Atlantic City 'joins hunt for top restaurants'

2008-02-27 11:40:31

New Jersey's Atlantic City is trying to attract a number of big name chefs to its casinos in order to boost its popularity, it has been reported.

Taking note of how a large part of Las Vegas' revenue streams comes from high-class diners, the gambling destination is trying to follow suit, according to the Associated Press.

Larry Mullin, chief executive at the Borgata casino, said: "I really believe you'll see in [the] next five to ten years a Michelin three-star restaurant in Atlantic City."

His comments follow the recent publication of the Michelin guide, which gave stars to numerous casino-linked eateries in Las Vegas.

IBM analyst Joe Lucca believes the lack of luxury casinos and hotels in Atlantic City could make it less attractive to the best cooks.

Nevertheless, Mr Mullin still has faith, saying: "It'll take a little time to ramp up. If you don't take yourself seriously, no one else will."

TV chef Jean-Christophe Novelli recently signed a deal with Stanley Casinos in the UK.