When Giada De Laurentiis unveiled Giada at the Cromwell in Las Vegas in 2014, there were plenty of questions hanging over the sunny, Strip-facing dining room. Would De Laurentiis' star power be enough to bring in guests? Would her California-Italian cooking translate to the Strip setting? And, perhaps most importantly, would the Food Network personality who had never before helmed her own restaurant have the chops to keep the kitchen humming and diners happy?
Though there were some personnel changes and doubts in the early days, the answers to those questions have proved a resounding "yes." Giada is still a hot table on the Strip, and diners still arrive in droves for the chef's chicken cacciatore, rigatoni vegetable Bolognese, Italian-infused brunch and, yes, frose. The diminutive TV star has indeed created a sustainable and successful restaurant.
"For me, this test was my first ever, and I had a lot to learn," De Laurentiis said in October. "I've learned that my gut is usually right, and I've got to stick to my food, my way."
Those lessons have come gradually over the last three years. "It took a while to get a team together that I felt comfortable doing something else, comfortable and secure enough to give it another go."
Which is why it's now time for De Laurentiis' next act.
Pronto by Giada will be the chef's second restaurant and a significant departure from her first. Where Giada is a stylish, sit-down affair, Pronto, slated to open at Caesars Palace early next year, will present the same California-influenced Italian cooking but in a fast, casual setting. Located across from the Bacchanal Buffet and near the escalators to the convention center, Pronto will serve three meals daily of "Giada food, but a lot cheaper and quicker."
For breakfast, Pronto will serve housemade pastries, breakfast sandwiches and fresh smoothies. The lunch and dinner menu includes salads; antipasti and salumi platters; paninis and sandwiches like a lobster roll and grilled cheese. Of course, there's dessert, De Laurentiis' signature lemon ricotta cookies, cakes by the slice and gelatos in classic and inventive flavors. The chef is focused on making the experience intuitive and inviting, so visitors feel that they understand the menu and flow when they step into Pronto.
Sitting inside Giada across the street, the chef said she's watched diners walk into her eponymous restaurant just to take a look around because the menu is out of their budget.
"For a lot of people, this is expensive. They can't afford it or they have to save up for this experience," she said. "I thought eventually, someday, if I find the right space, I think a quick-serve, a grab-and-go spot or concept would be really great for my food."
Pronto is that space, though its informality won't make it lowbrow. De Laurentiis is insisting on an espresso bar and a wine bar, so even those with dinner plans elsewhere can stop by for a glass of Lambrusco and a plate of antipasti. It's still a Giada de Laurentiis joint, after all. The chef intends to make it feel like one.