Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 | 10:36 a.m.
The world's original celebrity chef is looking to open a restaurant in Las Vegas.
Paul Bocuse -- the man who invented nouvelle cuisine -- is negotiating to open a restaurant in Mandalay Bay, VegasBeat has learned.
He and his corporate partner in the venture, e-brands, are close to striking a deal to take over the space now occupied by Shanghai Lilly, next to Aureole and across from China Grill.
"Nothing has been signed, but I can confirm that it is likely you will see a Bocuse restaurant in Las Vegas sooner rather than later," Bocuse's son Jerome told us by phone from his Orlando, Fla., office Tuesday.
As VegasBeat reported Monday, Paul Bocuse was at Mandalay Bay last weekend lunching with one of his proteges, Aureole Executive Chef Philippe Rispoli. Bocuse and his son also dined at AquaKnox (Venetian).
The senior Bocuse, who turns 78 in February, comes from a long line of chefs.
In the late 1950s he took over from his father the family's failing 200-year-old restaurant near Lyon, France. Within a few years Bocuse had earned three Michelin stars, the restaurant world's highest international honor.
He turned the restaurant, Auberge de Collonges, into a gastronomic Mecca by introducing a style now known as nouvelle cuisine.
Simply, he avoided the traditional French use of heavy cream and butter, using simpler recipes and market-fresh food and emphasizing natural flavors and textures.
The concept caught on, and Bocuse became an unofficial ambassador of the new cuisine and wrote several best-selling books.
In 1979, years before anyone else, he lent his name to a line of gourmet foodstuffs and cooking products.
Bocuse is no stranger to the American market. Bocuse heads up the Pavilion des Chefs du France at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in Florida. In 1989 he was voted "Chef of the Century" by the Gault and Millau guide.
High note
The world's most acclaimed tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, will kick off his 2004 World Tour at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Feb. 28.
"The opportunity to spend an evening with Luciano Pavarotti in an intimate venue such as The Colosseum (which seats about 4,000) makes this performance a truly unique ... experience, one that our guests will never forget," Caesars prez Mark Juliano said in a statement.
Odds are that guests will also not forget that tickets to the show will top out at a staggering $800 each. That does not include the state's 10 percent entertainment tax -- so top tickets actually cost fans $880 each. And, there's an additional service charge if you get your tickets via Ticketmaster instead of the box office.
Low-end tickets start at $125. They all go on sale Friday.
Vegas TV
It is a logical next step -- a television network devoted to, and originating from, Las Vegas.
VTV, which will be introduced at next week's National Association of Television Programing Executives convention, is set for a February launch on cable systems nationwide (but not on the local Cox Communications system).
It'll start with 12 hours of daily programing. Among the programs expected to be in the lineup are a reality show called "The Nightclub," another one that that goes behind the scenes at local production shows and a "Survivor"-type contest where three people are given only $100 and asked to survive in Las Vegas for three days. No credit cards, phone calls or outside help allowed.
To better engage the public, producers are hoping to use the bridge in the OPM nightclub in the Forum Shops at Caesars as a set similar to the way MTV has its windowed set in a studio visible to passers-by in Times Square.
TV party
Television producer Caryn Mandbach will receive the NATPE 2004 David Susskind Lifetime Achievement Award at next week's industry gathering in Las Vegas.
With partners Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, she has helped some of the most influential shows of the last 30 years get on the air, including "Roseanne" and "The Cosby Show."
Her achievements will be celebrated with an open-to-the-public party at Risque (Paris Las Vegas) on Sunday night. Stars from several of her more- recent productions ("The Tracy Morgan Show," "That '70s Show," "Whoopi") are expected to attend.
Benefit booze
VegasBeat got a call from Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman inviting us out for a drink today.
Actually, he is inviting all of Las Vegas out for a drink with him today, and for a good cause.
As a benefit for Shade Tree women's and children's shelter, Hizzoner is hosting a "Martinis With the Mayor" event from 6 to 8 p.m. at Crustacean/Prana (Desert Passage at Aladdin).
"Come, have a drink, buy a raffle ticket, and maybe stay for dinner," Goodman said. "The food there is wonderful. And it is all for a great cause."
There is no admission charge to the event, but raffle and drink proceeds all go to Shade Tree.
Sponsor
The Material Girl is still just that.
Entertainment behemoth Clear Channel sent out a press release this week announcing that Madonna will kick off the 32-city U.S. leg of her world tour June 1 in San Francisco (no Las Vegas venue or date has been confirmed).
The release concludes: "Presenting Sponsorship for either the U.S. dates or the entire tour is available at $5M and $8M (million) respectively. Aligning your brand with a proven talent such as Madonna offers a unique platform for your brand and your consumer."
Hmmm ... The VegasBeat Madonna World Tour. It has a certain ring to it.
VegasBits
Policeman: Rock giant Sting plays The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Feb. 15. Tickets range from $155 to $505, plus tax and service charges, and go on sale Saturday ...
Party people: Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and chart-topping rappers Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz were among the revelers at JUICE, the new Sunday late-night party at House of Blues (Mandalay Bay) ...
Big Guest: Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe is the guest on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" today at 4:30 p.m. on Las Vegas ONE (Cox cable channel 19). The show is repeated at 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. Thursday...
From Sun wires
Nugent injured: Ted Nugent was injured on the Texas set of his reality show when a chain saw cut his leg.
The outspoken rocker, outdoors enthusiast and star of the VH1 series "Surviving Nugent: The Ted Commandments," required 40 stitches to close the gash in his leg on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the cable music channel said Tuesday.
Nugent didn't miss any time on the series, which is taping through Sunday and is scheduled to air in April. The 55-year-old rocker is wearing a brace on his leg.
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