Eater Awards 2015: Announcing the Las Vegas Winners

It is now time — drumroll, please — to announce the winners of the 2015 Eater Awards in Las Vegas. These winners comprise a diverse group of the finest and most interesting chefs, restaurants, and bartenders in the city. They’ve defined this year in dining, and we applaud them.
First, a quick recap: Eater’s local editors in 24 cities nominated candidates for five major categories: Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bartender of the Year, So Hot Right Now Restaurant and Stone Cold Stunner. These awards are geared toward places that have opened in about the past year, or people who have become involved in new ventures or otherwise changed the game in that time, which is why many renowned veterans don’t appear). Eater readers then voted to narrow the field to a final three in each category. From that final three, the Eater editorial team chose one to move forward. The national winners can be viewed here, but now, without further ado, here's who came out on top in Las Vegas.
Eater Awards 2015

Bill Milne

Andiron Steak & Sea. Photo: Bill Milne

Restaurant of the Year
Nominees: Lago by Julian Serrano, Yardbird Southern Kitchen & Table, Rivea, Andiron Steak & Sea and Bardot Brasserie
Finalists: Andiron Steak & Sea, Bardot Brasserie and Rivea
Winner: Andiron Steak & Sea
The third concept from Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla brings a steakhouse to the new Downtown Summerlin on the west side of Las Vegas. Fans have raved about the menu at Andiron Steak & Sea that offers Strip-quality fare to the "suburbs." The newest? Brunch.

Bill Milne

Kim Canteenwalla. Photo: Bill Milne

Chef of the Year
Nominees: Bruno Riou at Rivea, Dan Krohmer at Other Mama, Joshua Smith at Bardot Brasserie, Julian Serrano at Lago and Kim Canteenwalla at Andiron Steak & Sea.
Finalists: Kim Canteenwalla at Andiron Steak & Sea, Dan Krohmer at Other Mama and Joshua Smith at Bardot Brasserie.
Winner: Kim Canteenwalla at Andiron Steak & Sea
Kim Canteenwalla went from chef on the Strip to opening not one but three restaurants off the Strip. Honey Salt led the charge and won a Restaurant of the Year Award from Eater Vegas two years ago, followed by Made LV and now Andiron Steak & Sea.

Amelinda B Lee

David English. Photo: Amelinda B Lee

Bartender of the Year
Nominees: Ricardo Murcia at Lago, David English at Other Mama, Jeffrey Alexander at The Golden Tiki, Juyoung Kang at Delmonico Steakhouse and Craig Schoettler at Bardot Brasserie.
Finalists: Ricardo Murcia at Lago, David English at Other Mama and Jeffrey Alexander at The Golden Tiki.
Winner: David English at Other Mama
Dan Krohmer's Other Mama has taken Las Vegas by storm with its raw bar and inventive cocktails from David English. This little gem is worth the cab ride for tourists.

Salute Trattoria Italiana. Photo: Amelinda B Lee

So Hot Right Now Restaurant
Nominees: Salute Trattoria Italiana, Flock & Fowl, Other Mama, Glutton and Chada Street.
Finalists: Salute Trattoria Italiana, Flock & Fowl and Other Mama
Winner: Salute Trattoria Italiana
Salute Trattoria Italiana brings lighter fare from the Mediterranean off-Strip from the relatively new Clique Hospitality. In the short time Salute has been open at Red Rock Resort, fans have raved about the table side service and smaller plates from chef Luciano Sautto.

MGM Resorts [Official Site]

Rivea. Photo: Delano

Stone Cold Stunner
Nominees: Rivea, Bardot Brasserie, Lago by Julian Serrano, Carbone and The Golden Tiki
Finalists: Rivea, Bardot Brasserie and Lago by Julian Serrano
Winner: Rivea
Alain Ducasse’s Rivea at the top of the Delano features one of the best views of the Strip, peering north from its perch on the 64th floor of the resort. But inside, the lighted "Wave Wall," made with hundreds of glass squares in a pattern that reflects the lapping motion of the Mediterranean garners diners’ attention. In a nod to the restaurant’s former decor, those 15,000 hand-blown glass spheres that made up the centerpiece custom-designed chandelier made in Murano, Italy, still sit in the center of the room. Plus inside the restaurant’s 50-seat private dining room find views of the Strip through floor-to-ceiling windows. There, a light fixture made from twinkling lights that mimic the constellations overhead may detract from Ducasse’s fare.