Chefs Food Fest in Laughlin, Nevada

Culinary Artistry Challenge at Fund-Raising Competition

Oct 11, 2009

Chefs bring their creativity to the front burner and turn up the competitive heat in a two-pronged fund-raiser in Laughlin, Nevada called the annual Chefs' Food Fest.

Food as art is all around the room when Colorado River area chefs are given free rein to create elaborate creations, full menus of items available for tasting by the public. Coming up with their own individual themes, chefs plan for this event months in advance. They've been known to sequester themselves in freezers with chain saws and chisels carving ice sculptures, practice coming up with unusual blends of ingredients for a new soup, or take the simple petite four to a whole new level. A lot of trial and error takes place before one morsel of food is served.

After all that preparation, they still have to truck their creations to the venue, set them up and cross their fingers that giant ice sculptures make the trip in one piece.

Culinary Artistry in Ice, Sugar and Chocolate

Elaborately carved pumpkins, sea serpents of ice, spun sugar birds and lobsters, 1950s style diners including the 57 Chevy, New Orleans seafood, Greek baklava, desserts in chocolate teacups, Southwest influences, Asian inspired simplicity, pink drinks, Belgian beers, salads served in martini glasses -- anything a food lover’s heart desires can be found in one place. Just show up and wander from booth to booth sampling whatever catches the eye or aroma beckons.

Competitive Cooking for a Good Cause

The goal every year is to raise money for Colorado River area charities. This year money will still benefit these charities; however, there is a new twist. During the 22nd annual event, chefs will compete for trophies.

“This year we’re doing something a little different,” says Connie Davis, with the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce and one of the organizers of the event. “We’re making it more of a competition and we’re giving trophies for Best Food Presentation and Flavor and for the Best Creative-Based Design, which is another way of saying ‘Best Booth.'”

“We’ve got the Stratosphere joining us this year, which is exciting,” she says. “We’re hoping to grow this into a huge culinary event."

Win a Dinner Party for Eight People

“We’re also having a fund-raising raffle for 8-year-old Lauren Terry who is battling leukemia for the second time," Davis says. "We’re actually giving away three grand prizes – three different teams of chefs will come to your house and prepare dinner for eight.

The three teams will consist of chefs from the Aquarius Casino Resort and the Colorado Belle; Harrah’s Laughlin, and the Avi Resort and Casino.

"During the event, we’re auctioning off the executive chef from the Stratosphere, Rick Giffen, who will also host and prepare a dinner party for eight for the highest bidder.”

In 2008, Lauren Terry was awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Laughlin Chamber. While battling cancer, she raised $380,000 for the Ronald McDonald House as Jewel of the Nile and also raised $16,000 for Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Aquarius Casino Resort Hosts This Year's Event

The Chefs’ Food Fest will be held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, October 22, in the Aquarius Casino’s Pavilion. Tickets are $60 each or $600 or a table of ten. No one under the age of 21 is permitted to attend. The Aquarius is located at 1900 S. Casino Drive, Laughlin, Nevada.

Raffle tickets for the dinner parties and other prizes are $20 each. Both raffle tickets and tickets to the Chefs’ Food Fest can be purchased at the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce by either calling 702-298-2214 or visiting their official website at www.laughlinchamber.com/events.html.

The copyright of the article Chefs Food Fest in Laughlin, Nevada in North American Culinary Travel is owned by JoAnn Smith. Permission to republish Chefs Food Fest in Laughlin, Nevada in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.