Bellagio executive chef honored

Tuesday, May 7, 2002 | 11:14 a.m.

Executive Chef Julian Serrano, whose classical French dishes have made Picasso at Bellagio a premier gourmet restaurant, has won his second James Beard Foundation Award -- the Oscar of the food world.

The Spanish-born Serrano, 51, became the first Las Vegas-based chef to win the James Beard/Perrier-Jouet Best American Chef of the Southwest award Monday night in New York. He was the 1998 James Beard Best Chef of California award winner while serving as executive chef at Masa's in San Francisco.

"Julian is a chef of great vision, consistency and quality in French cuisine," said Gamal Aziz, president and chief operating officer of the MGM Grand, who in 1998 hired Serrano away from Masa's to open Picasso.

Picasso is one of two Mobile Five Diamond restaurants in Las Vegas -- the other is Renoir at the Mirage -- and one of just 14 in the nation.

The James Beard/Perrier-Jouet Chef and Restaurant Awards were established in 1990 to honor eateries, chefs and wine and spirits professionals for their achievements. Each category winner receives a bronze medallion. They are considered the Academy Awards of the American culinary scene.

Serrano was trained in the gourmet rooms of France. His signature dishes at Picasso include warm lobster salad with potatoes, crispy leeks and truffle vinaigrette and ragout of autumn vegetables with fresh foie gras.

Aziz called Serrano "a behind-the-lines" chef who cooks every night, then is on the phone at 6 a.m., calling New York to purchase the best fish and freshest vegetables for the restaurant.

"From the start it has been all about the food," said Brian O'Shields, vice president of food and beverage for the Bellagio. "For if the food is not consistently delicious for the six nights a week we are open, then we are not a fine restaurant, but just an art gallery."

Picasso, a Mediterranean-themed restaurant, features original Picasso paintings, tile work and hand-painted plates.

Other winners and nominess with local ties included Michael Mina, chef of Aqua at Bellagio and Nobhill at MGM Grand, who was named American Express Best Chef of California. Mina owns Aqua in San Francisco.

Nobhill was nominated for the Illy Best New Restaurant Award. The winner of the award was Craft in New York City. Craft is owned by Chef Tom Colicchio, who is scheduled to open Craftsteak at the MGM Grand next month.

Colicchio and Nobu Matsuhisa, chef at Nobu at the Hard Rock Hotel, were among the nominees for the All-Clad Cookware Outstanding Chef Award.