Friends of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Chef’ cooking up memoir
Friends of chef Kerry Simon, who died last month, have found a treasure trove of personal journals and audiotapes they plan to incorporate into a memoir cookbook.
Simon’s longtime business partner Elizabeth Blau, Vegas Seven food critic/friend Al Mancini and chef Anne Callaghan are collaborating on the book, which is due out next year.
Mancini said in the month since Simon died “we have come across some personal journals and some audiotape of him talking about what he would want a memoir cookbook to be like. It’s going to allow us to add more of his words than what we had in the original draft.”
Mancini added, “It’s eerie and gut-wrenching, but it always brings a smile to my face to hear his voice.”
Blau said Mancini “has crafted stories and memories of Kerry’s colleagues and friends from his C.I.A. (Culinary Institute of America) days, his internships, the Plaza Hotel, Miami and Las Vegas chapters.”
Callaghan is editing the recipes, which were selected by Simon.
Simon, known as the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Chef” for his love of music and rock star clientele, died Sept. 11 after a two-year battle with a rare condition known as multiple system atrophy. He was 60.
After moving to Las Vegas in the late 1990s to run Prime steakhouse at Bellagio for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, he opened his own restaurants with Blau at the Hard Rock Hotel and Palms Place.
He won an “Iron Chef” episode against Cat Cora in 2005.
Simon will be memorialized at a private barbecue Sunday afternoon at the Keep Memory Alive Events Center at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
One of Simon’s requests was, instead of a funeral, a celebration of life be held.
“He didn’t want a service and he didn’t want his friends to be sad,” Blau said.
Family, friends and former employees have been invited. Twelve local chefs will prepare their specialities.
One of Simon’s closest friends, Rob Wells, who owns a brand marketing company in La Jolla, Calif., has put together a video tribute that includes Simon’s early years in the kitchen, his Pajama Brunch at Simon at Palms Place and other Las Vegas memories.
Local show producer and talent manager Seth Yudof is providing the musical entertainment.
Navratilova on mission
Nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova wants grunting banned from tennis.
She wants to see a rule in place that rids tennis of the noisy habit.
It not only takes away from the sport, she said, but “most of all its turning away our fans from the sport,” she told Brian Shapiro, host of “The Vegas Take” on Fox Sports Radio 670 AM.
She’s at the forefront of addressing it “a little bit stronger on the women’s tour.”
Players depend on hearing the sound of the ball coming off the racket “so much more than you think. It’s a disadvantage.”
Navratilova, who was No. 1 in the world in year-end rankings a record seven times, will face Steffi Graf tonight on a court outside Caesars Palace in a rematch of their legendary rivalry.
They are one of the featured attractions of the Mylan World Tennis Team Smash Hits, an AIDS benefit co-hosted by Elton John and Billy Jean King.
A tennis court has been constructed north of Serendipity ice cream shop that borders the Strip.
Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick are also among the former champions who will be competing.
On this day
Oct. 12, 2008: After a night of dinner and gambling, Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony renew their wedding vows at Caesars Palace. Lopez and Anthony hold another vow-renewal ceremony two years later before divorcing in 2011.
The scene and heard
Blue Man Group took its final bows Sunday at the Monte Carlo. The show is returning to the Luxor Nov. 18, where it made its Las Vegas debut on March 10, 2000. Blue Man Group moved to The Venetian in 2005 and the Monte Carlo in 2012.
Sightings
Elton John, back at Wax Trax on Sunday, on another shopping spree. He bought hundreds of records, including Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, U2 and The Marvelettes. … Actor Rob Lowe and his wife, Sheryl, spending some time with Celine Dion before her show on Saturday at the Colosseum (Caesars Palace). … Billy Jean King, giving a leadership talk to children from the Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children Tennis Foundation at Lorenzi Park on Sunday. … Blas Elias, original and former drummer of Slaughter, being honored at the Hard Rock Cafe’s rock star brunch Sunday. It was part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Hard Rock Cafe. On the Hard Rock Cafe red carpet Saturday: polygamist Kody Brown and all four of his wives from the reality show “Sister Wives.” …. Jonathan Cain of Journey, taking in the 8 p.m. performance of “Rock of Ages” (Venetian) on Saturday. After being introduced, Cain joined the cast backstage for a post-show photo. … Rock star Lou Gramm, the original lead singer of Foreigner, joined Wynonna Judd onstage at The Venetian Theater on Saturday. They teamed up on “I Want to Know What Love Is,” Journey’s No 1 hit in 1985.
The punch line
“Ultimate fighting champion Ronda Rousey is mad at Justin Bieber because Bieber refused to take a picture with her little sister. Bieber’s funeral is tomorrow.” — Conan O’Brien
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke.