This summer, some of the most lauded chefs in the world are descending on Las Vegas for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants event. The annual awards ceremony crowns 50 winners from around the world and has selected Las Vegas as its host city for 2024. There is no criteria that a restaurant has to meet and the voting panel is assigned no pre-determined checklist of criteria or definition for what makes a restaurant the “best” — they just… go off of vibes. But the U.S. rarely appears on the list so it’s an exciting recognition for Las Vegas as a city to be taken seriously for its culinary diversity and talent. And as a city that knows how to party, one can expect Vegas to go all out once in the company of big-name chefs from around the world.
For five days, the World’s 50 Best will stage events, collaborative dinners, master classes, and a big-ticket food festival. It culminates in an award ceremony at the Wynn on June 5, 2024. Here are some of the ways you can get involved.
Check back often as this guide will be updated as further events are announced.
Monday, June 3
The Wynn Las Vegas will host two collaborative dinners with resident chefs and chefs who have previously earned a 50 Best chef title. Chef Sarah Thompson of Casa Playa will host a dinner with chef Elena Reygadas from Mexico City. Reygadas was named the World’s Best Female Chef 2023. The dinner at Casa Playa will only be open to about 85 people.
Chef Jeff Ramsey of Mizumi will host a dinner at Mizumi with chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn. The Thailand-based chef recently led his first Bangkok restaurant, Le Du, to the first position in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.
Details including timing and pricing will be announced in the coming weeks.
Wednesday, June 5
Wednesday will mark the kick-off to Revelry, the Wynn’s four-day culinary festival taking place Wednesday, June 5 through Saturday, June 8, at the Las Vegas Strip Resort.
Several chefs will collaborate for an “East Meets Best” dinner at Wing Lei. Chef Xian Ming Yu from Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas will join chef Andre Chiang of Sichuan Moon at Wynn Palace, chef Tam Kwok Fung of Chef Tam’s Seasons at Wynn Palace, chef Henry Zhang of Golden Flower at Wynn Macau, and Chef Jen Yee, the executive pastry chef at Wynn Las Vegas, to prepare the chefs’ takes on haute Chinese cooking. Tickets are $425 per person.
Thursday, June 6
The Icons Dinner is a 50 Best Signature Series event and part of Revelry. It brings together some of the biggest names in culinary to host one dinner at Lakeside — and it has a steep ticket price to match. The lineup includes chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, chef Junghyun Park of Atomix, chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, chef Kyle Connaughton of Single Thread, chef Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn, pastry chef Pía Salazar of Nuema, and pastry chef Dominique Ansel of Dominique Ansel Bakery. The dinner will be open to just 100 people and tickets are $2,000 per person.
Dubbed “Class in the Glass,” Wynn master mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini and award-winning mixologist Kate Gerwin of Happy Accidents will lead a mixology class and tasting, showcasing how to reimagine classic cocktails. The class is at 2 p.m. at Casa Playa. Tickets are $195 per person.
Mercer Boarini will host a speakeasy, called the “Living Room at Intrigue” on Thursday and Friday night.
Friday, June 7
The Revelry All-Stars Dinner will be a six-course dinner prepared by many visiting award-winning chefs. James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Christopher Lee hosts a three-hour event that will feature dishes from Philip Tessier, chef of Press in California, Brad Kilgore of Kilgore Culinary, chef-restaurateur Angie Mar of Le B, Margarita Manzke of République in Los Angeles, and Jennifer Yee, pastry chef for Wynn Las Vegas. Tickets are $1,000 per person. The dinner opens at 7 p.m. at Lakeside.
Saturday, June 8
Easily the most accessible event of the lot, Wynn will host a food festival, Revelry: The Feast, on Saturday night. Expect top-notch production value for the four themed areas that will comprise the inaugural food festival. Unlike food festivals where you may approach a food truck or counter for a sample of cooking, the Feast will offer lots of seating, passed hors d’oeuvres, and food from award-winning chefs. It all takes place on the Wynn Event Pavilion and Lawn, in view of the Sphere.
The Road to Tulum area of the festival will be set apart with wisps of white and gauzy decoration, chic white furniture, and a service team dressed to fit right in. Chef Thompson of Casa Playa will collaborate with chef Gilberto Cetina of Holbox and pastry chef Jen Yee to celebrate coastal Mexican food.
The Shibuya Crossing quadrant of the Feast will take on the aesthetic of an urban Japanese food market. Chefs including Michelin-recognized chef Jeff Ramsey of Mizumi, pastry chef Erika Chan of Dunsmoor, self-proclaimed “dry-aged fish guy” Liwei Liao, and online creator Yakitoriguy will serve their elevated interpretations of Japanese street foods, inventive sushi preparations, and small dishes.
For the Casbah Marketplace, James Beard award-honored chef Alon Shaya of Safta 1964 will collaborate with chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz of San Francisco’s Dalida to prepare savory dishes, freshly baked pastries, and signature beverages from the Mediterranean and Middle East.
And the Four Sixes Ranch Country Cookout area of the festival will bring together Andrew and Michelle Muñoz of Moo’s Craft Barbecue and pastry chef Heather Wong of Flouring Cake Shop. Expect cuts from Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan’s Four Sixes Ranch cooked on wood-burning rotisseries and barbecued specialties from a custom-built outdoor smoker, plus a selection of artisan brews, great wines, and spirits.
Tickets to the Feast are available for $300 with an additional VIP experience option for $600.