Chef Fabio Viviani

Ai Pazzi Opens in Las Vegas

Fabio Viviani Brings Italian Flair to Rampart Casino

BY ELAINE & SCOTT HARRIS

Chef Fabio Viviani’s journey has taken him from humble beginnings to “Top Chef.” Over decades, he has created a refined, inviting atmosphere with a thoughtful menu of handmade pasta, fresh seafood, indulgent entrees, decadent desserts and handcrafted cocktails for his guests to savor with every sip and bite.

Viviani, as well as being a celebrity chef, is also a renowned hospitality developer, restaurateur, best-selling cookbook author and television personality. He was born and raised in Florence, Italy, and then moved to the United States in 2005 to pursue greater opportunities in the culinary world. His passion for hospitality and talent, paired with his effervescent charisma, has quickly propelled him to global fame.

He first captured attention in the United States in 2008 as a standout contestant on Bravo’s hit series “Top Chef,” where he was voted “fan favorite.” His success on the show led to a return appearance on “Top Chef: All Stars” and launched a thriving career that continues today.

Since then, Viviani has opened more than 40 restaurants, bars, and hospitality venues across the country, with many more in development. Through his company, Fabio Viviani Hospitality (FVH), he oversees a growing portfolio of acclaimed establishments, including LAGO, Giostra, Seville, Taverna Toscana, Taverna Costale, Adelina and Chuck Lager. His latest venture, Ai Pazzi, is located inside Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin in Las Vegas.

Chic Compass: We have one more celebrity chef in Las Vegas — that’s you. You grew up in Florence, correct? Was it your grandmother, mother or father who influenced you? How did you get your culinary inspiration?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I didn’t grow up running around creating great food. My family was broke — we had no money. Everyone in the house was working three or four jobs, including my grandmother and me. I started working at 11 years old because we needed the money.

My very first job was at a pastry shop. It was like a bakery. I used to work from midnight to seven in the morning. The guy who owned the bakery also owned an Italian restaurant. So, after a few years, he said, Hey, do you want to come on the savory side? Yeah, absolutely. I love it too. And that’s how I got into the restaurant business, the food business.

Chic Compass: You are like a self-made person then, pretty much.

Chef Fabio Viviani: Basically, I got stuck in the restaurant business. I didn’t have much to do with it.

Chic Compass: One of the things you’ve said is that you have been transforming comfort Italian food into high-end cuisine. What does that mean?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I like to keep things traditional. Just because you can do something different doesn’t mean you should. Now, Italian food is very peasant in a good way. It’s rich in flavor, but it’s poor in the sophistication of its ingredients. You know, there are some amazing ingredients — the Italian bottarga, the truffle, the stuff that no one else has. But in general, Italian food is very approachable. My idea is to create an environment that feels casually refined and present the food in a way that the service is more elevated, as you would find in Italy. The ambiance is better. The quality is the same. We elevate the experience, and the food is kept traditional.

Chic Compass: What are some things that you really want people to look at when they come to Ai Pazzi in Las Vegas for the very first time? What should they try?

Chef Fabio Viviani: My perfect first dinner would be about sharing with your table. Start with Italian focaccia — we make it fresh here every day. Then order a caprese salad and a fettuccine Alfredo, both prepared tableside. You’ll have fresh mozzarella made right in front of you, with fettuccine worthy of Rome for the weekend. After that, share a chicken parm — because chicken parm — and a bistecca alla Fiorentina, a two-and-a-half-inch T-bone. Why wouldn’t you?

Chic Compass: What do you want people to take away after they’ve just had that wonderful meal you just talked to me about? How would you want them to feel if they walked out of here and looked at the lovely restaurant, the decor, the ambiance, the rooms?

Chef Fabio Viviani: What I would like people to take away after they have dinner here is that maybe, although you’re not in actual Italy, the food is as good as it is out there. Because the way we prepare it, the craftsmanship, the things that we make from scratch, and the things that we make are just like we used to make them back then.

Chic Compass: Many people may want to become a chef or learn how to be a chef. What would you advise somebody, no matter what age, whether they’re 18 years old or 40 or 50?

Chef Fabio Viviani: Listen, whether you want to be a television chef or a restaurant chef, there’s a big difference. A TV chef has to look good on camera and make a dish. A restaurant chef has to please people and make a thousand of them. Regardless, here’s my advice: If you want to be in the restaurant business, start with a very simple principle — do it right, or someone is going to make you do it twice. That’s the only way to succeed. You can’t mess it up. It’s an expression of love coming from you to them.

With Ai Pazzi, Rampart Casino in Summerlin continues to raise the bar, as the addition of the global celebrity chef brings Italian tradition and elevated hospitality beyond the famed Las Vegas Strip. For more information, visit aipazzi.com.