Chef peppers debut with salty language

Chef Gordon Ramsay's salty language would have left sailors blushing Friday at Paris Las Vegas.

You expected him to be on his best behavior for a news conference?

In an introduction for the ages, the British TV personality served up his usual, peppering his Las Vegas debut with raw and unfiltered language.

F-bombs flew, and he mentioned his naughty bits - rhymes with malls - during the at-times uproarious session with a large media turnout for his first steakhouse venture in the United States.

It was equal parts comedy, a cooking demonstration and Q and A. Much of his banter fell in the category of politically incorrect, but he made no apologies.

He probably ruffled some feathers when he referred to a bachelorette party as a "hen party."

During Q and A, he sort of deflected questions from two female journalists, asking one, "Who let you in?" and said to another, "You are naughty" and added an F-bomb suggestion.

He's excited to be here, he said, because no city in the world "has so many great chefs" and he's ready for the challenge.

"I'm at my all-time best," he said.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Good timing by Rao's Frank Pellegrino Jr., who has a new book about grilling coming out this month. With big crowds in town for Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit, Pellegrino picked a perfect time to unveil "Rao's on the Grill" (St. Martin's Press, $35). The Pellegrino family hosted a Masters Series dinner at Rao's (Caesars Palace) on Thursday. He has been running Rao's here since 2006, when the family opened a spinoff of the legendary East Harlem eatery.

SIGHTINGS

Nicolas Cage, dining at Lola's: A Louisiana Kitchen on Friday night... Three-time UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture, having lunch at Republic Kitchen and Bar on Thursday. ...

Tia Carrere, with members of her "Dancing with The Stars: Live in Las Vegas" cast at "Absinthe" (Caesars Palace) on Thursday. ... Cult film legend Roger Corman, at the premiere of "Stealing Las Vegas" on Thursday at the Suncoast. UNLV students were involved in the project, which featured Eric Roberts. With Corman, who funded the project, other attendees included UNLV theater professor Nate Bynum. Corman, 86, won an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2009. ... Actor Matthew Gubler, who plays Dr. Spencer Reid in CBS' "Criminal Minds," was among the VIP invitees at the Miss Atomic Bomb announcement on Wednesday. His grandfather, Maxwell Kelch, as president of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, successfully pushed for one of the state's most ambitious fundraising campaigns to heavily promote tourism here after World War II. Gubler was accompanied by his mother, Marilyn Gubler. ... A private tour of the Las Vegas design center put together for a group of local socialites included a surprise. During lunch at Mundo, the surprise host was interior designer Jeff Lewis, host of Bravo's "Flipping Out." Among those attending the event nine days ago: Camille Ruvo, Lynn Weidner, Andrea Wynn and Janie Schorr.

THE PUNCH LINE

"My question with the same-sex couples is: Who drives, who nags? Who says let's order dessert and who says I'll just have a bite?" - David Letterman.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.