From Bergamo, Italy, to the Venetian in Vegas, Chef Luciano Pellegrini has taken Italian cuisine and made it his own. Pellegrini—a James Beard award winner and executive chef at Valentino—talks with VEGAS INC about the secrets to his restaurant’s success.
Describe your brand.
We have a modern, innovative approach to Italian cuisine, but also what’s tried and true.
What’s your marketing strategy?
We focus our resources within the Palazzo and the Venetian. We’re in our own little universe.
What would you call your TV show?
I might steal Penn & Teller’s "Bullshit!," applied to the restaurant scene.
Who’s your biggest rival?
I’ve got a thousand rivals on the Strip. Every restaurant is a rival.
What’s the quintessential Las Vegas meal?
A tasting menu. We’d serve a different bottle of wine with each of ten little courses, with lots of pastas and risottos. And definitely caviar.