Former server used savings to turn hobby into business
Donald Contursi used his savings to turn what once was a hobby into a business.
With the concept of dinner and a show, Contursi’s business, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, introduces both tourist and locals to up to five high-end restaurants in Las Vegas. But it does not stop there. Guests acquire knowledge with facts the tour guide feeds them. Such things as stories behind the art hanging on the walls of the restaurants, the rags-to-riches stories behind the chefs, recommendations to other venues, and the reasons why each item on the plate is considered a signature dish.
“I strive to exceed expectations by featuring three to four dishes at every restaurant. The perfect amount of walking where the client gets nice tidbits of information that they could use for their trip. There’s no waiting for the table or the food,” said Contursi, a former server for Gordon Ramsey’s Steak who is now president of the company. “By elevating the dining experience, we are providing an experience that people have not had before.”
Contursi, 32, originally from Chicago, knew he had to come up with an approachable price. At first glance, it might seem expensive, but lots of clients have said that the tour is too cheap for its value, he said.
“People don’t mind paying for a good experience,” he said.
Hence, the Savors of the Strip dinner tour is priced at $199, the Afternoon Culinary Adventures lunch tour is $125 and the Downtown Lip Smacking Tour, with a little more “spirit and spunk,” starts at $125.
Foodies on these tours won’t know the restaurants they will visit until the tour begins. All that is guaranteed is that they will be high-caliber restaurants. Perhaps they get to sit at Javier’s Cantina’s $4,000-minimum-reservation table, with its leather curtains in the chamberlike room or end up at Bardot, the brasserie nominated this year for the Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation.
The culinary field trips score well in online reviews. With five stars reviews on Yelp and comments on TripAdvisor like “Yes, we did it again” and “Best thing I’ve done in Vegas!” the Foodie Tours do not have a review that goes below “Very good.”
Lip Smacking Foodie Tours stands out among local food tours by catering to more than one restaurant, said Kaori Nagao, president of AngeLika Boutique Concierge, a customer on one of the tours.
“This city needs more tours like these, especially with all the celebrity chefs in town. I like the choices, the portions, and the variety. Will recommend it to our foodie clients.”
Nagao, 36, most liked the history on the art pieces at the restaurants and being able to interact with the chefs.
Sous chef Niko Gadzhev works for the Greek and Mediterranean restaurant Milos at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. He said the idea of these tours was a good one because it keeps locals coming back. The Bulgarian chef has been working for the Estiatorio for four years and said, “this is a very smart idea, especially in the summer when it gets slow. Clients do not have to spend so much money on fine dining. It is profitable for them and us.”
The tours are available daily, with both a lunch and a dinner option.
Contact Tatiana Villamil at lvillamil@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264. Find @7atianaV on Twitter.
