Jeff Evans landed in Las Vegas in 2006. The Colorado native decided that in order to be the best in the food and beverage industry he needed to be in the best city for it—Las Vegas.
His first job was at the Palms, during its heyday. He spent 11 years at that property—opening bars, getting certified as a sommelier and overseeing the fine-dining. Before he left, he was the general manager of restaurants for the property. After Palms, he managed Spago at The Forum Shops at Caesars and, for the past four years, he’s been with Margaritaville at Flamingo, serving as director of operations.
After nearly two decades working in Las Vegas, Evans shares two things he’s learned over the course of his career. One: “People come to Vegas for the biggest milestones in their life—bachelor and bachelorette parties, anniversaries, weddings,” he says. “For us, it’s a Wednesday. But for them, it’s the most important time and one they’ll never forget. And I think that’s so cool, that we take these milestone events and we get to celebrate that with them.”
Two: “Hospitality doesn’t have a price tag,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if I’m doing a five-course tasting menu that I’ve done in the past or if I’m doing a nachos and cheeseburger, people just want to be taken care of and get good value for what they’re buying, and they want to have an experience.”
And, boy, what an experience Evans and his team give guests at Margaritaville. “There’s a lot going on here—30,000 square feet of space, three stories, a retail shop, seven bars,” he says. “But it’s one of the things that drew me here; just the scope of the business.
“We want to provide a sense of escapism. We want people to come in here and forget where they are for a little bit. We want them to forget whatever stresses they have. You know that saying—‘Get your toes in the sand,’ … even though we’re not on a beach.”
Libation: The Perfect Margarita
It’s in the name of the venue, so we’d be remiss if we didn’t feature Margaritaville’s The Perfect Margarita. “It’s a true margarita in the sense that it’s mostly alcohol,” Evans says. “It’s simply delicious, refreshing and represents who we are.” Served on the rocks with a salted rim, The Perfect Margarita mixes together both Margaritaville’s branded gold tequila and its silver tequila, triple sec and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Enjoy the all-day, every-day happy hour, too: $7 well drinks, margaritas and draft beers.
Benefit: Don’t miss The Volcano, a digital-projection show with ocean and jungle scenes and an erupting volcano.
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