Luxe Life Scoop

Britain’s top chef has quietly spent the past week in Vegas determined to open the best restaurant in town, even if it costs him his marriage. Marco Pierre White wants to establish the American flagship of his #1 ranked London restaurant, Frankies.

The 44-year-old mercurial, culinary king of England is an author, TV star and owner of several highly acclaimed award winning restaurants. He has decided that he would live in Vegas to make his debut American taste treasure super-successful and that probably means he’d leave his wife, Mati and three children, back on the other side of the Atlantic.

He says he’s not made any plans to bring them here, nor has he checked out local schools. “No divorce is imminent, but I may have to decide to leave my wife. I want to branch out, move on and build Frankies into a worldwide success,” he says.

White’s decision to open in Vegas was prompted by the extraordinary success of French superstar chef Joel Robuchon’s (see photo album) recent opening at the MGM Grand and the May 17 (TONIGHT!) Caesars Palace opening of Paris’s rival gastronomic genius, Guy Savoy.

“This all proves now to Europe’s cooking superstars that you have to win in Vegas to be hailed on the world stage,” a London restaurant investor told me. “When Marco sets up shop in Vegas, it will be a severe loss to both the social and gastronomic worlds in London.” 

Luxe Life believes that White will parlay his close friendship and business relationship with multi-millionaire hotel/casino owner Robert Earl to set up Frankies when he converts the current Aladdin hotel over to his Planet Hollywood resort in December. The hotelis currently in the midst of a $250-million plus total makeover. “Vegas suits my personality more than London at this time,” he said.

Ear Candy
By the way, the British invasion continues. 'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell, who has been investing in many Lake Las Vegas real estate opportunities, has recently hired an old Fleet Street, London newspaper mate of mine, Piers Morgan, to play a wicked Mr. Nasty on Cowell’s new produced NBC series, ‘America’s Got Talent,’ which starts filming this week. Auditions were held for the show in Vegas as the ultimate winner winds up with a guaranteed Vegas concert gig!

Back There in Seminary School
We started today’s journal with chef news, so let’s continue in the kitchen! I didn’t know that Chef Robuchon had originally entered a seminary at age 12 to become a priest. It was only when he helped the nuns preparing beans ands vegetables, that his thoughts turned to cooking -- which eventually made him the high priest in that pleasurable profession.

He originally retired in 1996 at age 51 so he wouldn’t die young from stress or heart attack -- from the pressures of winning 3 consecutive Michelin stars. Now, the MGM master says having come out of retirement, he can make mistakes without worrying about critics and constant analysis of his culinary creations.

Art of Food
Congratulations to two of our Four Seasons Vegas chefs today (Wed May 17) as they have flown to Hawaii to compete in the Food Network’s Tropical Paradise challenge. Chef Lert Seeboonruang and Chef Moon Sarai have to sculpt a 3 feet tall edible masterpiece within five hours from fruits and vegetables.

More Fine Art(isan)

A while back, Luxe Life reported on the best kept secret in Vegas: the richly elegant Artisan Hotel. I finally got the opportunity to check out the murder mystery dinner theater production held on the first Wednesday of each month (see the photo album). It is a real hoot as dinner guests get all caught up in the action of the sinister death of California wealthy wine maker. Diners are even taken out to the scene of the crime swimming pool to decipher clues to the real killer. One of my friends, dance teacher Emily Taylor, was even dragged on stage accused of being a major suspect (see the photo album). Campy? Yes! Fun? Yes!  Check it out on www.atouchofmystery.com and make your dinner rez at www.theartisanhotel.com. This is one unique night in the most surprising setting you’ll ever experience. You won’t even believe you’re in Vegas. 

Cops Needed
To serve the ever growing community of 5,000 new resident each month and the ever expanding 40-million tourists each year our city has to recruit 360 new police officers each year, and we are really on the hunt now for urgent help using a sophisticated integrated radio & TV ad spots, (see photo album for posters) plus newspapers around the country and an Internet campaign to lure cops to our city. It’s the most ambitious and expensive recruiting campaign ever by an American city. If you know someone who might be interested tell ‘em to call our PD, ASAP!

Strip Scribbles

Over 100 motorcycle riders teamed up to raise funds for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundations summer program, Camp Cartwheel (see photo album). After returning from the Mt. Charleston Spring Saloon to Hogs & Heifers downtown, the riders enjoyed the music of the Moaning Snakes and then over BBQ, bid on 150 different auction items to raise $14,000 for the kids….. ..Hometown hero tennis champion, Andre Agassi, teamed with Cirque du Soleil to open a circus-themed theater training school for underprivileged kids. His Foundation supports with their own school here in Vegas.



Tonight’s Tip: Wednesday, May 17
Those two comedy veterans Tim Conway and Harvey Korman are together again. Their laughs are so loud, even they break apart at the seams. They are at the Stardust through Saturday night along with Louise DuArt.

And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine (pictured) in your hotel suite featuring a print edition of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory ofattractions, shows and restaurants.