Posts Tagged ‘Baby Cakes’

 

Meet the M Resort’s “Willie Wonka” of Pastries & Chocolate

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Claude Canestrier

Chef Jean-Claude

Take a walk through our Studio B Buffet or Baby Cakes patisserie and you’re bound to see some of Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Claude Canestrier’s culinary artistry. From pulled sugar sculptures to a collection of  exquisite chocolates , Chef Jean-Claude is a confection master. His many distinguished awards include winning the title of World Champion Pastry Chef in 2002 and the USA National Pastry Championship in 2001.

What began as a love for sweet treats quickly became a career. With more than 25 years of experience, Chef Jean-Claude (and his team) whip up confections daily for hundreds and thousands of guests dining at the M Resort or having events, meetings and parties here. His creations are featured in the buffet, patisserie and throughout the resort.

On a walk through the pastry kitchen, Chef Jean-Claude offers an insider’s view of the operation. Trays of Christmas cookies are stacked on rolling racks. Shells for gingerbread houses sit waiting to be used. Chef Jean-Claude, in his white jacket, makes sure every last drop of frosting is spread evenly and to perfection. He wipes his hands on his flour-covered jacket. Looking down, his shoes are equally splattered with frosting and sugar – true marks of a pastry chef.

 Gingerbread Cookies

“Our desserts are prepared from quality ingredients, filled with flavor and texture and beautifully presented,” says Chef Jean-Claude, in his charismatic French accent. You can tell that this is one Frenchman who is quite serious about his sweets.

“I don’t really have a favorite thing to make. I do what I have to do. I make gingerbread houses, sugar displays, cakes, gelato. People love gelato,” he says shrugging. “But I can’t make a lot of interesting flavors because people always like just chocolate, strawberry, vanilla,” he says with a smirk.

His days are long and end with lists of more things to do the next day. “I enjoy it, though. I love to see people happy and enjoying the desserts that I have made,” says Chef Jean-Claude.

*****

Our “Willie Wonka” will be whipping up weekly specials inside Baby Cakes, starting today.

  • This week – Signature M Sugar Cookies
  • Week 2 – Christmas Fruit Cakes
  • Week 3 – Chocolate Orange Panettone
  • Week 4 – Italian Holiday Pine Nut Cookies

Just follow your nose…but, if you can’t smell…Baby Cakes is conveniently located adjacent to the main lobby.

Hours – Sun-Thurs: 7 am to 10 pm; Fri-Sat: 7 am to 11 pm

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When You’re Here – It’s All About Our Food

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

To say that food is important to the M Resort is an understatement. We have nearly 30,000 square feet of kitchen and culinary work areas dedicated to the culinary arts. We have our own reserve list of Marnell family beef at Terzetto, our steak and seafood restaurant and a bounty of live fish arrive daily and are housed in our ocean of tanks within our main kitchen. In addition to our fresh food, we also have our very own wine created from grapes from the Marnell family vineyard. We even have homemade gelato and artisan breads.

Our love of food though isn’t anything new. If you aren’t familiar, the Marnell family is credited with bringing many unique culinary innovations to the Las Vegas market while owning and operating the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino from 1992 to 2001. Many of the innovations are still widely used today. Below is a sample of some:

First in Las Vegas to host James Beard Out-of-House Events, which included the most recognized American celebrity chefs. It was the catalyst in attracting the late Jean-Louis Palladin, who eventually made the Napa Restaurant his home.
First in Las Vegas to introduce programs that exemplified an unsurpassed dedication to food.
First full seafood buffet in Las Vegas.  
First in Las Vegas to sell specialty foods made on premise.
First to establish roof restaurants and lounges in Las Vegas.
First to have a master sommelier on staff in Las Vegas.
First to have own charcuterie on premises in Las Vegas.
First to open the largest wine cellar and tasting to the public.

If you’ve eaten at our restaurants, let us know your favorite meal. If you haven’t eaten here, what are you waiting for? 

Here’s a sample of some of our favorite dishes.

Osso Bucco, mushroom risotto & roasted vegetables @ Marinelli’s
Maryland Lump Crab Cakes, mustard remoulade & lemon @ Terzetto
Banana Gelato and Vanilla Bean Gelato @ Baby Cakes
Surf ‘N Turf Roll, spicy tuna, kobe beef, sushi rice, nor seaweed @ Veloce Cibo
Tiramisu, mascarpone cream & coffee lady fingers @ Marinelli’s
Flan @ Baby Cakes
Filet Mignon w/ Bearnaise Sauce @ Terzetto
Tomahawk Ribeye @ Terzetto
Chicken Lettuce Wraps, spiced chicken, peanuts, green onion & water chestnuts @ Veloce Cibo

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