Back West for a couple of weeks in the US, a market that seems to be turning around after some 18 months where one could clearly feel the impact of the recession.

Starting in the West gave me a good opportunity to visit my son Jean Frédéric who currently enjoys his few months as exchange student at the University of California in Irvine. Very lucky to have flown out of Munich and to have been on one of the last flights from Europe that was not cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano... "we asked them to send cash, not ash ;-)" was the latest local joke on this affair

Las Vegas was a obvious destination for a father and son weekend, especially since my own godson Julien Asseo just started a job in the kitchen of Las Vegas' most celebrated restaurant: Robuchon, which is the only restaurant in town to have been awarded *** in the Guide Michelin. Julien's father Stéphane, longtime friend, is the godfather of Jean Frédéric and owns the very successful l'Aventure Vineyards in Paso Robles.

"What goes to Vegas, stays in Vegas" so you may not hear all the details of our weekend but the yellow label is to be found amongst one arm bandits and l'Atelier de Joel Robuchon is soon to feature Hugel Gentil by the glass. The veteran team of Vegas sends its regards to Diego who now manages their Tokyo operation...