His department handles tens of millions of dollars in revenue. He oversees pool operations, nearly two dozen bars and lounges and hundreds of team members. Then of course, there’s the cocktail menu development, training and hiring of employees and working out the budget and forecasting for the year ahead. This is just a glimpse into Andre Teixeira’s job as director of beverage for Caesars Palace. Seems like an awful lot, right? How does Teixeira handle it all?
“At the end of the day you have to make the job fun,” he says. “The reason I’m still doing this is because the job is fun. I love this industry.”
Teixeira has been in the food and beverage industry for nearly 20 years. He came out to Las Vegas from Hawaii on a football scholarship to UNLV and decided to study hotel administration. He developed a passion for the F&B side of hotel operations and he landed his first job—beverage manager in training at a nightclub—after graduation and worked his way up the ladder, managing F&B programs at properties around town. Last April he got a call from Caesars. “There’s a time and place for everything; When it’s meant to be it’s meant to be,” Teixeira says about his current position. “Caesars is so iconic—it’s one of those companies where you have an opportunity to shine.”
And Teixeira is certainly shining bright—he’s developing the beverage programs for Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and Giada de Laurentiis’ Pronto, both opening soon at Caesars. “You can’t get complacent—it’s the competitive edge that makes me want to do better,” he says. “I care about making this property better, making this property shine.”
Elyx Vesper
Lobby Bar at Caesars Palace has long served as a favorite watering hole for both guests and celebrities who have either stayed or performed on property. It’s a mix of old-school cool and modern comfort, and there’s a cocktail menu to match. Stick with the classics or try one of the specially created cocktails by one of the world’s leading mixologists, Tony Abou-Ganim. There’s also the Elyx Vesper cocktail—it’s not on the menu, but ask your bartender to whip up the smooth blend of Absolut Elyx vodka, Hendrick’s gin, Lillet Blanc and a lemon twist for garnish.
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