TROPICANA LAS VEGAS PARTNERS WITH ACCLAIMED CHEF CARLA PELLEGRINO

Release date: April 13, 2011  /  Print This     RSS    

TROPICANA LAS VEGAS PARTNERS WITH ACCLAIMED CHEF TO LAUNCH BACIO BY CARLA PELLEGRINO

Las Vegas, NV (April 6, 2011) – In the latest element of its comprehensive, $180 million transformation, Tropicana Las Vegas resort and casino has partnered with acclaimed chef Carla Pellegrino, former executive chef of Rao’s in Las Vegas, to reinvent Tropicana’s onsite Italian ristorante as “Bacio by Carla Pellegrino.” The Brazilian-born, Italian-raised Pellegrino, best-known by television audiences for beating celebrity chef Bobby Flay on his 2009 “Throwdown!” Christmas special, expects to have Bacio by Carla in full swing by mid-April.

“Carla is a superb addition to the culinary tapestry that we are creating at Tropicana Las Vegas. Her tireless energy and meticulous attention to detail fit perfectly with our brand,” stated Tom Recine, vice president of food & beverage and retail for Tropicana Las Vegas.

Carla Pellegrino (née Madeira) was born in Rio de Janeiro to a Portuguese father and a second-generation Italian mother. By age ten, she was helping run her mother’s catering business, which immersed her in traditional Brazilian, Italian and Portuguese cuisine. At sixteen she moved to Liguria, Italy and owned a modest store, where she conducted daily cooking demos. In 1997, travels brought her to the U.S. where she met and soon married Frank Pellegrino Jr., co-owner of Rao’s in Harlem. Together they opened Baldoria Restaurant in New York’s theatre district in 2000, and, intent on learning more about her craft, Carla enrolled in the French Culinary Institute, graduating with honors. Frank and Carla Pellegrino opened a second Rao’s in Las Vegas in 2006, where she led the culinary team as executive chef until 2010.

Beating celebrity chef Bobby Flay on his annual Christmas “Throwdown!” on the Food Network, Pellegrino has also cooked on “The “Today Show” and is a favorite at the acclaimed DeGustibus Cooking School in New York City. She is a VIP member of the James Beard Foundation and a Women in Food honoree at the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards Gala, among other honors. Pellegrino, who speaks four languages (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and English), has seen her recipes featured in six cookbooks including Meat and Potatoes and The New York Restaurant Cookbook: Recipes from the Dining Capital of the World.

The new Bacio menu, spotlighting authentic Italian recipes with a focus on fresh and high-quality ingredients, will include such salads as Insalata Di Arugula & Heirloom Tomatoes (baby arugula, Rosso Bruno tomatoes and red onions in citronette), Insalata Di Bresaola & Songino (mâche greens, Italian cured filet mignon, shaved fennel and fresh orange supreme in a balsamic vinegar dressing), and Insalatina Di Mare (calamari, shrimp, lobster, crabmeat, diced Gaeta olives, celery and red bell peppers in citronette). Antipasti will range from arancini (parmesan risotto crockets stuffed w/fresh mozzarella cheese and Parma prosciutto) to Affettati Misti (Parma prosciutto, salame and sopressata w/buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, grilled zucchini, marinated Spanish olives and Grana Padano cheese – serves two or more).

Primi entrées include Pasta Alla Marinara (choice of pasta w/slow-cooked marinara sauce), Cavatelli Con Cavolini & Pancetta (cavatelli noodles w/Brussels sprouts and pancetta), Tagliolini Neri Ai Frutti Di Mare (black squid-ink tagliolini noodles in shrimp, sea scallops, clams, mussels and calamari sauce) and Gnocchi Al Ragu (potato gnocchi in ground beef, veal, pork and tomato sauce). Secondi dishes include Scaloppini Al Marsala (thinly pounded veal scaloppini sautéed w/cremini mushrooms and Marsala wine), Vitello O Pollo Alla Parmeggiana (veal chop on the bone or chicken cutlet breaded and fried, w/marinara, parmesan and melted mozzarella cheese), Bistecca Alla Pizzaiola (seared, 17-oz. New York strip steak topped w/sautéed tomato strips, fresh oregano and extra virgin olive oil), Costoletta Di Agnello (broiled Colorado lamb chop w/rosemary potatoes and haricot vert, demi-glace & fresh mint sauce) and Branzino Con Vegetali (seared sea bass over grilled fennel, eggplant and zucchini, served w/extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and garlic emulsion). Pellegrino says that while there will be seasonal specials, she looks to maintain consistency for regulars who like to revisit their favorite dishes.

What meal, especially in indulgent Las Vegas, would be complete without dessert? Bacio by Carla Pellegrino will have a broad selection of authentic Italian sweets including Tiramisu (mascarpone cheese, coffee sabayon, Irish cream charlotte), Torta di Mele (classic fresh apple pie, served with caramel gelato), Torta di Ricotta (Italian ricotta cheesecake), Biscotti Assortitti (assorted Italian biscotti), Profiterol (pate choux filled with French vanilla gelato, topped with warm chocolate sauce) and Gelato e Sorbetti Assortitti (assorted gelato and sorbetti).

Of her new partnership with Tropicana Las Vegas, Pellegrino offered, “I am thrilled to join the Tropicana team. I feel welcome and comfortable on property – it feels like home to me since I relate to the Latin side of the project – and I am excited about working with Alex Yemenidjian, Tom McCartney and Tom Recine. I’m putting all my passion into the relaunch of Bacio, and I’m sure we’ll have the best authentic Italian food on the Strip!”

About Tropicana Las Vegas | www.TropLV.com
Tropicana Las Vegas is redefining the expectations of today’s global travelers with a major transformation scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011. In addition to a vibrant and exciting motif with a South Beach, Miami rhythm and vibe, the transformation of the hotel resort & casino includes a fresh redesign of every hotel room and suite, the casino, the conference center and exhibition hall, the transformation of the legendary four-acre pool area into Nikki Beach and Club Nikki, several new restaurants, bars, a new poker room, a new race and sports book, and a new spa and fitness center. Entertainment at Tropicana Las Vegas includes Gladys Knight, the Brad Garrett Comedy Club, Recycled Percussion, and Nikki Beach – the ultimate nightclub and beach club experience.

Tropicana Las Vegas is not affiliated with any other property or brand.

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