Thursday, March 1, 2012

  Most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously: Las Vegas chefs sets world record (Video)

LAS VEGAS, NV, USA--308 chefs and sommeliers from the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay succeeded in opening the most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously within 30 seconds during a kickoff event for Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit - setting the new world record for most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously , according to World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/ .
Photo: A new world record was set at the Bellagio pool when 308 local chefs and sommeliers succeeded in opening the most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously within 30 seconds during a kickoff event for Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit. Front row (l-r): Julian Serrano (Bellagio), Hubert Keller (Mandalay Bay), Michael Mina (Bellagio), Rick Moonen (Mandalay Bay), José Andrés (The Cosmopolitan) and Bradley Ogden (Caesars Palace). All Photos courtesy Darrin Bush/Las Vegas News Bureau ( enlarge photo )

The previous Guinness world record for most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously was held by 252 chefs at James Beard Foundation headquarters in New York last year.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the most people treading grapes: 977, achieved by ACOBASA (Spain), at an event organised by Leticia Alfaya Lozano (Spain) in Labastida, Álava, Spain.

  The food industry professionals had just 30 seconds to open a fully corked bottle of wine -- no bubbly -- and to ensure no damaged corks or spilled grape juice.

  Guinness World Records adjudicators ruled that no sunglasses or hats could be worn, and each participant was identified with security wristbands. Spotters were on duty to ensure no fast finisher helped slower ones -- it wasn't necessary because it all happened at once within 12 to 15 seconds.

( enlarge photo )

  It was achieved in nearly simultaneous military precision as the victors held bottles and wormed corkscrews aloft within the time constraint.

  The front-line chefs included Bellagio top toques Michael Mina, Julian Serrano and Jason Smith; Bradley Ogden and Charles Wilson from Caesars Palace; Jose Andres, Costas Spiliadis, Stephen Hopcroft, Gerald Chin and Anthony Meidenbauer from the Cosmopolitan; and Hubert Keller, Rick Moonen and Mike Minor from Mandalay Bay.

  The group toasted the upcoming Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit food and wine extravaganza on Mother's Day weekend May 10-13. Sixty restaurants, 50 chefs and 30 sommeliers take part in 30 events in the incredible gourmet weekend at the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay and the Cosmopolitan.