Inside The Buffet at Eldorado

The $5 million makeover

Smoked brisket, front, smoked pork ribs, center, and broiled New York steaks compose a meaty trio at the Eldorado’s buffet. The brisket rests on one of the debut porcelain vessels being used instead of the standard stainless steel pans you’d typically see.

Unlike hotel pans, which can hold enough food to feed three dozen, the new vessels offer only eight to 12 servings.

"We're getting rid of large batch cooking," Cannan said, a move that some might call buffet heresy (after all, batches are part of the buffet point). But there's a method to Cannan's downsizing: "Reducing batch size increases quality."