The culinary world descended upon Las Vegas from September 19-27 as Wynn Las Vegas hosted its second annual Revelry festival, cementing the resort’s position as a premier destination for world-class dining experiences. This weeklong celebration brought together the country’s most esteemed chefs and mixologists for an unprecedented series of curated tastings, collaboration dinners, and immersive culinary experiences that redefined what a food and beverage festival can achieve.
The Feast: A Grand Culinary Transformation
The festival’s crown jewel, The Feast, transformed Wynn’s Event Pavilion and Lawn into themed culinary realms on September 20. This grand tasting event showcased the diversity and innovation driving today’s food and beverage industry, featuring talent from coast to coast including Daniel Castillo from Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, Victor Delgado and Jorge “Joy” Alvarez from Tacos 1986 in Los Angeles, and Sarah Thompson from Wynn’s own Casa Playa.
The event featured five distinct realms: the Four Sixes Cookout, Lotus Passage, Destino Mexico, Mediterranea, and Sucre, each offering guests a unique culinary journey. Notable participants included Antonia Lofaso from Scopa Italian Roots, Jeff Ramsey from Mizumi at Wynn Las Vegas, Shirley Chung from Dumpling Mafia, and Jennifer Yee, Executive Pastry Chef at Wynn Las Vegas.
The evening’s entertainment reached its peak with a spectacular 260-pound bluefin tuna cutting presentation, demonstrating the level of theatrical dining that today’s hospitality industry demands. This type of experiential dining has become increasingly important for food and beverage directors looking to create memorable guest experiences.
Exclusive Chef Collaborations Drive Menu Innovation
The collaboration dinners throughout Revelry week exemplified the menu innovation trends shaping the food service industry. These exclusive multi-course events paired celebrated chefs in unexpected combinations, creating boundary-pushing cuisine that reflects current food and beverage trends.
One standout collaboration featured Chef Junghyun Park from Atomix in New York working with James Beard Award-finalist Sarah Thompson at Casa Playa. Their partnership proved particularly timely, as Atomix was announced as the No. 1 Restaurant in North America on the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list during the festival week. Their menu featured innovative dishes like Golden Tilefish with ginger, habanero and crispy garlic, and King Crab with kohlrabi, nuruk and Kristal caviar.
The “From Farm to Knife” collaboration at Mizumi brought together Jeff Ramsey with Katina and Kyle Connaughton from SingleThread in Healdsburg. This partnership highlighted the growing importance of sustainable food sourcing in fine dining, featuring dishes such as Amadai Matsukasa-yaki with paitan soup and ra-yu, and Iga Style Shime of Luna Koshihikari with king crab and summer truffle. SingleThread’s recognition as the No. 8 Best Restaurant in North America and recipient of the Sustainable Restaurant Award further emphasized the industry’s shift toward sustainability.
Connoisseur Classes: Education Meets Entertainment
The festival’s educational component, the Connoisseur Classes, offered food and beverage managers and hospitality professionals intimate experiences ranging from barbecue mastery to advanced mixology. These sessions reflected the industry’s increasing focus on staff education and skill development.
Highlights included the Brother’s Bond Bourbon Cocktail Class with Ian Somerhalder, where participants learned cocktail creation techniques directly from the celebrity entrepreneur. The “Bubbles & Burgers” session featured a friendly competition between chefs Angie Mar from Le B. in New York, Antonia Lofaso from Scopa Italian Roots, and Megan Vaughan from Rare Steakhouse at Encore Boston Harbor.
Perhaps most intriguing was the “Taste of Sartiano’s” class, where chefs Alfred Portale and Michael Rubinstein prepared dishes from the flagship New York location ahead of Sartiano’s opening at Wynn Las Vegas this winter. This preview demonstrated how established restaurant brands are expanding into new markets, a key trend for food and beverage companies seeking growth.
All-Star Chefs Dinner: Culinary Excellence on Display
The All-Star Chefs Dinner on September 26 at Delilah showcased the caliber of talent that defines today’s fine dining landscape. Hosted by Christopher Lee, Vice President of Culinary Operations and Restaurant Development at Wynn Las Vegas, the seven-course dinner featured contributions from Angie Mar, Gavin Kaysen from Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis, and JJ Johnson from Fieldtrip in New York.
Each course demonstrated current culinary trends, from JJ Johnson’s Red King Crab and Smoked Scallop Ceviche with coconut and aji amarillo to Fariyal Abdullahi’s Prawns with shiro soubise and berbere oil, reflecting the growing influence of global flavors in American fine dining. The evening’s wine pairings and specialty cocktails illustrated the sophisticated beverage programs that food and beverage directors are implementing to enhance revenue and guest satisfaction.
Icons Dinner: A Legendary Finale
The festival concluded with the Icons Dinner at PISCES Bar & Seafare, featuring culinary legends Emeril Lagasse, Dominique Crenn, Alain Ducasse, Alfred Portale, Marcus Samuelsson, and Jacques Torres. This gathering of industry titans represented decades of culinary innovation and influence on the food and beverage industry.
The evening began with a welcome reception featuring cocktails from Master Mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini and remarks from Brian Gullbrants, Chief Operating Officer – Wynn Resorts North America. The six-course menu showcased each chef’s signature style, from Emeril Lagasse’s Smoked Salmon Cheesecake with Petrossian caviar to Jacques Torres’ Fourneau du Chef dessert.
Industry Impact and Future Implications
Revelry 2025 demonstrated several key trends shaping the hospitality industry. The festival’s emphasis on chef collaborations reflects the growing importance of culinary partnerships in driving innovation and attracting guests. The integration of entertainment with dining experiences shows how food and beverage services are evolving to meet changing consumer expectations.
For food and beverage managers and restaurant owners, events like Revelry highlight the value of investing in unique dining experiences and chef talent. The festival’s success also underscores Las Vegas’s position as a culinary destination, not just an entertainment hub, offering lessons for other hospitality markets seeking to elevate their food and beverage offerings.
The timing of North America’s 50 Best Restaurants announcement during the festival week further emphasized the connection between culinary excellence and industry recognition, providing valuable insights for food and beverage companies looking to build their reputations and attract top talent.
As the food service industry continues to evolve, events like Wynn Las Vegas’s Revelry festival serve as important showcases for emerging trends, innovative techniques, and the collaborative spirit that drives culinary excellence. For industry professionals, these gatherings offer invaluable opportunities to network, learn, and experience the cutting-edge developments shaping the future of hospitality.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
