Mario Batali's top 5 cities
May 30, 2007 | 10:58
am
New York based Mario Batali, winner of the 2005 James Beard Award for
"Outstanding Chef of the Year," proved one of the last celebrity chefs to enter
the Vegas market. But he did so with a vengeance this year, opening two
restaurants, B & B ristorante and Enoteca San Marco, at the Venetian.
Reached by phone he notes his choice of Vegas turns out to be no accident. "On
close inspection of the rest of America the only scene that is close to like New
York is Las Vegas. All the rest either go to bed too early or the don't start
early enough or there just isn't enough people around to create the buzz we
want." Here is his list of top 5 cities for foodies.1. New York
2. Portland and Seattle
3. New Orleans
4. Las Vegas
5. Philadelphia
As for Los Angeles, Batali notes: "The only reason we did a restaurant in
Los Angeles is because my partner is Nancy Silverton, and I know she has the
right spirit."
I am off to the Michel Jackson auction at the Hard Rock but expect more
from this interview to appear on the Buffet.
photo by Evan Agostini/ImageDirect
photo by Evan Agostini/ImageDirect
I'm not sure Los Angeles needs a chef so geographically-challenged that he lists Portland and Seattle - 170 miles apart - as one city.
Posted by: Atwater Village Newbie | June 04, 2007 at 02:19 PM
I guess maybe we're too spoiled in LA. We grow so many different foods locally and have so many ethnic enclaves, we forget that people line up to go to a restaurant, whereas we just go to the next one.
Posted by: Hinky | June 05, 2007 at 11:32 AM
Batali is just warming up to LA. Pretty soon he'll love this town and its food culture. I still think it's the greatest food city in the country because of its diversity and general bang-for-the-buck. I'm sure his opinion will change when the new Osteria Mozza opens to rave reviews and month-long reservations lists like Pizzeria Mozza.
Posted by: Matt in Eagle Rock | June 05, 2007 at 11:51 AM
Thanks for reading. In fairness to Mario Batali, he declared Portland and Seattle tied for second and therefore is only guilty of sneaking six cities into his Top 5 list. I am guilty of letting him. I am sorry for any confusion in how I wrote the item. He meant, I think, to suggest only his opinion of their comparable quality and not of their geography. Yrs., Richard
Posted by: Richard Abowitz | June 05, 2007 at 12:00 PM
"On close inspection of the rest of America the only scene that is close to like New York is Las Vegas. All the rest either go to bed too early or the don't start early enough or there just isn't enough people around to create the buzz we want."
Is this guy opening restaurants or nightclubs?
Probably another overrated 'celebrity chef' sprinkling sea salt over Kraft Mac n Cheese and thinks he has re-invented cuisine.
Posted by: Big Karl | June 05, 2007 at 02:15 PM