ChefLive

Gourmet cooking--it's all the rage these days. From celebrity chef-penned cookbooks to whole networks devoted to cuisine, kitchen craft has become wildly...See more » Gourmet cooking--it's all the rage these days. From celebrity chef-penned cookbooks to whole networks devoted to cuisine, kitchen craft has become wildly popular with audiences of all shapes and sizes. And this is even truer for Las Vegas, one of the world's great restaurant cities. Here enters Cheflive, an innovative cooking show filmed in the trendy and cool Holsum Lofts building in downtown Las Vegas' Arts District. Cheflive allows audiences to experience a full-fledged cooking show in a state-of-the-art broadcast studio. A range of chefs -- from top establishments in Las Vegas and beyond -- serve as the show's hosts. Cheflive's roster of celebrity chefs includes such luminaries as Hubert Keller, Luciano Pellegrini and Carlos Guia. On the day I visited, local top executive chef John McDermott walked me and my fellow audience members through a classic European bistro inspired dinner. First, we learned about the intricacies of blanching green leafy vegetables - in this case broccoli rabe - to keep their color and texture bright and fresh. Then Chef McDermott demonstrated the proper technique to make a smooth polenta. Along the way, he asked if there were any questions, which he answered happily in an easy-to-understand manner. Finally, for this part of the show, he sautéed the broccoli rabe greens and served them over the polenta. I was lucky enough to get a sample. The combination was superb. Chef McDermott then moved on to demonstrating a bistro stand-by: herb-coated whole roast chicken. He showed the audience how to prepare and truss a whole bird, and also how to coat it with an egg and herb mixture to create perfectly browned skin. It was simple yet elegant. For those who sampled the roasted chicken, it was delightful. Finally, dessert time arrived. Chef McDermott created a beautiful course of berries in light custard sauce with mint leaves. Again, as with the first and main course, chef happily answered questions about ingredients and cooking techniques. The desert itself was an elegant smash hit with those who sampled it. Throughout each Cheflive show, a crew of professional camera operators films the entire experience. So, in addition to being able to get a bird's-eye-view of Chef McDermott's table top via big screen HD televisions over the chef's table, audience members can later download the show from the Internet. It's rare to have a whole memory on demand. So whether you're reliving the show with friends and family or checking back on a useful cooking tip, your Cheflive show will always be at hand. With other chefs taking the kitchen reins in upcoming shows, there's a huge range of recipes and personalities waiting to be experienced at Cheflive. The Cheflive show is truly fun, entertaining and informative. It would make a great low-stress date, group get-together, business convention meeting, or unique party event.See less »