Las Vegas chef reflects on ‘very tiny mistake’ on ‘Chopped’

“I was winning, and then I made a very tiny mistake,” Michael Gillet said.

So it goes with cooking shows, where even veteran chefs can make goofs that keep them from victory. Gillet settled for second place on the segment of “Chopped” that aired Tuesday night on Food Network.

“I lost in the dessert part, ironically,” said Gillet, executive pastry chef at Red Rock Resort, has had a storied career since his pastry apprenticeship in Burgundy, France, with postings at restaurants in New York; Naples, Fla.; and Beverly Hills.

He was competing in a segment called “Gold Medal Games: Baking.” All four contestants were pastry chefs, and they had to incorporate a baking technique in an appetizer, entree and dessert. The appetizer used lamb, Gillet said, the entree turkey legs and cauliflower and the dessert the French pastry cannele, a milkshake and butternut pudding, the latter being the ingredient that tripped him up.

“It’s not as easy as it looks, because of the time,” he said. “When you see the secret ingredients, you have a few seconds to start thinking.”

But he found the experience rewarding, and especially enjoyed the camaraderie with the other chefs. He was asked if he’d be interested in coming back on another show.

“You never know,” Gillet said. “We’ll see.”

Despite the outcome, “I won a lot of friends, and am grateful to be part of it.”

Another Mirage closing

The Mirage’s Chinese restaurant Fin will close Feb. 10. The news follows the closings of Samba Brazilian Steakhouse and Portofino late last year, and the earlier transition of Japonais to Otoro. A new Italian restaurant, Osteria Costa, is set to open in the old Samba space Feb. 1.

Local chefs mourn Bocuse

Las Vegas’ culinary community joined foodies around the world in mourning the death of legendary French chef Paul Bocuse over the weekend. Hubert Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Guy Savoy, Pierre Gagnaire, Rick Moonen and Julien Asseo were just a few of the chefs who took to social media to pay tribute to the pioneer of nouvelle cuisine. In the meantime, a chef from a local Michelin-starred restaurant has begun putting out feelers about a possible tribute dinner by the many in this town who have been influenced by the master.

Keller in on new caviar

Chef Thomas Keller is a partner in a new caviar company called Regiis Ova, which means “royal egg” in Latin. The product will be available at his restaurants, including Bouchon at The Venetian, as well as other restaurants and special events.

Sightings

Singer/actor Nick Jonas at Hakkasan at MGM Grand. Singer/songwriter Matt Goss at Kumi at Mandalay Bay. “This Is Us” actor Justin Hartley at Beer Park at Paris Las Vegas. Pro wrestler and author Austin Aries at Portion Control at The Gramercy.

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