Giada De Laurentiis Previews Her New Restaurant at Sundance

Giada De Laurentiis kicked off the Sundance Film Festival last night by cheffing the Artist at the Table dinner. An intimate group of 350 filmmakers, actors, and festivalgoers paid between $1,500 and $25,000 to dine on Giada's menu to benefit the Sundance Institute. As Giada gears up to open her first restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip in April, she served a preview menu, revealing some of the highly anticipated dishes. Take a look at the behind-the-scenes shots, including Giada in a minidress and heels, stirring a giant vat of pasta!

Giada's Sundance Snaps

Giada's Sundance Snaps

Giada snapped pics of the scene at Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley, both inside and out, before her dinner began.

The Ambience

The Ambience

Celebrity guests at the star-studded dinner included Aaron Paul, Katie Couric, and Mark Ruffalo.

The Preview Menu

The Preview Menu

Whether intentional or not, Caesars Palace posted a pic of the preview dinner menu, which included the following dishes: lobster risotto arancini, chicken marsala meatballs, fig and goat cheese crostini, grilled artichokes with lemon basil aioli, San Daniele prosciutto pops, prosciutto di parma melon, rosemary focaccia, lemon flatbread, a duet of salads, and vegetable bolognese with rigatoni.

Duet of Salads

Duet of Salads

Giada kept morale high as a line of cooks plated her duet of salads consisting of arugula with crispy pancetta, candied lemon, and parmigiano-reggiano and romaine with fried capers, torn croutons, and caesar dressing.

Cooking For a Crowd

Cooking For a Crowd

Giada had to feed 350 people! In order to accommodate such a large number, large tilt skillets were used.

Vegetable Bolognese With Rigatoni

Vegetable Bolognese With Rigatoni

Veal and Stuffed Peppers

Veal and Stuffed Peppers

Giada inspected the plates of veal loin saltimbocca and quinoa-stuffed bell peppers before service took them away.

Tangerine Sorbet

Tangerine Sorbet

Chocolate Nibbles

Chocolate Nibbles

Giada celebrated the end of the evening with something sweet and chocolatey.

Creamed Ice

Creamed Ice

Who would have thought to pour cream over the icy sorbet?