The celebrity chef lineups for the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore has been revealed and they are taking no chances at the $5 billion resort, bringing out some of the world's culinary big guns. The resort will feature restaurants by famous chefs from around the world. The six chefs announced include Mario Batali (New York), Daniel Boulud (New York), Wolfgang Puck (Los Angeles), Santi Santamaria (Barcelona), Guy Savoy (Paris) and Tetsuya Wakuda (Sydney). Chefs Santi Santamaria, Guy Savoy and Tetsuya Wakuda will have their restaurants on the mezzanine layer of the casino while Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud and Wolfgang Puck will have signature restaurants situated near Marina Bay Sands Theatres. Each of the six chefs is personally involved in the concepts, menus, and interior design of the six different restaurants.

When completed, Marina Bay Sands will feature have approximately 2,500 luxury hotel rooms, the rooftop Sands SkyPark, a museum, Las Vegas- style gaming, the Paiza Club for premium players, theatres, entertainment, an outdoor event plaza, and shopping and dining venues. In a press release, Batali calls the resort "the most exciting project I have ever been involved with" but the most philosophical quotes come from the European chefs. Santi Santamaria ponders the possibilities of "culinary poetry" saying he wants his cuisine to "delight the senses and awaken emotional memories with a cuisine of wisdom." Guy Savoy expresses a similar view saying that" cuisine is the art of instantaneously turning produce suffused with history into happiness." They sound like perfect fits for a city that prides itself on the quality and infinite variety of its food.

[via NY Daily News]

A hedge fund banker recently paid $15,000 to rent a rather tiny piece of Manhattan real estate for a year. That's the price for a three-cubic-foot wine storage locker at chef Daniel Boulud's new restaurant, Bar Boulud which will open later this year. There are 15 storage spaces total and each has a 36 bottle capacity. The first spot was sold at a charity auction for Citymeals-on-Wheels, and the fee will provide 3,000 meals for home-bound elderly people in New York City.

Felix Salmon did the math on the pricey lockers and actual found that they are a bit of a deal for those who shop at the deep end of the wine list. He points out that if you are regularly drinking wines for that sell for $400 on a restaurant wine list you can probably buy the same wine for $150. At those prices you would only have to drink five bottles per month to justify the expense of the locker rental. Suddenly, the fee seems, dare I say it, reasonable.

I just returned from a well needed getaway to Las Vegas and had the most wonderful experience of dining at the fabulous Daniel Boulud Brasserie in Wynn Las Vegas. After a day of flying and getting to Las Vegas, the last thing I wanted was a strenuously formal dinner at any of the other gourmet rooms in town. Instead, the casual atmosphere of the Brasserie fit perfectly. The food is phenomenal while the environment is soothing and relaxed. I enjoyed the legendary DB Burger, the $29 burger from Bistro Moderne in New York, while my sister dined on Penne with Truffles and Chanterelles. Dessert was indulgent with my Valrohona Chocolate Souffle and my sister's Chocolate Turtle Coupe. Each dish was perfect and served by a team who made sure everything was to our liking. The entire experience was remarkably priced and a great value for such divine food and wonderful service. In fact, the entire Wynn Las Vegas property is a study of refined luxury and my new favorite in Las Vegas.