Chef Rick Moonen has achieved an unprecedented culmination of culinary feats starting with the much-anticipated unveiling of Rick Moonen's rm seafood upstairs, the fine dining element of his two-story eponymous restaurant. That announcement was soon followed by a James Beard semi-finalist nomination for "Best Chef Southwest" and news that he will be avenging his untimely Season One elimination from Bravo's Top Chef Masters as a returning contestant on the second season of the highly rated show, premiering April 7.
In anticipation of the reopening of Rick Moonen's rm seafood upstairs, Chef Moonen and his staff worked tirelessly during the past year crafting a dining experience that is second-to-none. Moonen has employed the expertise of Executive Chef Adam Sobel, whose enviable culinary experience includes working in the award-winning kitchens of Guy Savoy and Bradley Ogden, and Chef de Cuisine Gerald Chin, who made a name for himself in New York before joining Bradley Ogden's and Joël Robuchon's teams in Las Vegas. The three esteemed chefs have completely reinvented the menu to include distinctive and imaginative dishes presented with an artful flair.
"When I was creating the menu, I wanted to push the boundaries of fine dining and bring it to an entirely new level," Chef Moonen said. "The dishes we've produced are innovative, playful and even interactive - part of the Vegas dining experience that I felt was missing."
Proving that his culinary expertise extends far beyond simple seafood, Moonen serves up inventive dishes, such as Spider Crab, an item with artichoke, sunchoke and ruby red grapefruit surrounded by Dungeness crab which clings to the rim of the bowl like a spider; Onion Soup 3000, a deconstructed version of the French classic comprised of Gruyère custard, onion velouté served atop a caramelized onion chip; and the Chocolate Car Bomb, a creative combination of Guinness Beer ice cream topped with Baileys Original Irish Cream and beer suds.
Of course, a trip to rm seafood would not be complete without sustainable seafood done as only this restaurant can; jet-fresh menu favorites include Walu in Cherry Leaf with white soy emulsion, Shitake mushroom and Yuzu powder; Baked Tasmanian Ocean Trout with king crab, yellow endive and orange carpaccio; and Roasted Turbot with saffron chorizo congee, mussels and rice cracker.
Executive Chef Adam Sobel said, "When we set out to reestablish Rick Moonen's rm seafood upstairs we wanted to do the traditional untraditionally. And of course, to continue rm's commitment to using only sustainably caught seafood."
The thoughtfully crafted, completely sustainable wine list is compiled using a three-page questionnaire to hand select each label based on its sourcing and environmental practices. A diverse, 630-bottle selection offers choices that span the globe with options from up-and-coming American Viognier, some of France's finest Côtes-Du-Rhône and a stellar selection of premium sake.
Moonen's commitment to serving only the best seafood illustrates his ongoing advocacy for sustainable fishing practices and sound environmental stewardship. He is a founding member of the Seafood Choices Alliance, a non-profit organization that encourages other chefs and the food industry to make thoughtful choices in the seafood marketplace, as well as an active member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.
Chef Moonen explained, "We want the food our guests eat to not only be innovative, but thought-provoking as well. We want our diners to take pause and think about where their food came from. At my restaurant, only sustainably caught seafood is on the menu so our guests can take comfort in the fact that the food they're eating is not only delicious, but environmentally friendly as well."
With the completion of the upstairs menu, Moonen now is ready to take care of some unfinished business on Bravo's Top Chef Masters. On the first season of the popular reality series Chef Moonen failed to complete his Moon Doggies in the "Quick Fire Challenge" and while he received top marks in the final challenge this mistake cost him the competition. Luckily his winning personality and culinary prowess secured him a spot on Season Two and he's looking forward to showing the world what he is capable of cooking up.
Chef Moonen quipped, "I'm unbelievably thankful they're giving me a second chance to redeem myself. I want to show everyone that I could have been a contender."
Fans of the show will get to "watch what happens" when Top Chef Masters: Season Two premieres April 7 on Bravo. Chef Moonen will make his debut on the April 21 episode at 10 p.m. EST/PST. For a sneak peek go to: www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters/videos/the-masters-are-back.
