbook and restaurant on the Strip:  Lagasse's Stadium.  For more information, please visit The Palazzo website at www.palazzolasvegas.com.

ABOUT THE LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center.  With approximately 148,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 10 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA mission centers on attracting everincreasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.  For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.VisitLasVegas.com.

SOURCE Vegas Uncork'd