Food News - Robert Irvine Protein Bar and A Giada De Laurentiis Las Vegas Restaurant

Photo - PRNewswire

Robert Irvine teamed up with FortiFX to create a protein bar, which launched earlier this week.  The protein bar is baked and "delivers 30 grams of the highest quality protein blend, including whey – elements the body can use.  Low in sugar, these bars are also easy to digest."  Robert claims it is as good as anything he's ever made.  If you are interested in trying a free sample, head over to the website for the protein bar and sign up for one (Link). 

Let me know how you think it tastes if you get one.  Maybe it will be good, but only one way to find out.  I bet if Robert was fed his protein bar on Restaurant Impossible, he would spit it out in a napkin and freak out.



In other Food Network news, Giada De Laurentiis is opening her first restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada.  It is set to open in early 2014 in the Gansevoort Hotel, which is currently being built.  The restaurant is rumored to be named Giada's and will have about 300 seats, and the food will be Italian with some Californian influences.  Another random fact is that today is Giada's 43rd birthday.


The press release about the restaurant is below:

Chef Giada De Laurentiis to Open Very First Restaurant at Gansevoort Las Vegas, Set to Open Early 2014

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chef, author and television personality Giada De Laurentiis plans to open her very first restaurant in early 2014 at the upcoming and all-new luxury lifestyle resort Gansevoort Las Vegas. This innovative concept is expected to open in early 2014 in conjunction with the hotel and casino. 

Located in the heart of the dynamic city of Las Vegas, De Laurentiis' outlet will become the cornerstone of the hip and luxurious destination, located on the second level above the casino floor. This outlet will boast al fresco dining and breathtaking views of the Las Vegas Strip and the Bellagio fountains.

"Ever since I was a little girl hanging out at my grandfather's restaurant, I've dreamed of having a restaurant of my own," says De Laurentiis. "I've held back on past opportunities because I really wanted to be ready for the responsibility and challenges that come with a restaurant. Now, I couldn't be more excited about working with Gansevoort Las Vegas and Caesars Entertainment to turn this dream into a delicious reality. The location, the al fresco dining and the views were just too good to pass up!"

De Laurentiis' cuisine will embrace her birthplace of Rome, mirroring her passion for Italian cooking with lighter, Californian influences. Guests can enjoy her signature dishes made famous through her many cookbooks and "Food Network" television shows, along with uniquely crafted family recipes that focus on quality ingredients and great flavors.

Guests will be greeted with delicious aromas of bread baking along with a signature antipasto station, a first for Italian eateries on the Strip. The appeal of an open and airy kitchen will set the space apart giving guests the opportunity to watch chefs prepare the specialty pasta of the day, create beautiful flatbreads and bake divine desserts.

"Gansevoort Las Vegas will be a completely unique boutique resort experience and will bring a new level of social excitement to the Las Vegas Strip. Drai's Beach Club and Nightclub, Drai's After Hours, the signature lobby bar, and now Giada's very first restaurant, are certain to set the destination apart," said Tariq Shaukat, chief marketing officer for Caesars Entertainment. "Giada's exuberant warm personality and dynamic style will undoubtedly result in a restaurant that will not only be a perfect match for the experience we are creating, but also will become a destination in itself."

With De Laurentiis' vision in mind, the restaurant will be a completely new build-out, revealing a modern, yet sleek design with clean lines and pops of color.  Los Angeles-based Studio Collective, whose prestigious portfolio includes several well-known hospitality venues including Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills and Hyde Lounge at the Staples Center, will lead the overall design. The restaurant space will extend over the pedestrian walkway below, featuring large glass windows with daytime and nighttime views of the Strip. The overall design will bring forth a comfortable, warm and welcoming charm with natural light and unique energy. Posh living room-style furniture will provide a cozy space for guests to relax, while views of the open kitchen from the bar will create an air of excitement. Private dining room space will also be available for larger parties or group functions.

"Giada is a gem," said Caesars Entertainment Regional Vice President of Food and Beverage Jeffrey Frederick. "She's the first female celebrity chef to join the Caesars Entertainment family in Las Vegas and will fit right in with our lineup of many renowned chefs including Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa and Guy Savoy. Finally fans will experience firsthand Giada's style and sophistication via her restaurant's ambiance and cuisine." 

The new restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner and will accommodate nearly 300 guests. 

About Giada De Laurentiis

  Emmy Award-winning, globally renowned celebrity chef, television personality and New York Times best-selling author, Giada De Laurentiis brings her extensive culinary background to her new restaurant. De Laurentiis cultivated her staple Italian cuisine in the kitchen of her grandfather's restaurant and later commenced her culinary career at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.  Since her debut in 2002, De Laurentiis has become one of the Food Network's most recognizable faces, starring in many TV shows, "Everyday Italian," "Giada's Weekend Getaways," "Giada in Paradise: Capri, Santorini, Monaco and Thailand," "Giada At Home" and the highly popular series, "Food Network Star."  She is also a correspondent on NBC's Today, where she highlights current trends in travel, cuisine and lifestyle. De Laurentiis is the author of six cookbooks, all of which have charted on the New York Times best-seller list, along with three upcoming new releases this Fall: Giada De Laurentiis's Recipe for Adventure: Naples! and Paris! (September 2013), the first two books in a new children's chapter book series that transports readers to famous food cities around the world; and Giada's Feel Good Food (November 2013), a collection of Giada's secrets for staying fit and her healthy recipes. Her culinary empire continues to expand with the opening of her first restaurant, at Gansevoort Las Vegas, anticipated to open in early 2014. De Laurentiis currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Todd and daughter, Jade.