Chef Alicia Shevetone is a culinary force to be reckoned with in Las Vegas. With her pop-up cooking events and tantalizing cookbook, she has quickly established herself as a beloved figure in the city’s food and beverage scene.
Shevetone recently debuted a new cookbook to bring her unique brand of culinary arts to the masses. “My latest cookbook, Food with Spirit, is a collection of 50 alcohol-infused recipes,” she told us. “Las Vegas is synonymous with hospitality, and if there’s one thing we know how to do here, it’s drink and eat! It seemed like a natural progression for me to develop a line of savory and sweet blends that are spirit-infused to carry this theme forward.”
Chef has been bringing unique flavors to kitchens for some time now with her line of Distilled Spices. “Selecting the perfect spice blend reminds me of the expression, “If it grows together, it goes together.” I watch a lot of cooking shows and love reading culinary magazines,” she explained. “I learn about new techniques, viral recipes, trending ingredients, etc… The other day, I watched a chef make lasagna. Nothing exciting – until I realized I had Indian food in my fridge from the night before and some leftover ricotta from a live TV demo. So, I created an Indian Lasagna using roti and naan as the noodles and layered basmati rice, ricotta filling, lamb vindaloo and chicken tikka masala. And I spiced my tomato sauce with garam masala. Huge hit!”
Her vibrant personality and passion for all things culinary have earned her a loyal following, both locally and around the world. Her “Appy Hour” events have been incredibly popular. “Mashups are really fun because people remember them,” she said of the fun events. “One of my popular dishes is Pepe Rolls, a savory rugelach I make with a Cacio e Pepe filling. My events are generally focused on appetizers, which gives me a lot of flexibility—and an opportunity to be really creative. My latest craze is miniaturizing family-style dishes. A couple of months ago, I made a mini version of Chicken Parmigiana and baked it on a crostini. It was a smash because it was unexpected, and none of my guests had ever seen it before.”
Her streaming show, Sin City Kitchen, takes viewers on a culinary journey through Las Vegas, highlighting some of the city’s hottest spots and featuring appearances by celebrities and industry insiders. Shevetone also had something pretty spectacular in the works in 2023. “I have been invited to build the menu for a brand new champagne lounge that is opening in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Palazzo this fall,” she told us. “For me, The Strip is ground zero for Sin City. There is no place I’d rather be than on Las Vegas Boulevard, helping my friends launch this venture. Come hungry!!”
With her unique flavor combinations and spirited approach to cooking, Chef Shevetone is on a mission to make every meal an adventure. “Good blends are flavorful because they have a lot of salt,” Shevetone told us. “Great blends are flavorful because they don’t have a lot of salt. I also advise people to be adventurous. Try something new every week – put shredded bok choy in your coleslaw. Add shredded carrots to your smoothies. Drizzle agave syrup on your oatmeal instead of sprinkling sugar. There are so many dynamite products just waiting to be discovered.”
