One of Las Vegas’ top pastry chefs has a new home, where she recently launched a monthly Champagne and Caviar tasting. Chef Keris Kuwana is the new corporate pastry chef for the company that operates Liam’s Den in The Palazzo.
It’s a different kind of role for the creator of the immersive Tea Time in Wonderland, whose résumé also includes Aureole, Alex and Yardbird.
“I’m really excited about that because I actually haven’t been somebody’s pastry chef in like two years,” Kuwana told the Food and Loathing podcast. “It’ll be nice to kind of just create something and have something of my own that I can talk about.”
Located on the second level of the Grand Canal Shoppes, Liam’s Den is less a restaurant than a quiet escape from the bustle of the Palazzo casino floor just one floor below. General Manager Cesilia Berumen describes it as an elevated champagne lounge offering more than 15 sparkling wines by the glass.
“It’s meant to be a space away from the chaos of the casino floor,” Berumen explains. It’s a place for guests to “step away, kind of unwind, and just really feel like you’re in a luxurious setting which is also very approachable.”
Gina Paul, founder of Liam’s Enterprise, says she’s “thrilled” to have the veteran chef on the team, and “excited for the future.”
Welcome To Soirée
Kuwana’s new position has her overseeing desserts and special-event menus for both Liam’s Den and an upcoming off-Strip sister restaurant, JPs Brasserie. She’s also charged with supplying bites for a brand new series called Soirée. The monthly tasting, which launched July 18 at Liam’s Den, pairs different sparkling wines with small bites of caviar. Each ticket includes a welcome pour, followed by three caviar bites and a dessert, with a choice of a full glass of champagne or a specialty martini, for just $65.
“They give me a bottle of champagne and say, ‘Pair it,’” Kuwana told the Food and Loathing podcast at the inaugural edition of Soirée. “Having five or six different things to try to see if it pairs well with caviar is really fun.”
According to Berumen, the monthly series is intended to be as much a social gathering as a tasting.
“We’re doing caviar and champagne, just really to promote caviar conversations and have locals come out and have a fun place to hang out and just meet each other,” she said.
Future Soirée dates are expected to be announced through Liam’s Den’s website and social media channels.
Hear the complete interview with Kuwana and Berumen on the July 24 episode of the Food and Loathing podcast.
