On the surface, an F1 racing team and a Forbes Travel Guide Star-Rated hotel’s culinary crew have little in common. But have a closer look under the respective hoods and you’ll notice the similarities.
Take Alba Larsen, the 16-year-old Danish driving sensation who just wrapped her first year at the F1 Academy with a seventh-place season finish after November’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Her winning crew includes mentor and fellow Danish racer Kevin Magnussen; manager Lars Hemming Jørgensen; and support from brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Forbes Travel Guide and Ferrari, which recently announced Larsen would join its driver academy in 2026.
When you examine the team at Wynn Las Vegas, where Larsen called home during the Vegas Grand Prix weekend, you’ll similarly notice a set of moving parts — chefs, prep cooks, bartenders and back-of-house staffers — ensuring that more than 30 onsite restaurants and bars run as smoothly as a Max Verstappen pit stop.
Wynn Las Vegas’ pit chief of sorts is Alaina Nieves, the resort’s senior vice president of food and beverage. “Running the resort with 22 signature dining experiences and 10 bars is truly a team effort,” Nieves said. “It takes a group of incredibly talented people working together to make it all happen.”
One member of Wynn’s winning team is master mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini. The Nevada native manages the resort’s entire beverage program, which spans more than 30 menus, while also overseeing all the pours at the Five-Star Encore Boston Harbor.
Like Larsen, these women are at the top of their game and aren’t afraid of the competition. “The sheer scale of overseeing the cocktail programs for all of Wynn’s culinary offerings is one of my biggest undertakings,” Mercer Boarini said. “I thrive under pressure.”
This victorious Wynn Las Vegas-F1 Academy alliance was curated through Bond Co.Lab, a division of Forbes Travel Guide that connects influential brands with top hospitality partners for meaningful and memorable activations.
“It has been wonderful to bring Alba Larsen together with our hotel partners to celebrate female leadership on a global stage,” said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, about the successful collaborations in Vegas, Singapore and Amsterdam this year. “We thank the remarkable female hospitality leaders who have welcomed Alba and shared their experiences, generating genuine moments of inspiration.”
Earlier this season, Larsen shared that her race preparation starts long before she steps onto the track. “I really need my sleep, so I always go to bed early,” she said. “I get good food and have a calm evening. And then when I wake up the next day, I’m ready for the race again.”
Wynn Las Vegas checked all of Larsen’s boxes to ensure she was fully prepared for race weekend. The resort’s signature pillow-top Wynn Dream Bed mattress provided great slumbers and its culinary team stepped up for meals. In the days leading up to the big Las Vegas races, Larsen dined at Italian restaurant Sinatra, visited the Mediterranean-inspired PISCES Bar & Seafare and tried brunch at Tableau, an ideal spot for the self-proclaimed breakfast lover. After her impressive fourth-place finish in the weekend’s second race, she and her team celebrated with a well-deserved steak dinner at SW Steakhouse, a stunning spot overlooking the resort’s Lake of Dreams and its waterfall.
Like Larsen, Wynn’s culinary team is united by a mission to empower females to follow their passions and succeed in a traditionally male-dominated space.
“The hospitality industry is demanding, but it is also full of opportunity,” said Nieves, who’s got exciting endeavors like Zero Bond, an elevated social club, and Sartiano’s Italian Steakhouse, a modern reinvention of the classic steakhouse, already on the 2026 calendar. “At Wynn Las Vegas, we champion diversity and empower women to lead, innovate and thrive in their work environments. Just within the food and beverage team, there are 23 females in leadership roles, and we continue to promote from within the company.”
One particular talent Nieves has rallied behind is Sarah Thompson, the executive chef of Casa Playa. Thompson’s vibrant Wynn restaurant showcases coastal Mexican seafood in a space that transports diners to a Mexican jungle.
“My passion for cooking started in my family’s kitchen, where home cooking was a cherished tradition,” Thompson said. “I realized early on that cooking wasn’t just about recipes; it was about learning and creating experiences. I knew being a chef would be my life’s work the moment I realized that food could be both a cultural bridge and a creative canvas.”
Casa Playa’s success is no accident. Sustained excellence requires teamwork, encouragement and open collaboration, all of which stems from a culture that Nieves has fostered. “Wynn Las Vegas provides an environment where creativity and excellence are a priority,” Thompson said. “The culinary team invests in mentorship and offers chefs the freedom to innovate while maintaining world-class standards. It’s a place where talent is nurtured and leadership is encouraged.”
Mercer Boarini echoed this for the cocktail side: “Leadership in mixology isn’t just about cocktails but building community and lifting others as you grow. Learn from your mentors and don’t be afraid to ask questions as you go.”
With this talented trio behind the wheel, Wynn Las Vegas’ culinary and cocktail teams understand precisely what it takes to reach the finish line.
