FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2025
CONTACT:
Tina Jordan
203-840-5384
Naomi Greer
202-637-6506
For photos, scroll to bottom.
WORLD-RENOWNED CHEFS TO HEADLINE EVENTS AT
GAMING INDUSTRY’S FIRST F&B; AT G2E
Culinary Demo with Todd English, Oyster Shucking Competition
and Vertical Wine Tasting Among Highlights at G2E 2004
LAS VEGAS — Celebrity chefs from acclaimed restaurants Circo, Le Cirque, NOBU, Olives, Summer Shack and the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group will headline activities at the first F&B; at G2E, a culinary marketplace catering to the burgeoning food and beverage sector of the gaming industry. Sponsored by the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas, F&B; at G2E will be a unique event within Global Gaming Expo (G2E) encompassing exhibits, a dedicated conference track and special events, debuting Oct. 5-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“The breadth of activities and expertise available at F&B; at G2E makes this the must-attend event for executives interested in strengthening this area of their business,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, which organizes G2E along with trade show partner Reed Exhibitions.
F&B; at G2E will kick off G2E 2004 with the Neon Chefs, featuring two teams of Las Vegas chefs in a live competition modeled after The Food Network’s Iron Chef series. The Oct. 5 event, organized by the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas, will pit David Robbins, executive chef and managing partner of Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, and Peter Woo, executive chef at Hard Rock Hotel’s NOBU Restaurant, against Marc Poidevin, executive chef at Bellagio’s Le Cirque, and James Benson, executive chef at Bellagio’s Circo. Television personality Robin Leach will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, and judges will include Chris Marcoux, a partner with Shonkwiler-Marcoux Agency and a former chef; Lincoln Spoor, Krispy Kreme Nevada franchise owner; and Muriel Stevens, Nevada food critic and writer for the Las Vegas Sun.
The Epicurean Club will be coordinating special events for the F&B; show floor as well, such as a vertical wine tasting; cookbook signings; and holiday cocktail, wine and food pairing, and champagne tasting demonstrations, including a demo by renowned chef Todd English, creator of the Olives restaurants. The James Beard Foundation also will hold a dinner Oct. 6 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, coinciding with G2E.
“The Epicurean Club of Las Vegas recognizes the importance of F&B; within gaming and is proud to sponsor F&B; at G2E,” said Rino Armeni, the founder and first president of the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas and executive marketing director for Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. “With our members representing the leading Las Vegas F&B; executives, our support of F&B; at G2E is another way to continue our mission of sharing knowledge with the local community and the industry worldwide.”
In addition to the events organized by the Epicurean Club, F&B; at G2E will feature two special events produced in conjunction with Mohegan Sun.
The fastest oyster shuckers will compete for top prizes at the G2E Mohegan Sun Oyster Open
Finals, scheduled for Oct. 6. An elimination round will be held Aug. 13 at Nine Fine Irishmen, the Pub at New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Jasper White, owner of the Summer Shack restaurants at Mohegan Sun and in Boston and Cambridge, Mass., will serve as master of ceremonies for the finals competition.
“G2E clearly recognizes the significance of integrating all the facets of gaming into the show and conference, and Mohegan Sun is pleased to contribute to the new F&B; at G2E event,” said Gary Crowder, senior vice president of food and beverage at Mohegan Sun. “Our participation allows us to share with our peers in the industry our successes, best practices, challenges and opportunities. It is through sharing that the industry strengthens and evolves.”
On Oct. 7, G2E attendees will have the opportunity to sample from a replica of the world’s largest wedding cake. A complementary conference session will feature Mohegan Sun executive pastry chef Lynn Mansel detailing how his team of 57 chefs and pastry artisans built the giant cake, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in May.
This session will be part of a new F&B; conference track focusing on topics ranging from restaurant design and market expansion to franchising and profit potential. Speakers will include chefs, F&B; vice presidents and other gaming industry leaders. A dedicated F&B; exhibit area on the show floor will allow attendees to view products ranging from food and beverage and food service equipment and supplies to technology, décor and other items, and put vendors face to face with leading gaming industry F&B; executives and decision makers from across the country and around the world. Featured exhibitors include Oneida, Pepsi-Cola Company, Island Oasis, Ocean Spray, Classic Wines of California, and Cardinal Glassware Inc.
All F&B; special events will take place in the dedicated F&B; at G2E area of the G2E show floor. For more information or to register for G2E 2004 or exhibit at F&B; at G2E, visit www.globalgamingexpo.com.
Click here to see a photo of Mohegan Sun's World's Largest Wedding Cake.
*****************************************
Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the international gaming trade show and conference “by the industry and for the industry.” Organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions, G2E made its debut in fall 2001, defining itself as the pre-eminent show for the gaming-entertainment industry. G2E’s portfolio of global gaming events includes Casino Design and Racino.
The AGA represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.
Reed Exhibitions is a world leader in creating high profile, targeted industry events where buyers and suppliers come together to do business. Every year, Reed events bring together some 160,000 suppliers and over 9 million buyers from around the world. Today, Reed events are held in 35 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific, and are organized by 30 fully staffed offices. Reed’s portfolio of 470 events services 49 industries in 12 key sectors.
The Epicurean Club of Las Vegas is a nonprofit association of Nevada hospitality executives formed to share knowledge and fellowship, provide educational opportunities and support the local community.
# # #
