Eric Klein
SW STEAKHOUSE | Las Vegas

Biography
Eric Klein joins Wynn Las Vegas as the Executive Chef of SW, the resort’s signature steak house. He is the former Executive Chef of Maple Drive in Beverly Hills, a restaurant that has received numerous industry honors with Klein at its helm. Klein’s goal for SW is to make every guest feel like a member of the restaurant family and to move beyond classic steakhouse fare by adding an intriguing Alsatian element to the menu. When it comes to food, the chef is a purist, and with every dish he aims to enhance the true flavors of superior ingredients and to imbue his menu with real personality. Prior to Maple Drive, Klein spent seven years as sous chef of Spago Beverly Hills, working alongside Wolfgang Puck and Lee Hefter, providing strong leadership and support to the team as he rose swiftly through the ranks.

Growing up on his family’s cattle farm in Alsace, France, Klein learned to appreciate the simple things in life, and these early lessons now serve as inspiration for his signature style of cuisine. Klein received his culinary diploma in 1991, after two separate apprenticeships at Les Iris (formerly Auberge de Thierenbach) and La Petite Auberge. Klein’s talent in the kitchen was recognized early and he was chosen as one the top three cooking apprentices of Grand East, a title recognized throughout the entire eastern region of France and Luxembourg. Next, he took a Commis de Cuisine position at Schillinger, the legendary Alsatian restaurant, and then went on to become an officer’s chef in the French Military. He spent his last three years in Europe, working in Germany, as the sous chef of Holzschope Gasthaus, a restaurant owned by the Röckenwagner family.

After arriving in America in 1995, Klein found his home in Wolfgang Puck’s kitchens, including Chinois and ObaChine, both located in Los Angeles, until finally settling in at Spago Beverly Hills.

Daily Klein renews his commitment to doing things in his kitchen the right way, and this philosophy is applied to everything he touches. Beyond starting with the freshest ingredients and preparing them with respect, appreciation and love, his greatest joy is connecting with his guests, watching them relax and enjoy his food. His energy is a palpable force, as evident in the dining room as it is in the kitchen.

Among Klein’s accolades, he was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 2004.” While still at Maple Drive in 2004, Klein and his restaurant were selected by Angeleno magazine as “Best New Chef & Restaurant of the Year.” And at Spago, he won the Bertolli Sous Chef of the Year competition in 2002, a national honor that recognizes up-and-coming chefs.