Columnist Muriel Stevens: Love is in air at Charlie Palmer’s restaurants

Friday, May 4, 2001 | 8:51 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at muriel@lasvegassun.com or 259-4080.

Looking for love in all the right places -- Charlie Palmer's restaurants are doubling as Cupid's headquarters these days. Aureole Las Vegas pastry chef Megan Romano and Executive Chef Joe Romano started the trend, and it continues.

Aureole Las Vegas Sous Chef Mark Purdy has moved to Sonoma, Calif., to open Charlie's Dry Creek Kitchen. Before leaving he put an eye-popping engagement ring on the finger of Aureole wine angel Ellen Puglisi.

There's more. Aureole's Wine Director Andrew Vadjinia is shopping for an engagement ring for Aureole's other wine angel, Brook Bradbury! Seems there's no shortage of brides, but there might be a shortage of wine angels.

Still more. Aureole New York's Chef Gerry Hayden will in June marry Claudia Fleming, pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern. Hayden will cook the wedding feast.

And congrats are in order for Maureen and Richard Feminilla, who after many years of marriage, have had their first child, Joey. The beautiful boy was named for family friend, Chef Joe Romana.

Bon Appetit Wine & Spirits Focus a sell-out: Bon Appetit magazine's 12th annual wine and food event in Las Vegas May 18-20 is sold out. It seems everyone wants to meet the cadre of culinary luminaries who will be doing tastings and seminars throughout the event.

Kicking off the weekend is the Grand Tasting Friday night at Bellagio. Michael Mina (Aqua), Charlie Palmer (Aureole), Julian Serrano (Picasso) and Alessandro Stratta (Renoir) will feature tastings from their menus. More than 100 wines, spirits and microbrews will be available.

A series of private tastings and workshops will keep attendees hopping between Bellagio, Mirage, MGM Grand and Treasure Island. Bellagio Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Phillipe Maury will present 2001: A Chocolate Odyssey; Shintaro will offer sushi and sake.

Saturday night's grand bash, a black-tie dinner, will include such chefs as Todd English (Olives) and Jean-Georges Vongrichten. The multicourse repast will be paired with exceptional wines. Following dinner is a dazzling dessert "extravaganza" and music and dancing.

The weekend's grand finale is a champagne and jazz brunch to be held at MGM Grand.

Proceeds from the super weekend support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Don't be shut out next year. Announcements start appearing in Bon Appetit's February issue.

No grist to Beard rumor mill: There is not a grain of truth to the rumor that made the rounds at the recent Beard Awards that Charlie Palmer would be taking over Jean-Louis Paladin's Napa restaurant at the Rio. The same rumor was bouncing around Las Vegas, Palmer said, and it was confirmed by a reliable source, that it just isn't so.

Full circle for Piero Broglio: Welcome back to Piero Broglio and his business partner Peggy Broglio, who recently opened Cafe Chloe in a small strip mall (behind Walgreen) at Flamingo and Buffalo.

Reminiscent of Piero's first Las Vegas eatery, the Gourmet Corner, Cafe Chloe is a small storefront restaurant with an open kitchen. The same menu is in effect at lunch and dinner, there are daily dinner specials and homemade desserts that change at the whim of the chef. Portions are generous.

Lunch, Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner, Mon.-Sat., 4:30-9 p.m.

For reservations call 248-7048.

Emeril spices up home kitchens: Now in markets and specialty food stores Emeril Lagasse's original seasonings, basting sauce marinades and Emeril's Kick it Up Pepper Sauces (green or red). I bought mine at Trader Joe's.

Cookbook author at Sur La Table: Sur La Table at Desert Passage is hosting restaurateur and author Ti Adelaide Martin for a book signing May 12, 4-5 p.m.

Martin is the daughter of legendary New Orleans restaurateur Ella Brennan. Martin's new "Commander's Kitchen" is a terrific cookbook with 150 recipes from Commander's Palace (New Orleans and Las Vegas) and behind-the-scenes stories. Many photos and much Brennan family lore.