Wolfgang Puck’s 25th Oscar Celebration

Ahead of the 25th Governors Ball, the star-studded Academy Awards after-party on February 24, Dinogo Travel sat down with Wolfgang Puck to reflect on his legendary career and his ever-growing empire, including his steakhouse CUT by Wolfgang Puck, his only New York City location, nestled in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown.

The hotel recently earned its second Forbes Five-Star rating, making it the only Five-Star hotel in Lower Manhattan.

Growing up in Austria, Wolfgang Puck discovered his passion for cooking early, learning from his mother before training as an apprentice in a local hotel kitchen. He later honed his skills at Maxim’s in Paris. After a series of prestigious stints across Europe, Puck moved to America at the age of 24.

In 1982, he opened Spago (originally on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, later relocating to Beverly Hills in 1997), becoming one of the first chef-owners to popularize the concept of “California Cuisine,” which, according to Puck, means using the finest ingredients in a simple, unpretentious way that allows them to truly shine.

Before the 1980s, goat cheese was virtually unheard of in American restaurants, let alone as a topping on pizza. Wolfgang Puck changed that, popularizing ingredient-driven dining and introducing a fresh culinary language to restaurant menus across the country.

Global Empire

Over the years, Wolfgang Puck has built an expansive empire of signature restaurants worldwide, including Spago locations in Las Vegas, Hawaii, Istanbul, and Singapore, his CUT steakhouses in Beverly Hills and New York (both within Four Seasons hotels), as well as branches in London and Dubai. His empire also spans numerous other restaurants, branded kitchen products, television appearances, columns, cookbooks, hotel collaborations, and Wolfgang Puck Catering.

This year marks his 25th anniversary of curating the menu for the Academy Awards’ prestigious gala, the Governors Ball. Wolfgang Puck Catering now manages venues in 50 locations globally, from sports arenas to museums and airports.

However, this lavish Hollywood gathering, with 1,500 guests, remains the crown jewel of the event. This year’s star-studded menu includes Scallop Ceviche, a vegan Opal Apple Summer Roll, and Puck favorites like Nashville Hot Fried Quail and Black Truffle Chicken Pot Pie.

At CUT in the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, Wolfgang Puck is brimming with excitement as he ushers our crew into the kitchen to meet his talented team of young, diverse chefs. We watch as he prepares an extraordinary 40-ounce Tomahawk chop from Creekstone Farms. Puck’s enthusiasm for cooking, mentoring, innovation, and his international team is unmistakable.

After Puck cooked the steak, he collaborated with pastry chef Zairah Molina (who is married to executive chef Raymond Weber) to craft a stunning Yuzu Key Lime Pie, topped with Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue and a Graham Cracker crust.

Passion for art

CUT was conceived by renowned French interior designer Jacques Garcia, who beamed with pride as he highlighted the priceless artworks adorning the walls, carefully curated by his Ethiopian-born wife, Gelila Assefa Puck. For the main dining area, Assefa Puck commissioned a striking diptych titled 'The Chef' by Alex Israel and Bret Easton Ellis, along with works by Julie Mehretu and one of Tracey Emin’s iconic handwritten neon pieces.

The Pucks’ passion for art and architecture will soon be showcased along Los Angeles’s Pacific Coast Highway. They have teamed up with legendary architect Frank Gehry to design a new seafood restaurant, which will take the place of Gladstone’s, a beloved spot that has stood for over 50 years, perched on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean.

The timeline for the Puck-Gehry project is still in the works—having just received approval last April—but one thing is certain: Wolfgang Puck’s creative journey is far from over.