So powerful a chef, he should be required to wear a cape.

Chef Paul Bartolotta of Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las vegas just won his second James Beard Foundation Award. He beat out Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand in the best chef, Southwest category.

The awards are coming fast and furious for Bartolotta, who won his second Ivy last year. His previous Beard Award was for best chef, Midwest in ‘94 when he took it down for Chicago’s Spiaggia.

Bartolotta was nominated in 2006 for best new restaurant, and received the AAA Four Diamond Award in 2007 and ‘08. Fellow Vegas Beard nominees this year include Picasso at Bellagio for outstanding wine service, and Kamel Guechida of Joel Robuchon for outstanding pastry chef.

By Jason Scavone

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. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone