Today we wrap up Season 7 of Cheftimony with a visit to the iconic Oscar’s Steakhouse in the Plaza Hotel & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas.Oscar’s really is a perfect fit for Cheftimony, given its blend of great food and fascinating legal stories. The restaurant’s namesake is Oscar Goodman, former mayor of Las Vegas and retired trial lawyer for alleged mobsters.I’ve recorded in the past about the wonderful Oscar Dinner Series that takes place at the Plaza, where a great dinner is served and Oscar himself tells stories from his trial days. You can listen to Oscar’s talks on the Plaza’s own fantastic podcast, On the Corner of Main Street.Today you’ll hear from two key members of the team at Oscar’s. Executive Chef Ben Jenkins breaks down a few dishes from the menu – complete with tips for how to cook a great steak at home – and walks through the inner workings of a kitchen that regularly does hundreds of covers in a night. You’ll hear in Chef’s voice how much the food and great hospitality mean to him.After Ben, I’m joined by General Manager Chad Jahn who talks about leading the team at Oscar’s, going above and beyond for guests, and the good old days of dining in the 70s and 80s.Join us! It’s the culmination of a whole season of steakhouses.
As I’ve said so many times, food’s real importance is the human connection it fosters, and I talk about that today along with some of the things I’ve eaten recently.We start on Haida Gwaii with Jags and Blacktail (and although Gather was closed on our recent trip, I did get a great visit in with Chef Giulio!).Returning to the mainland, I have (repeatedly) visited Raku Japanese Kitchen in West Vancouver and I go on about some delicious watermelon from Grounded Acres Farm that turned up at my house. Finally, I look ahead to the next full episode of Cheftimony, the season-ender for our look at the mighty steakhouse. What are the odds we’ll return to Las Vegas to do that?
You are listening to Episode 083 of the Cheftimony Podcast.Friends, steakhouses, and SCOOP!
When you sit down at a steakhouse… …what really matters? Is it what’s on the plate… …or is it the experience that surrounds it? “I want a little pomp and circumstance!”These are wise words from Chef Claire Lassam of the wonderful Livia Sweets on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive.Claire, along with Michael Trager of the Vegas- and luxury-travel empire TravelZork, are my guests today as we talk through how a good steakhouse curates a feeling and all the little details that make up a great experience. Long-time listeners will remember Claire from Episode 044 of the show and Michael from Episode 057. Today, it’s all about the feels. Order your favourite drink, choose your cut and your sides, and sink into your chair for the talk. To the steakhouse we go.
Is a secret to the steakhouse’s enduring appeal that it offers something for everyone? I think that must be at least part of the answer.In my first interview today, I re-connect with the impressive Las Vegas chef and entrepreneur Gary FX LaMorte. Gary has designed a lot of menus over a lot of years, and he talks about the importance to the menu of both familiarity (70% of menu items should sit comfortably with guests) and variety (everyone should be able to order something). Steakhouses have this math right.Gary first joined me on Episode 064 of Cheftimony where we talked about his early days in the Vegas culinary scene and his more recent work through Honest Hospitality, cooking for the Las Vegas Raiders and many others. Today, Gary and I dive into why the steakhouse works as well as it does and a few of chef’s steakhouse picks in Las Vegas.Up next, you’ll hear from Sonia and Dave of the excellent youtube channel Daverrason Travels and the podcast by Texans for everyone, It’s Vegas Y’all. Dave and Sonia explain the difference between the Texas steakhouse and the Vegas steakhouse, and we visit a few spots on the Strip and Downtown. While they have a soft spot for Andiamo Downtown, these two have also witnessed the presentation of the over-the-top $1,000 Australian wagyu tomahawk at Papi Steak in the Fountainbleau Las Vegas.Finally today, you’ll hear from the always-engaging Josh “Vegas” Duffy of the extremely popular Crap Vegas podcast. Josh first appeared on Cheftimony in November 2024 after we and many others enjoyed a great meal at Sinatra restaurant at the Wynn resort and casino. Today, Josh and I talk about the broad appeal of steakhouses, a difference in wine service between two top spots on the Strip and – for good measure - McDonald’s in Europe and dessert in Seattle!Right this way, the steakhouse is about to open once more.