Francesco Di Caudo was part of the opening team at Anima by Edo that helped earn this year’s James Beard Award finalist status for Oscar Amador in the Best Chef Southwest category. (Winners will be announced June 5 in Chicago). But that’s just one of the recent accomplishments for Di Caudo, who has without question left his impression on the Las Vegas dining scene.

He has served in the kitchens at many of the best Italian restaurants ever to do it here, including Osteria del Circo at Bellagio, Sinatra at Wynn, Canaletto at Venetian and the legendary Ferraro’s off the Strip. Now, the Sicilian-born chef is breaking new ground in the southwest neighborhood cuisine scene and unleashing the full spectrum of his creativity at the months-old Basilico Ristorante Italiano.