Continental Magazine Cover Story: Charlie Palmer Steak

Strip Steaks - After 10 years in Las Vegas, Charlie Palmer continues his winning streak

By David Kaufman

Ten years is a long time to be known as a pioneer, but a decade after becoming one of the first major East Coast chefs to open a restaurant in Las Vegas, Charlie Palmer can still take pride in his first-mover status. Of course, since his arrival, Sin City has emerged as one of America's true foodie capitals, with everyone from France's Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon to David Burke and Charlie Trotter opening outposts in resorts on its famed Strip. But it was Palmer who first took a chance out west in 1999 with the simultaneous debut of two much-lauded restaurants — a branch of his Manhattan flagship Aureole in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and his first Charlie Palmer Steak, in the adjacent Four Seasons Hotel.

Charlie Palmer Steak (3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702.632.5120) wasn't originally intended to help mark the chef's Vegas arrival. "Because of our great following at Aureole, we were developing Charlie Palmer Steak for New York," Palmer recalls. "But opting for Vegas allowed us the chance to evolve the concept and create a steak house like a steak house should be."

A decade on, Charlie Palmer Steak has a newly updated look, but its mission — to serve "progressive American cooking" — remains true to Palmer's original vision. Cool and clubby, this is a classic steak house with a twist. In addition to hearty New York strips and ribeyes, there are options like Japanese wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork tenderloin as well as pastas, salads, and even sashimi. "We are using the absolute best products, but in a novel way — say, a tomato salad paired with caramelized watermelon or sweetbread-filled ravioli," says Palmer, whose portfolio now includes more than a dozen restaurants across the United States. The idea, he adds, is to create "interesting taste combinations that make you say, 'I want to eat that again.'"

Vegas holds a special pull for Palmer, who remains as devoted to his everyday diners as to the first-timers who stop in for the meal of a lifetime. In fact, much of Charlie Palmer Steak's business comes from locals who favor the Four Seasons' lower-key atmosphere and gambling-free environment. It's not necessarily "cutting-edge," Palmer concedes, but warm, modern, and inviting. "Our biggest compliment is how comfortable it feels," he adds.

Ten years after first making his mark on Las Vegas, Palmer's competition has never been more formidable. But as the chef who helped usher in the city's culinary revolution, Palmer's well-earned status as a leader of Vegas' food movement is secure.

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