What a Tease: Some of the Life Is Beautiful Chef Events

Life Is Beautiful, the music and food festival coming to Downtown Las Vegas in October, just released a handful of the culinary events taking place with more than 60 chefs. Among the events, chef demonstrations, a Morrocan-style bazaar, dinners, a liquor garden and more.

So far, more than 50 restaurants are participating in the bazaar over the two-day festival. Someo of the restaurants on board include Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Honey Salt, Fleur, StripSteak, Wolfgang Puck's empire, Nobu at the Hard Rock Hotel, DMK Burger Bar, Due Forni, Yellowtail, Kumi, D.O.C.G. Enoteca, Herbsaint, Lavo, Tao Asian Bistro, Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina, Eat, Chocolate & Spice Bakery, Origin India, Barbuto, RM Seafood, Kuma Snow Cream, Curbside Cafe, LBS Burger, Smokin Bros BBQ, Sin City Hot Dogs and Forte European Tapas & Bistro.

The bazaar runs from 1 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 26 and noon to 11 p.m. on Oct. 27. Those with a general admission or VIP ticket get in.

Also on tap, the Alchemy Gardens from Wirtz Beverage, where craft brewers, wine makers and distillers will pour a-la-carte libations at this garden. Festival attendees can upgrade their tickets to meet master brewers, winemakers and distillers over flight tastings. The gardens have the same hours as the bazaar. Those flight tastings go for $40 for nine tastings.

A chefs on stage event from Sub-Zero Wolf and Whole Foods Market brings 20 chefs showing off their skills in a tent. Among the chefs expected: Bruce Bromberg, Eric Bromberg, Scott Conant, Jet Tila, Jonathan Waxman, Cat Cora, Chris Cosentino, Rick Moonen, Aaron Sanchez, Hubert Keller, Kerry Simon, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Mike Minor, Donald Link, Grant MacPherson, Carla Pellegrino, Jason Tuley, David Myers, Elias Caro, Josh Graves and Todd English. General admission and VIP ticket holders can get in these events.

Take A Stand features Elizabeth Blau and Hubert Keller at the grand opening in an event that benefits Three Square Food Bank and Communities in Schools. The charity dinner will feature eight award-winning chefs serving eight courses in various styles throughout the night paired with wines and cocktails by Wirtz Beverage mixologists and sommeliers. Chefs participating here include Keller, Michael Mina, Todd English, Akira Back, Paul Bartolotta, Grant MacPherson, Charlie Palmer and Megan Romano. This super expensive $5,000 dinner will take place at at super secret location on Oct. 25.

Grills & Guitars kicks off the festival on Oct. 25 for regular folks with beer, wine and cocktails along with "flamed-kissed fare." Chefs for that event include Bruce Bromberg, Eric Bromberg, Jonathan Waxman, Cat Cora, Tom Colicchio, Michael Symon, Nancy Silverton, Jet Tila, Scott Conant, Kim Canteenwalla, Aaron Sanchez, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Rick Moonen and David Myers. Yes, an additional ticket is required for $175 or $225 for VIPs.

Another more vague event, the Culinary Crawl, a three-hour dining tour "designed to introduce palates to a variety of tastes." Guests do a dining crawl to three different venues with three different chefs.

Here's a look at some of the other chef events scheduled for the festival.

Pig & Whiskey hosted by Kim Canteenwalla and Sven Mede at The Flame Steakhouse

From Korea to Japan, hosted by Akira Back at Park on Fremont

Amaro & Amare, hosted by Richard Camarota and Megan Romano at Eat.

Price: $130 — Single pass to the Culinary Crawl, GA or VIP festival ticket required for purchase

$290 – Includes a two (2) day General Admission festival ticket

Date: Saturday, Oct. 26

Time: 5 to 8 p.m.

Rare & Rosso by Jonathan Waxman and Nancy Silverton at Eat

Tongue & Cheek by Rick Moonen at Le Thai

Bones & Brews by Cat Cora and Jason Tuley at Park on Fremont

Price: $130 – Single pass to the Culinary Crawl, GA or VIP festival ticket required for purchase
$290 – Includes a two (2) day General Admission festival ticket

Date: Sunday, Oct. 27

Time: 5 to 8 p.m.

For tickets, visit www.lifeisbeautifulfestival.com.
· All Coverage of Life Is Beautiful [~ELV~]