S1:E13 EXTENDED - Michael Mina’s StripSteak Restaurant at Mandalay Bay Hotel – Las Vegas

Michael Mina’s StripSteak in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel – Wow! Join David Spisak and I as we enjoy amazing food as we interview Kyle Johnson, Executive Chef of StripSteak Restaurant. One of the many wonderful restaurants of Michael Mina and his group. Mina and executive chef Kyle Johnson are getting playful with all kinds of top-tier ingredients at StripSteak. Meals at StripSteak still begin with a trio of duck-fat fries. The restaurant is still butter-poaching steaks and putting them on a wood-burning grill. It’s still focused on marrying precise technique with premium ingredients. Mina has always wanted StripSteak “to have energy and to be fun and to take the formality of a steakhouse to a place where it was more chic than formal.” Born in Cairo, Egypt and raised in Ellensburg, Washington, Chef Michael Mina began his epicurean journey at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. During his formal schooling, he spent his weekends sharpening his skills with hands-on experience by working in Chef Charlie Palmer’s kitchen at the upscale Aureole in New York City. Early in his career, Chef Mina was presented with a rare and unique opportunity with Chef George Morrone when the duo were asked to develop a concept and create a menu for an upscale seafood restaurant in San Francisco – the city Chef Mina had always dreamed of calling home. Chef Mina went immediately to work under Chef Morrone’s direction. In his role as chef de cuisine, he dedicated himself to perfecting the complete dining experience by personally training the entire kitchen staff and refining the menu. In 1991, Chefs Mina and Morrone opened AQUA to rave reviews and national acclaim. Chef Mina served as AQUA’s executive chef from 1993 to 2002, during which time he was awarded Rising Star Chef of the Year (1997) and Best Chef: California (2002) by the James Beard Foundation Awards. Chef Mina’s culinary and business vision ultimately led to the founding of MINA Group, which now owns and operates more than 30 restaurants around the world.