Food Fight

By Alyson Boxman Levine

Over the last few years, the Atlantic City dining scene has received a Hollywood-style facelift. Numerous casinos have brought in big names from the culinary world in hopes of drawing in more customers and increasing revenue. This is great news for visitors and locals alike, as restaurant enthusiasts get to experience culinary excellence and witness firsthand the battle of the Atlantic City celebrity chefs.

The newest celebrity to throw his chef hat into the Atlantic City food arena is Gordon Ramsay, a three Michelin star chef, known not only for his superior cuisine, but also his popular foul-mouthed TV personality on “Hell’s Kitchen,” “MasterChef,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “MasterChef Jr.” and “Hotel Hell.” He is the latest culinary heavyweight to join the likes of Wolfgang Puck (Wolfgang Puck American Grille at the Borgata), Guy Fieri (Guy Fieri's Chophouse at Bally's), Steve Martorano (Martorano's at Harrah's Resort), and Bobby Flay (Bobby Flay Steak at the Borgata).

Enter the massive marble-clad lobby of Caesars and you are instantly transported to the Roman Empire. This lobby is, hands-down, Atlantic City’s most extravagant and reminiscent of a true Vegas-style entrance. Situated inside this grand area, Gordon Ramsay brings an authentic British Pub experience to the location with the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. Spanning from the main lobby to the casino floor, guests remain close to the action and are in safe hands with the exceptional Head Chef, La Tasha McCutchen, who rose to acclaim as the winner of “Hell’s Kitchen.”

Serving up a tasty menu, the venue features delicious British Pub favorites such as Scotch Eggs, Shepherd’s Pie, Ale-Battered Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash, and the famous Hell’s Kitchen Beef Wellington. The tantalizing dishes featured will keep even the most refined taste buds satisfied year round, with items changing seasonally to showcase New Jersey’s freshest fare and ingredients. The pub-like bar makes a stylish centerpiece and features more than 26 beers flowing on tap, and an additional 22 options for bottled beers from across the globe, as well as from local breweries.

Located in the Borgata, Wolfgang Puck American Grille offers two distinctive dining experiences, each with a different menu. Guests enter the restaurant on an elevated terrace “patio” which hangs above Borgata’s pedestrian walkway, creating a great place to people-watch in a casual, informal setting. The main dining room is more formal, and is separated by a magnificent bar and exhibition kitchen featuring Puck’s signature pizza oven. There are also two multipurpose, private dining rooms, which can open onto Puck’s first-ever Chef’s Table in the kitchen, an excellent space for parties and private gatherings.

Puck has changed the way Americans cook and eat by mixing formal French techniques and Asian- and California-influenced esthetics with the highest-quality ingredients. He has also changed the face of dining in cities throughout the nation, first in Los Angeles and then in Las Vegas, where he was the first star chef to create a contemporary fine dining restaurant, paving the way for other celebrated chefs.

Puck’s signature cuisine embodies the essence of his West Coast experience: the carefree and casual lifestyle, easy foods, pizza and pasta, and grill. Atlantic City diners experience Puck’s cuisine in a setting that is both casual and upscale. With Executive Chef Aram Mardigian at the reins, the exciting and extensive menu marries the favorite selections from Spago Beverly Hills and Postrio in San Francisco. Puck offers his signature pizzas and pastas, as well as flavorful steaks served in a sizzling skillet. 

The design of the restaurant is a celebration of autumn – the most colorful and warming of seasons – combined with the cheerful and casual California lifestyle that is so much a part of the Wolfgang Puck image. Designed by Tiny Chi, there is a sensual palette of colors and textures that beautifully reflects the East Coast, inspiring the dramatic “Falling Leaves” feature of the ceiling in the front of the restaurant.

When Al Pacino says your homemade meatballs are the best in the world, you’re onto something special. Restaurateur and Philadelphia native Steve Martorano—the “Godfather of Italian-American cooking”— brought his bold flavor and flair to Harrah’s Resort with his first location in the northeastern United States, simply named Martorano’s. Bring your appetite, because you’ll want to mangia the entire menu of Italian classics. Order up Martorano’s Signature Eggplant Stack, South Philly Cheesesteak, Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy, or Bucatini Carbonara and see why it doesn’t get better than this down-home, red-sauce Italian restaurant. Oh, and don’t forget to try Pacino’s favorite meatballs in the world.
        More than just a restaurant, Martorano’s is also a popular night spot; so come for dinner and stay for the party. The evening starts with the music of Sinatra, Martin, and Darrin. Then, as the evening progresses, the adrenaline starts to flow with R&B, disco, and hip-hop, with a pinch of classic rock peppered in. This unique concept has attracted the attention of today’s hottest celebrities; Martorano’s combines exceptional food and entertainment to create the most unique dining experience around.

Bobby Flay’s Steak House is described as a modern twist on the traditional steakhouse. World-renowned designer David Rockwell collaborated with Flay to create a chic, comfortable steakhouse that complements the exciting backdrop of the Borgata.  Bobby Flay Steak is an 11,000-square foot space fusing sleek, modern design elements with natural materials such as leather, cast glass, and hewn woods.   

Flay's culinary versatility is evident in the multiple talents he brings to the field: as critically-acclaimed chef/restaurateur, award-winning cookbook author, and television personality. However his first priority always remains with his restaurants.
Flay possesses a remarkable ability to create and retain the individual character of each of his projects, insisting on uniqueness and integrity. He works tirelessly to challenge diners' expectations and influence the way Americans view and taste food -- making it bold, zesty and always fun.

Inspired by Southern New Jersey’s indigenous ingredients – famous Jersey corn, tomatoes and produce – Flay riffs on traditional steakhouse sides with crave items such as Brooklyn Hash Browns, Smashed Baked Potato with crème fraiche, goat cheese and green onions, and Creamed Kale with roasted shallots. A nod to Borgata’s close proximity to the City of Brotherly Love, Flay offers a Philadelphia-Style Cheese Steak, a perfectly grilled rib-eye, hanger steak, New York strip or filet mignon with provolone cheese sauce and roasted mushrooms and onions; sure to be a mouth-watering hit. 

Housed in Bally’s, Guy Fieri’s Chophouse is the real deal -- a traditional steakhouse with a twist, overlooking Atlantic City’s famed boardwalk and beach. A mash up of flavors and classic styles, Guy’s restaurant includes a bevy of steak and seafood options – all in a relaxed joint. Complement your meal with a glass of California-sourced wine, a robust craft beer, or spirits from a small batch distillery. 

Guy Fieri is an American restaurateur, author, and Emmy-winning TV personality.  His shows “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”, “Road Show” and “Celebrity Cook-Off”, along with his spiky bleached-blond hair and colorful street attitude toward cooking and food have made him a star. Popular signature dishes with New Jersey flare, include the Java Rubbed Ribeye Chop, Filet with Roasted Garlic and Brown Butter, Spicy Bloody Mary Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Jersey Shore Clams Casino, Jersey Tomato Salad, and Cape May Fried Flounder. In Guy-speak, it sounds like the wheels are about to come off the bus on the way to Flavortown!

So who will win Atlantic City’s Battle of the Celebrity Chefs? For now, let’s just call it a tie (you know how temperamental chefs can get). The real winners are the restaurant zealots that get to experience diverse, innovative, world-class dining right here in Atlantic City.