OUR TEAM

Some of the important players who make the service and food what is . . .

Emeril Lagasse, Executive Chef/Proprietor

Chef Emeril Lagasse received his first culinary experience from his mother, Hilda, when he was a boy growing up in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he worked at a Portuguese bakery where he mastered the art of bread and pastry baking. Upon high school graduation, Lagasse was offered a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, but decided to pursue a career as a professional chef.

Read complete biography in the Emerilology Section »

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Vincent Chiyuto, Chef de Cuisine

Vincent Chiyuto has been a fixture in the kitchen since childhood, preparing Italian favorites at family gatherings and holidays.

After graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in 2000, Chiyuto worked in top kitchens in New York City and honed his skills in classic French cuisine.

In 2001, Chiyuto made the move to Las Vegas, where he would join Chef Emeril Lagasse at Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian. He served as sous chef at Delmonico from March 2002 until December 2007 when Chef Emeril invited him to be part of the opening team at his newest restaurant project at The Palazzo, Table 10. When Emeril opened Table 10 in February 2008, Chiyuto was promoted to executive sous chef. In September 2009, Chiyuto was chosen to lead the kitchen team at Lagasse’s Stadium as chef de cuisine.

On game day, Chiyuto's team serves up Chef Emeril’s signature New Orleans dishes and tailgate favorites to scores of hungry fans. When he’s not in the kitchen, you can find Chiyuto at the game cheering on his favorite team in person.

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Marc Zakin, General Manager

Marc Zakin grew up in New York City, before setting off to begin his career in one of America’s greatest entertainment meccas – Las Vegas. As he worked behind the scenes at some of Las Vegas’ bustling restaurants, he witnessed the amount of energy that went in to creating every meal, and it was here that he first discovered his passion for the restaurant business and mastered the art of true hospitality.

One of his early industry experiences was at the Las Vegas outpost of Hofbräuhaus, the German restaurant and beer hall, where he learned the ropes while working in the restaurant’s kitchen and back of the house.

Over the next few years, Zakin made his mark in several management posts in the front of the house at some of Vegas’ busy eateries – both upscale and casual dining. In 2003, he became a general manager at a popular local sports pub with the Golden Tavern Group.

In January 2009, when Emeril Lagasse was designing plans for Lagasse’s Stadium – his new sports restaurant and bar at The Palazzo, he set out to find someone with a deep understanding of the hospitality industry, who shared the same service philosophy and a real love of sports.

As general manager at Lagasse’s Stadium, Zakin now leads the Stadium team and inspires them to create the same level of fun and comfort that you would find if you were watching the game at home. On game days, he can be found entertaining a host of loyal fans – locals, visitors and serious foodies alike – seeking the best in sports, entertainment and food.

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