RICK MOONEN’S RM SEAFOOD AT MANDALAY BAY INTRODUCES NATHAN GREENE AS LEAD BARMAN
Rick Moonen’s rm seafood at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is pleased to introduce its newest lead barman – Nathan Greene. A relative newcomer to the cocktail scene, Greene has been working in the beverage industry only since 2010. However, in just a few years, he has made his mark on the mixology world. A graduate from the Crescent School of Gaming and Bartending’s beverage management program, Greene has devoted all of his time to the cocktail industry, studying and honing his skills while competing in cocktail competitions.
Greene comes to rm seafood from Downtown Las Vegas’ Vanguard Lounge, where he quickly moved through the industry ranks. After eight months, he was promoted to bar manager and put in charge of cocktail menu creation, purchasing product, overseeing staff training as well as participating in cocktail competitions. He also was instrumental in helping the lounge earn the “2011 Las Vegas Cocktail Bar of the Year” award from National Public Radio.
Additionally, Greene won the National Restaurant Association’s “2010 Star of the Bar” competition, and since then has made six U.S. finals with three top five finishes. He earned second place in the U.S. Drambuie “Tales-On-Tap” competition at “Tales of the Cocktail” in July 2012, and several top three finishes in the Las Vegas market from 2010 through 2012. Greene also was named “May 2012 U.S. Bartender of the Month” by Nightclub & Bar, an esteemed honor he received in less than two years behind the bar.
Since joining rm seafood’s bar team in May 2012, Greene has trained under award-winning barman J.R. Starkus and helped shape rm’s creative cocktail program. He and Starkus conspired on the two rm Upstairs cocktail tasting menus, which include a variety of stellar cocktail creations, and the fall cocktail menu for rm Downstairs. Highlighted collaborations include Going My Way (Muddled Bing Cherries, Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Pok Pok Drinking Vinegar, Lemon, Angostura) and The Grand Alliance (Plymouth Gin, Homemade Meyer Lemon Schrub, Brut).
Greene’s Japanese heritage is evident in his bartending skills as he utilizes a more formal approach when creating cocktails. His signature sips include Man About Town (Bulleit Rye, Byrrh, St. Germain, Aperol); Orient Express (Yamazaki 12, Chinese 5 Spice Dolin Rouge, House Asian Pear Bitters); and Sweet Kentucky Home (Bulleit Bourbon, House Quince Roasted Rice Vinegar Gastric, Honey Lemon Sour).
Guests can visit Greene not only for his award-winning progressive take on cocktails, but for the specialty bar menu featuring a happy hour that runs from 5:30pm to 7pm in rm Upstairs and from 3pm to 7pm in rm Downstairs. The menu features inventive, handcrafted libations along with Chef Rick Moonen’s award-winning cuisine.
For more information, visit rmseafood.com or call the restaurant directly at (702) 632-9300.
About Chef Rick Moonen and Rick Moonen’s rm seafood
Since opening Rick Moonen’s rm seafood at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in 2005, both the restaurant and Chef Moonen have enjoyed an array of local and national acclaim from some of the country’s top news organizations. For the past 20 years, Chef Rick Moonen has been one of the country’s leading advocates for the sustainable seafood movement, bringing national awareness to this subject. Rick Moonen’s rm seafood showcases this commitment to sustainability without foregoing culinary creativity and innovation. In 2008 Chef Moonen accomplished a lifelong dream with the publication of his cookbook Fish Without a Doubt, a practical, hands-on guide to buying, preparing and cooking a wide variety of seafood. That same year his signature Catfish Sloppy Joe was highlighted in Esquire magazine’s “Sandwich Encyclopedia,” prompting a guest spot on The Oprah Winfrey Show where he served the talk show queen this signature dish and earned the title of “Best Sandwich in America.” In 2009 he was a guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef Las Vegas where his eponymous restaurant served as the location for the show’s popular “Restaurant Wars” episode. That same year, he was a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and in 2010 was invited back to compete on Top Chef Masters second season, where he was the runner-up, raising both national awareness and thousands of dollars for Three Square. Keep current with Chef Moonen on Twitter @RickMoonen, Facebook.com/ChefRickMoonen or online at rmseafood.com. Rick Moonen’s rm seafood downstairs is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; upstairs is open Tuesday – Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling (702) 632-9300.