Alessandro Stratta
Alessandro Stratta | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 29, 1964 |
| Occupation(s) | Celebrity chef, restaurateur |
| Known for | Iron Chef Italian on Iron Chef USA, James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest 1998 |
Alessandro Stratta (born October 29, 1964) is a prominent American celebrity chef and restaurateur. He gained recognition as Iron Chef Italian on Iron Chef USA and was honored with the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Southwest in 1998. Stratta served as executive chef and proprietor of the renowned Las Vegas restaurant, Alex, which ceased operations on January 15, 2011. Following his recovery from colon cancer, he owned "Tapas by Alex Stratta" located in the Summerlin area of Summerlin, Nevada, until it closed in 2015. In 2016, he took on the role of executive chef de cuisine at Prado, situated within the Omni Hotel in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Early life
Stratta, a fourth-generation hotelier, was born to parents originating from distinguished culinary regions: his father hailed from Piedmont, Italy, and his mother from Nice along the Côte d'Azur. His father, who served as president of Princess Hotels & Resorts, introduced him early to luxury hospitality environments worldwide including destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia, Italy, France, Mexico, and Pakistan. This global exposure enabled him to become fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, and English. In 1983, Stratta graduated with honors from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California.
Culinary development
Stratta’s culinary journey began with patisserie training at the Stanford Court Hotel, followed by an internship at Monaco’s Hôtel de Paris. During this period, Alain Ducasse invited him to join the team at Louis XV restaurant. After two years abroad, Stratta returned to the United States and, upon Ducasse’s recommendation, worked under Daniel Boulud at New York City’s Le Cirque. Both Ducasse and Boulud played pivotal roles in shaping Stratta’s culinary philosophy and business expertise; he attributes Ducasse with teaching him how to create simple yet extraordinary flavors and credits Boulud for inspiring his creativity and leadership skills.
As executive chef
In 1989, Stratta assumed the position of executive chef at Mary Elaine's located within The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. His work earned him recognition from Food & Wine Magazine as one of "America's Ten Best New Chefs." Under his direction, Mary Elaine's achieved a 4-star rating from Mobil Travel Guide and was celebrated as the premier dining destination in Phoenix.
By 1998, Steve Wynn invited Stratta to head Renoir at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Within six months under his leadership, the restaurant attained Mobil Travel Guide’s highest accolade of 5 stars.
In 2005, Stratta launched his eponymous restaurant, Alex, at Wynn Las Vegas. The establishment garnered critical acclaim along with prestigious distinctions including 5 stars from Mobil Travel Guide, 5 diamonds from AAA Restaurant Ratings, and two Michelin stars.
In 2025, he joined Belmont Kitchen & Cocktails in Scottsdale, Arizona as their executive chef.
Television
Stratta appeared in 2001 as Iron Chef Italian on the now-defunct series Iron Chef USA, earning the moniker "Italian Scallion". A fan of the original Japanese Iron Chef, he participated despite considering himself "not that competitive," securing victory in his sole competition against chef Marcus Samuelsson. On March 2, 2011, Stratta competed on Bravo’s reality series Top Chef Masters during its third season and finished seventh after being eliminated in episode six.
Awards
- Named one of America's Top Ten New Chefs by Food & Wine Magazine in 1994
- Awarded Best Chef Southwest by the James Beard Foundation in 1998
- Earned Two Michelin Stars for the restaurant Alex
- Received the AAA Five Diamond Award for Alex
- Achieved Five Stars from the Mobil Travel Guide for Alex
- Inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame in 2006
Restaurants
- Alex located at Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Stratta, also situated within Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Tapas by Alex Stratta, based in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Prado at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale, Arizona
- Salt & Pepper at Tivoli Village, Las Vegas