No stranger to some legendary rap beefs, hip-hop icon Nas celebrated over high-end Wagyu in Las Vegas on Friday night.
The “Hate Me Now” wordsmith co-hosted the grand opening of the Western expansion of Simon Kim’s insanely popular NYC steakhouse Cote at the Venetian Resort for guests like Dr. Dre, Anderson .Paak (who played a DJ set), Steve Aoki, Klutch Sports Group founder Rich Paul, culturista Eva Chow, ex-Oscar de la Renta designer Laura Kim and hip hop artists like N.O.R.E., Mobb Deep rapper Havoc and DJ Whoo Kid.
The Venetian has undergone a $1.5 billion “reimagining” under CEO Patrick Nichols.
The new Vegas Cote features an exclusive “Blackjack” sandwich with A5 wagyu. If you can get a table!
The bash presented by Resy included showgirls, cigarette girls, roaming magicians and a luxe claw machine, we hear.
The opening on Friday was particularly poignant for Kim, we hear, since the restauranteur started his career in Vegas 20 years ago.
After working at his parents’ Tribeca eatery, Kori, as a busboy, waiter and bartender, Kim headed to Vegas to study hospitality at the University of Nevada in 2005, Graydon Carter’s Air Mail reported last week.
Kim worked at the front desk of the MGM Grand before being tapped to manage Shibuya, and later worked for celeb chefs including Jean-Georges and Thomas Keller. He launched Cote in 2017, got a Michelin star, then expanded to Miami, Singapore and, now, Vegas.
The Post wrote in 2023: “When Kim launched COTE in 2017, its unique marriage of Korean barbeque and American steakhouse styles immediately made it one of Manhattan’s hottest restaurants — a status it still holds.”
Nichols — the youngest CEO on the Strip who previously led the Cosmopolitan to a record-breaking sale as general manager and chief strategy officer before taking over at the Venetian in 2022 — said of the new eatery in a statement: “Cote Las Vegas is exactly the kind of bold, high-energy experience we’re bringing to the Venetian Resort… Simon Kim and Gracious Hospitality have delivered their trademark sleek design, trailblazing cuisine and perfect blend of style and substance that aligns seamlessly with our vision for delivering world-class hospitality. This collaboration isn’t just raising the bar; it’s rewriting the standard for dining on the Strip.”
Also spotted at the Venetian opening of Cote was architect David Rockwell, Chloe Flower, Soo Joo Park, Mona Matsuoka, Shin Lim, Peter Bittenbender, Gloria John, and more.