BEAUTY & ESSEX TO OPEN AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS THIS MAY

TAO Group and Chef Chris Santos will debut Beauty & Essex at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas this May. The opening marks the second location of the New York City pawn shop, restaurant and lounge that originated in 2010 from the chef who pioneered the small, share plate dining trend that has swept the nation. The restaurant will be open to the public for dinner starting May 16, 2016.

Spanning 10,000 square feet, the Rockwell Group-designed space celebrates the exquisite beauty of jewels. With over 230 seats for dining, and another 90 seats in the bar and lounge, the restaurant explores jewels in all forms—from pearls and gemstones to vintage jewelry boxes, to antique and heirloom pieces. Guests will experience a dramatic transition as they journey through the gritty pawn shop-inspired space to discover a light and decadent entry, before arriving in the Pearl Lounge. Here, a custom chandelier comprised of thousands of draped pearls which radiate from the ceiling and down the walls to plush, tufted purple banquettes. The opulence continues in the Mirror Bar where a DJ will spin from a gold DJ booth and through a corridor featuring a 40-foot-long screened wall composed of framed vintage lockets that leads guests to a trio of ornate dining rooms complete with custom finishes, metallic and jewel-toned hues and glamorous lighting.

The menu from Santos, a celebrity chef judge on The Food Network hit series “Chopped,” will echo the multi-ethnic signature dishes of the New York City location and feature additional culinary offerings exclusive to Las Vegas. Share plates including New York City favorites Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos, Thai Style Crispy Shrimp and Tomato Tartare join Roasted Bone Marrow, Oven Braised Chicken Meatballs and more. The Beauty & Essex Las Vegas menu will also feature classic dishes from The Stanton Social, Santos’ first New York City restaurant, including the iconic French Onion Soup Dumplings among other favorites. A creative selection of pasta, prime dry-aged meats, an award-winning burger and inventive desserts round out the menu, while aptly named libations such as the Emerald Gimlet and Beauty Elixir as well as an expansive wine list provide an ideal accompaniment to any meal.

Beauty & Essex will also serve brunch each weekend starting in late summer 2016.

“It is exciting to introduce Beauty & Essex to Las Vegas with TAO Group, whose success over nearly eleven years in the city has laid the groundwork for this expansion,” said Santos.

“A hallmark of our hospitality company is to offer a day-to-dine-to-night itinerary,” said TAO Group co-founder Rich Wolf. “Bringing this new-to-market concept to join Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan allows us to tailor a complete dining and club experience for our guests.”

Fresh from their January launch of VANDAL, New York City’s hottest dining destination, Beauty & Essex Las Vegas marks another step in collective expansion for Santos and TAO Group, who together will open a Beauty & Essex outpost in Los Angeles later this year. Also forthcoming from Santos is his first cookbook, “SHARE – Delicious and Surprising Recipes to Pass Around Your Table,” debuting February 2017.

Beauty & Essex Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

Reservations: 702.737.0707

Hours: Monday through Sunday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

For more information visit: www.beautyandessexlv.com

Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/beautyandessexlv

ABOUT TAO GROUP

The TAO GROUP is a leading restaurant and nightlife company that develops, owns and operates many of the most successful food, beverage and nightlife entertainment venues in the United States. Partners Marc Packer, Richard Wolf, Noah Tepperberg, Jason Strauss and Lou Abin bring decades of hospitality experience to the brand portfolio. Currently TAO Group boasts operations in New York City, Las Vegas and Sydney, Australia. In New York City, the collection includes Arlington Club, Avenue, Avra, Beauty & Essex, LAVO Italian Restaurant and Nightclub, Marquee Nightclub, Rue 57, The Stanton Social, TAO Asian Bistro Uptown, TAO Asian Bistro Downtown and Vandal. Additionally, they operate all of the food and beverage outlets of the Dream Midtown and Downtown hotels including Ph-D Rooftop, Ph-D Terrace, Electric Room, The Rickey and Bodega Negra. Las Vegas operations include TAO Asian Bistro, Nightclub & Beach at The Venetian, LAVO Italian Restaurant & Casino Club at The Palazzo and Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan. Marquee Nightclub at The Star – Sydney represents the company’s first international offering.

ABOUT CHRIS SANTOS

After graduating with honors from Johnson & Wales University and traveling extensively through Europe, Chef Chris Santos honed his craft, palette and style in various restaurants around New York City. In 2005, Santos introduced the world to his unique brand of communal dining with his debut restaurant, The Stanton Social, which took the New York City dining scene by storm and has since become a true culinary institution. In December of 2010, Santos introduced Beauty & Essex to the Lower East Side, and this multi-level restaurant and lounge once again revolutionized dining in this trendy neighborhood and is one of the most popular restaurants in New York. Most recently Santos opened his third restaurant, VANDAL, in partnership with the TAO group, which instantly became another lower east side hit. In addition to these three restaurants, Santos is also a judge on Food Network’s wildly popular show “Chopped,” and recently completed work on his first cookbook. Life out of his chef whites includes a love for boxing, rock n’ roll and tattoos.

For more information visit: http://www.santoscooks.com