Edinburgh's Vegas night

Grant MacPherson, executive chef of Bellagio in Las Vegas - the hotel that boasts one of the busiest food and beverage operations in the world - will return to his roots when he flies in to Edinburgh to cook a dinner at the Balmoral hotel on 28 April.

Born in Dundee, MacPherson has enjoyed a culinary career that has taken him all over the world, including stints in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Canada. He moved to Las Vegas two years ago to oversee the opening of Bellagio, which, at a cost of £1.25b, is believed to have been one of the most expensive hotel openings in history. Today he has overall responsibility for more than 800 chefs who together serve about 20,000 covers daily.

MacPherson was invited to cook at the Balmoral by the hotel's food and beverage manager, Raja Ratnam. "We used to work together at Raffles hotel in Singapore," said Ratnam. "This is the first time that the Balmoral has invited a visiting chef to cook here."

MacPherson will be accompanied to Edinburgh by fellow chef from Bellagio, Ewart Wardhaugh. They will cook the dinner for 100 covers alongside executive chef of the Balmoral, Jeff Bland.

Costing £75 per head, the five-course dinner will comprise broth of Highland langoustines with sweetbread cannelloni and shellfish oil; confit of wild Scottish salmon, curried oxtail and beetroot emulsion; seared French duck breast with smoked duck liver and purple artichoke jus; marbled cheesecake, truffled white beans and chippolini onion salad; and tropical fruits in brick pastry with Pandan coconut ice and Szechwan pepper sauce.

Bookings for the dinner at the Number One restaurant can be made by calling Gary Quinn on 0131-557 6727.

By Janet Harmer