By Chuck Darrow, Philly.comThese days, it may seem that Atlantic City success stories are harder to find than folks who’ve won the $250,000 grand prize playing keno. But one will play out next week as the four Harrah’s Entertainment properties host the TD Bank Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival.

Two years ago, the Festival was born as a somewhat modest event dubbed “Toast to the Coast,” featuring a few celebrity chefs. This year’s is exponentially bigger, encompassing more than 20 events showcasing enough superstar cooks to program an entire cable channel.

The festivities begin July 30 with the Jim Beam Gourmet Pizza Bash featuring Tom Colicchio (of Craft restaurants and Bravo’s “Top Chef” fame) at Caesars Atlantic City, and kicks into high gear July 31 with seven public events, five of which feature Colicchio. He’ll host two “Food & Wine” meals at The Pool at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, as well as the Jeremiah Weeds Sweet Tea Barbecue Tailgate party at the Dennis Courtyard at Bally’s Atlantic City, a seminar on healthy eating at the Club Harlem Ballroom at Showboat and an after-party at the ‘Boat’s Foundation Room.

Among the other celeb-fronted events scheduled are:

* “Feast of Fieri,” a $1,000-a-head dinner prepared and hosted by Guy Fieri, star of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (Caesars, 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 1).

* “An Evening with Emeril Lagasse” (Caesars, 8 p.m. Aug. 1, $50).

* Dinner & Movie (“Big Night”) hosted by Ingrid Hoffmann (Caesars, 8 p.m. $125).

* The Melting Pot Presents: The Art of Fondue hosted by Duff Goldman (“Ace of Cakes”) and Ingrid Hoffmann (Harrah’s, 4 p.m. Aug. 2).

For a complete listing of all events and ticket information, go to www.acfoodandwine.com.

A ‘Tale’ of two shows

Seldom does there exist in Atlantic City a situation where “must-see” and “must-miss” productions run simultaneously on gaming hall stages. But that’s the case at Harrah’s and Tropicana.

Through Aug. 9. Harrah’s is hosting “A Bronx Tale,” the mostly autobiographical one-man show written by and starring Hollywood A-lister Chazz Palminteri.

Simply put, this is an unparalleled demonstration of the art and craft of acting. Palminteri portrays almost 20 characters in telling the story of how he was taken under the wing of a Mafia chieftain as boy, much to the chagrin of his straight-arrow father, a Bronx, N.Y., bus driver.

Though it probably helps to have seen the 1993 film of the same name (in which Palminteri plays the mobster), unfamiliarity with the story shouldn’t hinder one’s enjoyment at all. Either way, you’ll be awed by Palminteri’s performance.

Atlantic City has seldom seen a show of this caliber. Don’t miss it.

Incidentally, after you see the show, you can use your ticket stub for a free dessert at Cuba Libre, or for a free cocktail at 32 Degrees, both at the Quarter inside Tropicana. In case you’re wondering what the connection is, Barry Gutin, co-owner of both establishments, and Palminteri are close friends.

Harrah’s Atlantic City, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, $40-$65, 800-736-1420, www.ticketmaster.com.

On the other hand, “Fame,” the Trop’s summertime entry, is a miserable exercise.

Based on the 1980 musical soaper about students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts, the stage version is plotless, pointless and boasts what might be the worst score of all time.

The “songs” do nothing to propel the story; they’re simply sung dialogue with uninteresting lyrics and eminently forgettable music.

While I don’t think the cast is as awful as some of my colleagues do (Phil Roura of the New York Daily News wrote the ensemble “deserves a B.A. for bad acting”), I did find it distracting that a bunch of twentysomethings are trying (unconvincingly) to play 14- and 15-year-olds.

That said, it’s only fair to report the audience at the performance I attended seemed to enjoy the show. Which proves, I guess, that the casino’s marketing folks know their customer base a lot better than us ink-stained wretches. *

Tropicana, Boardwalk at Brighton Avenue, 7 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 3:30 and 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, $25, 609-340-4000, tropicana.net.

Chuck Darrow has covered Atlantic City and casinos for more than 20 years. Read his blog http://go.philly.com/casinotes.

E-mail him at darrowc@phillynews.com.

And listen to his Atlantic City report Saturdays at 1:25 a.m. with Steve Trevelise on WIP (610-AM).