January 10, 2013 08:20 Akira Back, touted as one of the top chefs in Las Vegas, has a wide following among politicians and celebrities such as Bill Clinton and Paris Hilton. He was recently nominated for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards, often called the "food Oscars" and named a "rising star" by American magazine Restaurant Hospitality. Back is the head chef of the prestigious Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge at the Bellagio, Las Vegas. He said he is constantly sketching and dreaming up news dishes which are delicious and look great. He said his philosophy is to awaken customers to their sense of taste. Because of his unusual name -- suggested by a family friend when he was considering moving to Japan to play baseball while still in elementary school -- customers often mistakenly assume Back is Japanese. He was born in Seoul and moved to the U.S. at the age of 14 with his parents. With a strong interest in sports, he became passionate about … [Read more...] about Korean Chef Dreams of Global Chain