Wolfgang Puck's Spago at Caesars Palace (1992)
Wolfgang Puck opened Spago inside Caesars Palace in 1992, bringing an upscale chef-driven restaurant to the Las Vegas Strip. It was the first time a celebrity chef anchored a casino dining program.
Spago became a template for chef-branded casino restaurants, drawing gourmet crowds and prompting rivals to court chefs.
The model grew to dozens of chef restaurants across Las Vegas, with chefs licensing names and menus while casinos handle operations.
Fabio Viviani's partnership with JW Marriott follows the structure Puck pioneered: a celebrated chef bringing signature concepts into a casino resort.
