In a visionary move that marries dining
and design, The Mirage will launch Cravings, the hotel’s new buffet
concept, with design by internationally renowned designer, Adam D. Tihany.
In days gone by, the buffet represented an all-you-can-eat extravaganza
where the majority of the food was prepared out of sight. With the opening
of Cravings this May, the tables will turn and guests will see their food
prepared and enjoy its aroma as its served in an environment replete with
energy, color and animation. “The Las Vegas dining scene has evolved tremendously in the last decade.
The one element that has remained fairly unaltered is the buffet
experience,” said William P. McBeath, president of The Mirage. “I knew we
needed to turn to someone who had demonstrated he could use architectural
design to create a spectacular backdrop for the culinary experience. Adam
Tihany, the mastermind behind many of the world’s most breathtaking
interiors, immediately came to mind.”

Tapping into his experience with high-end, luxury restaurants and keeping
pace with dining design trends, Tihany created Cravings to echo the
experience of a gourmet culinary journey. Colorfully backlit-glass walls
will delineate each unique kitchen area while providing the backdrop to
resin tabletops tinged with amber hues. Zebrawood, terrazzo floors inlaid
with onyx, and a dramatic, shimmering metal ceiling installation, imported
from France, will offer a final exclamation point on Tihany’s modern
design. The effect will be a play on contrasting modern materials where
pure function is ensconced in pure design and will be unlike any buffet
ever seen.

When asked why he chose to take on this mainstream project, Tihany noted,
“Dining should be an equitable experience. I’m pleased to have the
opportunity to create a restaurant that can be experienced by all, without
the constraints of high prices.” Yet, as with a gourmet restaurant, menu
items will be innovative, prepared using the highest quality ingredients
and beautifully presented. Cravings will not only raise the bar on buffet
dining, it will change the definition of the world.

Bart Mahoney, vice president of food & beverage at The Mirage, said “The
buffet is an integral part of the Las Vegas dining scene, offering guests
a variety of cuisines and the opportunity to create their own menu. As the
Las Vegas experience continues to evolve, it makes sense for us to
reevaluate the one aspect of Las Vegas dining yet to be modernized.
Working with Adam, we’ve been able to update our buffet in a sophisticated
manner. Cravings will continue to offer a wide array of menu items for one
price. Only now, the experience will be more like those found in
contemporary, full-service restaurants.”

Sure to revolutionize the perception of all-you-can-eat dining, Cravings
will invite guests to take part in a culinary experience that moves beyond
the buffets of the past. From the moment diners arrive, Cravings will
tempt and indulge the senses. An array of flat-screen televisions will
display cooking shows from around the globe—different themes,
languages, and cuisines—bringing the world of food to The Mirage. Each
unique kitchen area will resemble a freestanding “restaurant” where chefs
will prepare international specialties. The sights, sounds and aromas of a
professional kitchen will be evident through viewing windows, and the
chef’s specialties will be presented in a manner reminiscent of banquets
of long ago—appealing, abundant and fresh from the kitchen. A creative
visual display of ingredients and products from each culinary region will
transport diners from one cuisine to the next.

After graduating from Milan’s Politecnico di Milano, School of
Architecture and Urban Planning, Tihany apprenticed in many design studios
gaining invaluable experience in furniture, lighting, product and interior
design. This experience serves him well as he created some of the world’s
most highly acclaimed hospitality designs including Per Se, Le Cirque
2000, and Jean Georges, all in New York; the Aleph and Exedra hotels in
Rome; the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London; the Shangri-La in Kuala
Lumpur; the historic King David Hotel in Jerusalem; and Aureole, with its
celebrated Wine Tower, in Las Vegas.

With the launch of Cravings, The Mirage is at the forefront of a major
dining revolution. By collaborating with one of the hospitality industry’s
foremost designers, the hotel demonstrates its commitment to high-quality
food in a sophisticated environment. One trip around Cravings dining room
and the word “buffet” will be eliminated from the vocabulary forever. This
is still dining for one price. This is still all-you-can-eat. There is
still a wide array of cuisines, but this is no longer the traditional
buffet. This is Cravings at The Mirage.
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