Las Vegas’ Celebrity Chefs Explain the Business of Destination Restaurants

Las Vegas has the highest concentration of celebrity chefs per capita on the planet. Many of them headline restaurants in marquee hotels operated by MGM Resorts Las Vegas, including ARIA Resort, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand, among others. The hotel group has aggressively positioned itself as the vanguard of culinary excellence on the Las Vegas Strip to attract business and convention travelers with healthy appetites and healthier expense accounts. When I approached MGM with a request to explore the hotels, they had an open spot on a food-themed press junket. I, however, am not a foodie. Not even a little. Embedding me among America’s elite food writers is like inviting an atheist to a Tea Party rally. But I’ve always wondered what makes a celebrity chef a celebrity. I discovered it doesn’t have a lot to do with food. “Chefs are the new rock stars of Las Vegas and they are true partners with us,” says Mike Dominguez, senior VP of corporate sales at MGM Resorts