Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/63192
ESSENTIAL WYNN eye for design, the Wynn Buff et off ers an elegant update on the all-you- can-eat experience. BY CATHERINE DE ORIO Thanks to a Herculean eff ort and an O 124 WYNN nce simply a way to keep gamblers fueled so they would stay at the casino, buffets are now an icon of the Vegas dining scene. No longer five-dollar all-you- can eat food troughs, they have become a destination, providing a luxurious dining experience. The Wynn Buffet further ups the ante, exceeds expectations, and is evidence that buffets are not all created equally. "Wynn takes everything to the next level, including what a buffet is in terms of quality, service, and food," says Wynn Buffet executive chef John Regan. A departure from cramped cafeteria-style buffets or institution-like dining rooms, Wynn follows the mantra "you eat with your eyes first" by dazzling diners with accoutrements before one even reaches the food. "What sets us apart from other buffets in town is our décor and service," explains Regan. An arched, glass-ceiling atrium bathes the central room with natural light, lending a warm, welcoming ambience. Wynn delights the diner with towering sculptures built from flora and fruit in whimsical shapes and brilliant colors. For sunlight-shy groups, there is the option of renting the private din- ing area off the atrium. The highly polished marble floors of the Buffet's voluminous walkway lead to mir- rored halls where guests are welcomed by trays of pristinely plated food options. "Guests of Wynn come in with ele- vated expectations," says Regan, "and that high quality must be delivered." With precision and efficiency, the Buffet is built for three weekday dining services: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Brunch and gourmet dinner service is available on the weekends. Offering more than 100 items and a rotation of more than 100 cooks, 35 servers, 39 bussers, and 18 hostesses, not to mention the front-of-house staff and auxiliary kitchens like garde manger and pastry (28 departments in total), a veritable army delivers a feast to the guests. And quite a feast it is: Classics like prime rib and Opilio crab legs mingle alongside carved-to-order honey-basted bacon and citrus- tarragon-glazed carved salmon. The constant influx of both national and international visitors demands options to please a plethora of palates. Wynn naturally rises to the challenge with 16 different action stations ranging from sushi and shellfish to American favorites with a twist—think Kobe beef meatloaf. Each station is attended by staff eager to create made-to-order dishes. Italian favorites are abundant, but the bril- liant green sweet pea risotto with forest mushrooms steals the show. International cuisines like Indian and Mexican rotate through the grill station with offerings such as Moroccan-spice lamb T-bone. A sweetshop station boasts a gelato stand, rows of red-velvet cupcakes, a made-to- order crêpe station, and freshly made crème brûlées. "The Buffet is like running 16 different restaurants," says Regan. Of course, Wynn offers a generous selection of vegetarian and vegan lush foliage tower over hungry guests seeking respite in the Buff et's atrium; the cupcakes might be miniature, but they pack a from top to bottom: Colorful fl owers and fl avorful punch; prime rib is one of the many succulent options at the Wynn Buff et carving station. offerings, ranging from a veggie-sausage Bolognese sauce at the pasta station to vegan chocolate-chip cookies. And there is always a chef nearby to discuss options for dietary restrictions. If the Devil is truly in the details, he has taken up residence in this Sin City resort. Not one thing is left to chance: Menus are conceived and tested months in advance to bring the best to their guests. And taste isn't the only factor—the meticulous plate arrangement also plays a role. "I keep a chart to lay out placement of dishes based upon the colors of each dish to create maximum visual appeal," Regan says. Commonplace stainless-steel pans are replaced with gleaming ceramic inserts, and staff members dedicated to keeping the counters drip-free rotate con- stantly. There's no magic here, just painstaking attention to detail and hard work. Glancing around the room, Regan jokes, "We don't have smoke, but we have a lot of mirrors." ■ A BOUNTY OF RICHES PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF GREEN (FOOD); BARBARA KRAFT (ATRIUM)