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Bobby Flay and Robin Leach at this year’s Vegas Uncork’d hosted by Bon Appetit at Caesars Palace.

By Robin Leach · June 17, 2009 · 1:25 PM

*Check out this story with accompanying photos at VegasDeLuxe.com.*

TV cameras from various media outlets captured all the candid moments of the recent Bon Appetit chef and food festival Vegas Uncork'd here in Las Vegas. Despite the fact I was suffering from a horrendous sinus infection, my longtime pal and ultimate TV chef Bobby Flay insisted on dragging me into the kitchen for a Better TV segment.

Bobby pulled off the impossible of simultaneously autographing his new summer book Burgers, Fries & Shakes while cooking dinner for 100 special VIP guests at his Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace!

YouTube just posted the video of the segment, so click below:

*It’s a busy three days for 2009 Miss America Katie Stam returning to Las Vegas for the second time since winning the crown in January at Planet Hollywood. She’s just hit the halfway mark of her yearlong reign, and Katie told me the highlights to date and the mishaps she’s had to battle. She’s managed to hold together her romance back in Indiana, too.

Last night, she joined me at Bouchon in The Venetian for chef Thomas Keller’s book signing, and we’ll post interviews with both of them later on Vegas DeLuxe. The lines were so long for autographed copies of his $75 tome Under Pressure that the signing went on for two hours! Katie had a brief break from official duties last night watching Donny & Marie Osmond at the Flamingo. Marie and Katie serve the Children’s Miracle Network, which Marie founded.

*Criss Angel’s Believe choreographer Wade Robson missed out on last season’s So You Think You Can Dance on Fox because of his duties at the Luxor show. Now the Australian dancer and songwriter is back on the show and creating routines for the contestants. Wade also is hosting The Wade Robson Project for MTV.

*Mirage headliner singing ventriloquist Terry Fator made a quick trip to Nashville yesterday to present Brad Paisley and Keith Urban their win for “Start a Band” at last night’s CMT Video Awards. Terry was assisted by his dolls Vicki the Cougar and Walter T Airedale at the telecast, which also featured our hometown beauty Julianne Hough. Terry revealed that he’s got a one-hour CMT special being televised in August. You can catch all the stars, including big winner Taylor Swift’s sexy stripper dance, when the awards are repeated today, Friday and this weekend.

Star surveillance

Chris Hansen, correspondent for the award-winning Dateline NBC, dined at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms. He enjoyed the crispy fried calamari, chicken won tons and for dessert indulged on the chocolate truffle cake. … Lavo’s Kobe meatball, which is quickly becoming a Las Vegas favorite, found another fan when Willem Dafoe dined at the Italian hot spot and proved his hearty appetite. Not only that, but amazingly he tackled the 2-pound stuffed lobster with pasta and prosciutto and the Oreo Zeppole dessert. Also at Lavo: former NFL players Warren Moon and Eric Dickerson, actors Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner and Ivan Martin on the outdoor terrace and boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley, who gave hugs and exchanged phone numbers with James Caan and son Scott Caan and their Mercy co-stars Erika Christensen and Troy Garity. … Dennis Hopper took a long enough break from his CineVegas duties to catch some of Sterling Night of Fights at The Pearl in the Palms. … NFL players Junior Seau and Willie McGinest celebrated a kick-back night at Blush in the Wynn with friends. … Roseanne Barr dined at Tao in The Venetian and enjoyed TaoTinis to go with chef Mark Andelbradt’s signature selections. … Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in a 15-person entourage at Tao nightclub. … Hart Trophy nominee Alexander Ovechkin had lunch at Simon in Palms Placed ahead of the NHL Awards at the Palms tomorrow.

Tonight’s tips

Motown superstar Smokey Robinson presents the premiere of his Australian pop group Human Nature at the Imperial Palace. The four boys from Down Under are mega stars there, having 22 Top 40 hits from nine albums, and they create the Motown sound and those extraordinary hits better than you’ve ever heard before. I’m having dinner with Smokey before the show and will post that conversation on Vegas DeLuxe, but we’ll have opening night photos right here tomorrow! … Hometown rockers Theory of Flight will wrap their “Set the Night on Fire” video shoot with an 8 p.m. performance at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.

Tomorrow’s teases

Hollywood celebrities join the National Hockey League stars for the annual awards show being held for the first time here. Robin Thicke and Chaka Khan head up the red carpet with Michael Buble. … Plus our interviews with celebrity chefs Thomas Keller and Todd English, and the Ringling Circus arrives in town!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground. Read more of Robin's stories at VegasDeLuxe.com.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

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