Local Restaurant Profile: Buddy V’s in Las Vegas

Your event venue and location are crucial to the attendee experience. Not only do attendees love to travel to exciting destinations, but they like to experience the local sights, culture, and, of course, cuisine.

With the launch of our new guide, “The Top 100 Meeting and Event Venues in the United States,” we’re going to share our interviews with premiere chefs and restaurant teams from the country’s most popular meeting and event cities. They’ll share what makes their restaurant stand out, how their city influences their flavors, and how they can accommodate events.

Buddy V’s Ristorante

3327 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Chef: Buddy Valastrowww.buddyvsrestaurants.com

TLC’s “Cake Boss” star Buddy Valastro has made his way from New Jersey to Las Vegas, with Buddy V’s Ristorante at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian | The Palazzo. Featuring casual dining amid an upscale, Italian decor, this classic Vegas restaurant features Mozzarella En Carozza, Lisa V’s Linguine & White Clam Sauce, Sunday Gravy, and Steak Pizzaiola. It also feature’s Buddy V’s signature dishes, including Italian Birthday Cake, Cannolis, and the famous, Flake Cream-Filled Lobster Tail Pastry. Here, Chef Buddy answers a few questions about his new restaurant.

Q: Who inspired you to become a chef/baker?

Valastro: “Baking is in my blood. I think I’m one of the lucky few who knew what they wanted to do with their lives at a very young age. Going to the bakery with my dad every day and watching them whip up these amazing creations really locked in that interest and determination to master the craft early on.”

Q: Aside from amazing culinary talents, what’s the most important personal quality for becoming a top chef/baker?

Valastro: “Commitment. It’s not for everyone! It’s crazy hours, lots of physical demands, and catering to a lot of different people’s palates. You really have to be committed and passionate to make it to the top.”

Q: Describe what makes your restaurant and cooking style unique?

Valastro: “Everything I make is produced with love. I am enjoying every minute of being in the kitchen and I feel like that comes through in the finished product. It isn’t systematic and routine, everything is made from the heart.”

Q: What’s your favorite meal to make?

Valastro: “I love making lobster tails. It’s incredibly involved and complicated. Making sfogliatelle pastry can get so difficult I’ve seen people cry, I swear – but I like it! It makes me think of my dad and I love knowing people are enjoying a truly hand-crafted recipe.”

Q: What do you love most about your restaurant? What makes you most proud?

Valastro: “I’m proud of how much we’ve managed to grow without ever losing our old school charm. With the success of our first television show, things suddenly went 1,000 mph and instead of letting it get out of our hands, we nurtured it as a family and made sure it would be something our parents would be proud of. I know they would be proud and that warms my heart in ways I couldn’t possibly describe.”

Q: What’s the largest number of people you’ve ever cooked for?

Valastro: “My family is HUGE! My wife and I cook for dozens of people every Sunday. We typically start with all of our mise en place on Friday night and start cooking on Saturday up until dinnertime on Sunday. We’re talking different pasta dishes, tons of appetizers, breads, lots of cake, roasted meats, grilled meats, vegetables prepared a few different ways. It’s incredible. People who come over for a Valastro Sunday dinner are always blown away.”

Q: What’s one of the best dished you’ve made for large groups? Family style dishes?

Valastro: “A hearty lasagna really goes a long way in a family-style setting, so I never want to ignore that. My grandmother’s recipe is mouthwatering and something so me and my sisters constantly crave. Outside of that, I really love whipping up a huge platter of my famous linguini and clams. We spend our summers down on the Jersey Shore and we always have tons of fresh clams so I’ll just start throwing it all together in our backyard’s outdoor kitchen. It’s a popular dish at the restaurants and in our home!”

Q: When are you happiest at work?

Valastro: “I’m happiest in the kitchen. These days, I’m pulled in a million different directions – operations, marketing, accounting, business development, procurement, production, everything! I love it, it’s incredible to be at the helm of this organization but at the end of the day, I’m a baker through and through. Getting into the kitchen and getting lost in creation is when I’m in my happy place.”

Q: What makes your restaurant unique compared to others in the city?

Valastro: “We’re still serving up the classics! Of course we offer up trendy recipes and designs but when you walk in our doors, you know you’re going to get something classic created with the best, all natural ingredients.”