There is nothing quite like dining in your favorite restaurant with a few close friends. Or, if you’re Chef Scott Conant, a few hundred close friends. The acclaimed chef, author and restaurateur celebrated the grand opening of his latest restaurant, Masso Osteria at Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa on Feb. 13.
Conant, who is famous beyond the kitchen for his long-running Chopped role and frequent appearances on Beat Bobby Flay, spent the evening posing for photographs with fans and friends, while guests enjoyed the views from Masso Osteria’s outdoor patio and sampled the restaurant's signature dishes and drinks, including Margherita Pizza, Potato Gnocchi, Pasta al Pomodoro, The Italian Dragon cocktail with Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila luxardo maraschino, fresh lime juice, San Pellegrino pompelmo and the KMA Lightbulb cocktail, benefiting the Lou Ruvo Center and Keep Memory Alive.
Tuesday’s opening caps several months of planning and design that began with Conant’s vision to recreate familial Italian dining with a soulful twist. When seeking out a new location, the James Beard award winner chose to collaborate with Station Casinos and Red Rock, itself a multiple “Best of Las Vegas” award winner. Having long ago adopted Las Vegas as his second home, Conant chose the name “Masso” – Italian for “boulder” to reflect the rocky desert and mountain landscape that surrounds the city. “Osteria” is Italian for tavern and reflects the locals connection Conant sought in working with Station Casinos and Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa.
Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa is now Conant’s exclusive home in Southern Nevada, while Masso Osteria is the latest edition to his growing business empire, which includes New York’s Fusco, The Pointe Ristorante in Los Angeles, Mora Italian in Phoenix, and upcoming Italian steakhouse concept, Cellaio, in the Catskills, New York.
