Sunday night saw Chef Paul Bartolotta in Chicago to accept an Ivy Award for his Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare inside Wynn Las Vegas. The awards, presented by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine since 1971, are among the top honors in the business.

“It’s a big deal. This is my second Ivy. When I was a chef and managing partner at Spiaggia in Chicago, we won an Ivy back then,” Bartolotta said. “I think that’s what significant is you’re voted on by your peers and you’re voted on by the readership of the magazine.”

Bartolotta, a veteran Milwaukee restaurateur, came to the Wynn in 2005. He said he was surprised during his introduction at the awards ceremony when casino mogul Steve Wynn passed on his congratulations.

“Since he couldn’t be there for the event, he recorded a little blurb. That was very nice. That was very flattering, very heartfelt,” Bartolotta said. “I know he appreciates what I do, but he’s a very busy guy. He’s like me, always focused on what’s wrong. Idealistically, we’re very driven people and very focused on excellence. It’s important to me to stay focused. He wanted hands-on chefs. He wanted chefs to be very committed to the process. I think it’s says something that two years into it, we win an Ivy — because we’re hands on. That’s what he’s about.”

Bartolotta is also a James Beard Foundation Award-winner.

By Jason Scavone

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