LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Season three of Food Network's critically acclaimed chef competition The Next Iron Chef will feature ARIA Resort & Casino and other elements of the extraordinary CityCenter development, which opened in December 2009. Filmed in summer 2010, the hit show will feature Vegas' newest properties in episodes scheduled to air Sunday, November 7 and Sunday, November 14.

During the November 7 episode, host Alton Brown and Iron Chef America Chairman Mark Dacascos welcome the show's remaining five contestants to CityCenter Place, in the heart of the resort destination's spectacular art and architecture, where they discuss a test of inspiration. The chefs are lead to the Jean Philippe Patisserie pastry kitchen in ARIA, where world-champion pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury showcases his edible art and reveals a challenge to create a wedding-worthy dessert using the secret ingredient: chocolate. Later in the episode, the Chairman's Challenge, which takes place in Chef Shawn McClain's Sage, forces the chefs to create a modern Las Vegas buffet in three hours with the added pressure of a double elimination.

In the November 14 episode, the remaining chefs face the test of seduction. In the Secret Ingredient Challenge, the competitors find themselves at the bar inside ARIA's Jean Georges Steakhouse with 30 minutes to create a cocktail and snack using liquor that seduces the judges' taste buds. Next, the chefs meet Alton Brown in a posh Sky Villa on ARIA's top floor for the Chairman's Challenge. The chefs must race throughout ARIA to gather ingredients from Julian Serrano, Bar Masa, AMERICAN FISH, Sirio Ristorante and Jean Georges Steakhouse to make an elaborate three-course meal for the judges in 90 minutes. A pivotal moment in the season, the two winners in this episode earn the opportunity to battle for glory in the Kitchen Stadium while two chefs leave the competition in an intense double elimination.

"With its stunning architecture and unparalleled food & beverage offerings, ARIA provides a wonderful backdrop for the exciting challenges within this season of The Next Iron Chef," said Bill McBeath, president and COO of ARIA Resort & Casino. "It was an honor to partner with Food Network on this endeavor. Like them, we are passionate about providing entertaining and memorable culinary experiences to our guests each and every day."

Season three of the show features host Alton Brown and "The Chairman" Mark Dacascos, accompanied by judges Michael Symon, Donatella Arpaia and Simon Majumdar, as they travel to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, testing the 10 contestants in a variety of grueling culinary challenges. The season three finale will air Sunday, November 21.

For more information on ARIA Resort & Casino, please visit www.arialasvegas.com. For more information on The Next Iron Chef, please visit www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-iron-chef.

About ARIA Resort & Casino:

ARIA Resort & Casino debuted in December 2009 as part of CityCenter, a dazzling urban resort destination adjacent to Bellagio. ARIA features an extraordinary collection of exceptional restaurants, high-energy nightlife, a world-class spa, exclusive fashion-forward shopping, contemporary gaming, a larger-than-life modern art collection, high-tech meeting and event space, and Viva ELVIS™ by Cirque du Soleil®, celebrating the life and music of Elvis Presley. CityCenter is one of the world's largest private sustainable developments.  

ARIA has assembled a collection of the world's most critically acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs, uniting those who have played integral roles in the development of Las Vegas' culinary scene with a pair of remarkable newcomers. For the first time, Michelin three-star chef Masayoshi Takayama brings his unrivaled mastery of Japanese cuisine to Las Vegas with Bar Masa. Also new to the city, James Beard Foundation award-winning chef Shawn McClain introduces his innovative cuisine at Sage. The duo joins Sirio Maccioni, Michael Mina, Julian Serrano, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, The Light Group and Jean-Philippe Maury in creating an unrivaled epicurean journey at ARIA Resort & Casino.

For more information and reservations, visit the website at www.arialasvegas.com, or call toll free at (866) 359-7757.  

SOURCE MGM Resorts International