Meet every top chef and bartender in Vegas for just 1 night

Vegas Unstripped, the festival celebrating top Las Vegas chefs and barkeeps, returns for its sixth running from 6 to 9 p.m. April 27 at the Palms. Organizers Eric Gladstone and chef James Trees recently announced a confirmed complement of about 30 chefs and half a dozen mixologists.

These food and drink professionals represent independent establishments (mainly) and Strip properties. For the event, they are creating distinctive dishes and drinks they personally serve to attendees, something that sets Vegas Unstripped apart from other food festivals in the city.

Almost all expenses of the independents are covered by event revenue, and most principal staff are volunteers. Chefs and their staffs donate their time. Net proceeds from the event will be donated to the John Arena Foundation, which provides culinary experiences to people with neurological conditions, and to Help of Southern Nevada social services programs.

Tickets: $150. Purchase/list of participants: vegasunstripped.com. Attendees must be at least 21.

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Food & Wine magazine recently announced the winners of its annual Global Tastemakers Awards. Vegas ranked No. 9 among the top 10 U.S. cities for pastry.

The award summary cited Dominique Ansel, the famed pastry chef with shops in Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas; the Strip tradition of stupendous desserts; and independent bakeries such as Crown Bakery in Chinatown and Desert Bread, known for its sourdough.

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Through April, Don Vito’s, Primarily Prime Rib, Silverado Steak House and Zenshin at the South Point are offering a wine of the month featuring $20 bottles Hahn chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. From each bottle sold, $1 will be donated to Hospitality Charitable Foundation programs for local students pursuing careers in hospitality or culinary arts.

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On April 24, celebrated chef and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis will host a dinner to mark the release of her newest cookbook, “Super-Italian,” at her Giada restaurant atop The Cromwell. The meal features recipes from the new cookbook. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m.

Cost of $225 includes a signed copy of the cookbook and a dinner souvenir. Reservations: OpenTable.

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Cathédrale at Aria is presenting a tasting of Pappy Van Winkle, one of the world’s most sought-after and highly allocated bourbons. The tasting, offered during dinner service, consists of half-ounce pours of Van Winkle 10-year, 12-year, 15-year and 23-year, plus a takeaway wooden box with a Van Winkle glencairn sipping glass and a guide to the selections.

Cost: $500. Guests ordering the tasting may also add a 48-ounce wagyu tomahawk steak served tableside for $250 (normally $295). Reservations: aria.mgmresorts.com.

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Surprise! Kaia restaurant at Area15 presents its Sushi Roulette that features four pieces of nigiri, one of which conceals a blast of wasabi heat. Which one will it be? If you bite into the wasabi-packed piece first, you unlock a Blind Sushi Mystery Box ($15 value) from Superplastic, an interactive experience at Area15. Cost: $22. Visit area15.com.

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Longtime Vegas hospitality executive and restaurateur Richard Femenella is celebrating his 65th birthday beginning at 6 p.m. May 14 with The Magnificent Seven Wine Dinner at his restaurant, Mae Daly’s Fine Steaks & Whiskeys, 2211 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The Seven are leading food and drink figures who are close friends of Femenella.

The dinner features five courses paired with wines, including Mae Daly’s Two Barrels cabernet sauvignon. Cost of $250 includes tax and gratuity. Reservations: 702-845-3230 or richard@maedalys.com.

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Through May, IHeart Sushi is popping up four days a week at F the Bar in Fergusons Downtown, 1028 E. Fremont St. The pop-up menu features about a dozen bites, including furikake fries and chicken yakitori, plus dessert. Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and noon to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

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