Andre Rochat, who was serving creative gourmet dishes and fine wines long before any celebrity chefs hit town, knows what he wants from a restaurant.

And when that restaurant is Italian, he prefers the "fabulous" Valentino at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South, for excellent food, wine and service.

"Chef Luciano Pellegrini is one of the best of the country," Rochat says. "There are too many so-called star chefs with attitude. But he's wonderful."