Columnist Muriel Stevens: Epicurean Club continues charitable ways

Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 | 8:27 a.m.

In December at Caesars Palace, the Epicurean Club's annual scholarship fundraiser, "An Evening of Distinction," honored Wally Barr, Park Place entertainment chairman. Barr, a most charitable fellow, pledged $50,000 from Caesars Entertainment to the EC college scholarship fund during his speech following the acceptance of the Imperium Award from the Epicurean Club.

During the evening's events Mr. Barr was elated to learn that Harrah's, Station Casinos, MGM Mirage and Mandalay Bay had each pledged $10,000 per year for four years to the fund.

It was a wild and wonderful evening, with an auction as spirited as the entertainment by Motown legends the Platters, Cornell Gunter's Coasters and Beary Hobbs' Drifters. The night ended with a performance by (and standing ovation for) American tenor Michael Amante.

More than $450,000 was raised for scholarships.

Now comes word that the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas is offering college scholarships to Southern Nevada high school students graduating in June who are interested in a hospitality career.

Scholarship awards will be based on academic merit, financial need and other criteria. Scholarship recipients must major in hotel management or food and beverage programs. A minimum of four scholarships will be awarded and are renewable for three years.

The Public Education Foundation administers the scholarships on behalf of the club. For applications or more information, visit www.ccpef.org or www.epicureanclub.org. Applications are available at PEF's office in Suite 160 at 3360 W. Sahara Ave. Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. March 11.

For more information, contact scholarship counselor Kevin Biesinger at 799-1042.

The nonprofit Epicurean Club's current officers are Bart Mahoney, president, Scott Farber, secretary, and Brian Lerner, treasurer. No doubt they are already planning this year's event.

Wolfgang Puck's game plan: The announcement that Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group -- Barbara Lazaroff, Puck, managing partners Tom Kaplan, David Robins, Joe Essa, Carl Schuster and Lee Hefter and partner Mark Ferguson -- had elevated Spago Executive Chef Eduardo Perez to associate partner was good news for those of us who had watched Chef Eduardo's rise.

Perez, originally from Guatemala, joined Wolfgang Puck in 1986, not as a chef, but as a gardener for Spago Hollywood. Perez had the qualities Puck looks for: A tenacious spirit, a strong work ethic and the drive to achieve excellence.

After a few years at Spago, Perez relocated to Granita in Malibu. There he worked with Executive Chef Joseph Monzare. Soon, Perez gained the experience he needed to become a sous chef at the the Wolfgang Puck Cafe, now the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, in the MGM Grand Casino.

This Cinderella story didn't need a glass slipper for a happy ending. It seems a chef's toque has its own magic.

Six months after arriving in Las Vegas, Executive Chef Robins recognized Perez's talent and determination and offered him the position of banquet chef at Spago. Later, Perez was promoted to cafe lunch chef, and one year later under Robins' expert guidance he became chef de cuisine.

As associate partner, Perez joins associate partners Christophe Ithurritze, John LaGrone, Matt Dickerson, Kimberly Gora and Jonathon Pacheco, who also earned their promotions the old-fashioned way -- they worked for them.

I just love happy endings.

More Puck: I started buying Wolfgang Puck kitchen appliances on the Home Shopping Network when the products first appeared. The quality and prices appeared to be too good to be true, but I knew Puck's spiel was real. He wouldn't put his name on an inferior product.

Did I need the things I bought? Of course not. My kitchen is crammed with cookware of every description from the days when I had a national television show.

Still, I had to test the high-powered mixer that did everything but talk. Wolf did the talking. And did I really need a panini machine that was so appealing I bought two? You never know when you're going to need a gift. I passed on the food processor. It was a great buy, but I've got three perfectly good ones in different sizes.

OK, I did buy the high-powered hand mixer. It was so sleek and efficient I gave away the trusty Krups to a friend. Puck's hand mixer has as much power as my very expensive stand mixer that I've had for many years.

In a recent edition of a major consumer product magazine, top-of-the-line cookware was rated. Guess who won the highest rating for quality and price, beating out the more expensive cookware sets? Yes, the All-American cooking whiz from Austria.

Short orders

Wendy Jordan cooking classes at Cordon Bleu: Chef Wendy Jordan of Rosemary's Restaurant on West Sahara Avenue will move her toque to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas, where she becomes an instructor for the Skills 1 class.

Chef Wendy and her partner and husband, Michael, are accomplished restaurateurs who have won numerous awards and national acclaim for their creative cuisine. For more information about Wendy's classes or other Cordon Bleu programs visit www.vegasculinary.com or call 365-7690.

Paella class at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba at Fashion Show: Learn to cook a perfect paella with Cafe chef Angel Ganarilla from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 29. Included for $35 (plus tax) is a light breakfast of orange juice, cinnamon-sugared churros and coffee. Throughout the morning guests will be served lunch, including tapas, and watch the demonstration. Wine and dessert, as well as a paella cookbook, are included.

For an additional $50 guests can purchase a complete paella cooking kit with a paella pan, olive oil, seasonings and rice. With the Cafe Ba Ba Reeba paella book you're all set. To reserve a space call 258-1211.

Little Buddha January menu: Little Buddha Restaurant and Sushi Bar at the Palms invites you to "explore outside the regular menu," a prix fixe ($49 per person) dinner that includes a sweet corn Kona bisque, a combination entree with Kona coffee rack of lamb and giant shrimp served with bok choy kim chee and white rice. For dessert, Lilikoi cheesecake with passion fruit sauce. All dinners include a glass of Rodney Strong merlot.

The menu and wine changes each month. Little Buddha hours: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. For reservations call 942-7778.

Whole Foods Markets rated by Fortune Magazine: For the eighth year in a row, the Whole Foods Market team is listed in Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For." Whole Foods advanced 25 places since last year's 30. Of the 37 large companies ranked, Whole Foods is fifth. Whole Foods is also recognized on Fortune's new Hall of Fame list of 22 companies that have appeared on the "100 Best" list since its inception in 1998.

How sweet it is: Everyone is invited to a pre-Valentine's Day pastry and chocolate tasting at Le Cordon Bleu the evening of Feb. 10. Sample pastries and chocolates from around the world made exclusively by Le Cordon Bleu chefs and students. This tempting tasting includes a tour of the school. Le Cordon Bleu is at 1451 Center Crossing Road (behind Bank of America on Town Center Drive) in Summerlin. Call 365-7690 for additional information.