Wolfgang Puck
Template:Short description Template:Lead too short Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox chef Wolfgang Johannes Puck (Template:Ne Topfschnig; born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian-born American chef and restaurateur.
Early life
Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He took the surname of his stepfather, Josef Puck, after his mother's remarriage.<ref name="culinaryhalloffame.com 2018">Template:Cite web</ref> The marriage produced two younger sisters and a younger brother for Wolfgang.Template:Citation needed
Career
Puck trained as an apprentice under Raymond Thuilier at L'Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux-de-Provence, at Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, and at Maxim's Paris before moving to the United States in 1973 at age 24. After two years at La Tour in Indianapolis, Puck moved to Los Angeles to become chef and part owner of Ma Maison restaurant.
Following the 1981 publication of his first cookbook, Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen, which was based on his Ma Maison recipes, Puck opened the restaurant Spago on the Sunset Strip in 1982. Fifteen years later, in 1997, Puck and Barbara Lazaroff, his then-wife and business partner, moved the award-winning Spago to Beverly Hills. It has been recognized as one of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. since 2004. The Infatuation wrote that "Spago made Wolfgang Puck the first (and maybe only) chef you and your grandma know by name."
In 1991, Puck opened his fourth restaurant, Granita, a seafood restaurant in Malibu, California.<ref name="lat-1991aug18">Template:Cite news</ref> The restaurant closed in 2005.<ref name="mt-2005sep21">Template:Cite news</ref>
Since 2003, Puck's recipes have been syndicated worldwide to newspapers and websites by Tribune Content Agency.<ref name="tca">Template:Cite web</ref>
Wolfgang Puck is active in philanthropic endeavors and charitable organizations. He co-founded the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation in 1982. The foundation supports the annual American Wine & Food Festival which benefits Meals on Wheels; it has raised more than $15 million since its inception.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
One of Wolfgang Puck's signature dishes at his original restaurant, Spago, is house-smoked salmon pizza.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
Puck was married to interior designer Barbara Lazaroff from 1983 to 2003 and they have two sons, Cameron and Byron.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Barbara Lazaroff co-founded the Wolfgang Puck restaurants and continues to play a key role in the business. She has been instrumental in their interior design.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Puck became a U.S. citizen in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His favorite food is macarons.<ref>Wolfgang Puck on the Inaugural Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, Led Zeppelin, and Retirement [1]</ref>
In 2007 Puck wed his third wife, Gelila Assefa, a model and handbag designer from Ethiopia;<ref name="Luna">Template:Cite news</ref> she was working as a host at Spago when she first met Puck.<ref name="Luna" />
In late 2023, Puck became a grandfather when Cameron's son Maxwell was born.<ref name="Luna" />
Awards and honors
In 1985, Puck received a Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in a ceremony at Denver, Colorado, presented by Awards Council member Ray Charles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1993, Spago Hollywood was inducted into the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next year it received the James Beard Restaurant of the Year Award. In 2002, Puck received the 2001–2002 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show, Wolfgang Puck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spago Beverly Hills received a James Beard Foundation Outstanding Service Award in 2005. It was awarded two Michelin stars in the 2008 and 2009 Los Angeles Michelin Guide.<ref name="Betty Hallock">Template:Cite news</ref>
CUT Beverly Hills was awarded a Michelin star in 2007. In 2013, Puck was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame.<ref name="cul"/> In July 2016, CUT at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore was awarded a Michelin Star.<ref name="The Straits Times">Template:Cite news</ref>
On April 26, 2017, Puck received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for his work in the TV industry, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On May 20, 2017, Puck was named the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) 2017 Gold Plate Winner.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In June 2022, Puck was recognized by the International Hospitality Institute on the Global 100 in Hospitality, as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Hospitality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Restaurants
- Spago, Puck's first restaurant opened on the Sunset Strip (1982) serving California cuisine but later relocated to Beverly Hills.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are five other Spago locations including Budapest, Istanbul,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Las Vegas, Maui, and Singapore<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Caramá located at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- CUT in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, London, New York City, and Washington D.C.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- CUT by Wolfgang Puck at Four Seasons Hotels Bahrain Bay<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and at The Shoppes at Marina Bay, Singapore
- Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, California.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Marketplace by Wolfgang Puck, El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- III by Wolfgang Puck in Houston, Texas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Merois in West Hollywood, California<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Kitchen in Shanghai and The Villages, Florida<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck’s Kitchen Counter in Cancún International Airport<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar in Kempegowda International Airport, Terminal 2.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- The Kitchen and The Kitchen Counter by Wolfgang Puck in Grand Rapids, Michigan<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Former restaurants
- Five-Sixty was located in Dallas and featured Asian-inspired New American cuisine. After 11 years, it closed in April 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Postrio, Innovative food that draws from a myriad of cultures, a wine list that has both breadth and depth. 1989–2009
- Granita, a seafood restaurant in Malibu, California. 1991–2005.
- Eureka, Restaurant & Brewery in West Los Angeles. 1990–1993.
- Lupo in Las Vegas, Nevada at Mandalay Bay<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Ospero in West Hollywood, California (2021-2024).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Las Vegas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Disney Springs<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Source, Washington, D.C., modern interpretation of Asian cuisine located at the Newseum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It closed in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Steak, a signature restaurant of MGM Grand Detroit in Detroit.<ref>Template:Cite web and Template:Cite web</ref> It closed in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Kitchen in Costa Mesa, California
- Wolfgang Puck Express in Disney Springs<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wolfgang Puck Cafe in Newport Beach, California
Bibliography
- Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen Template:ISBN (1980)
- The Wolfgang Puck Cookbook (1986)
- Adventures in the Kitchen with Wolfgang Puck (1991)
- Pizza, Pasta, and More Template:ISBN (2000)
- Live, Love, Eat Template:ISBN (2002)
- Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy Template:ISBN (2004)
- Wolfgang Puck Makes it Healthy Template:ISBN (2017)
Television and movie credits
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Family Feud | Himself | Episodes: "All-Star Family Feud Special", "2nd Battle of the Perfect 10's: Bert's Beauties vs. Betty's Bruisers", "Gordon's Glories vs. Gloria's Go-Getters" |
| 1987 | Who's the Boss? | Himself | Episode: "A Fishy Tale" |
| 1992 | Tales from the Crypt | Himself | Episode: "Werewolf Concerto" |
| 1999 | The Muse | Himself | |
| 2000–02 | Frasier | Himself/Tom | Episodes: "The Proposal", "Mary Christmas" |
| 2002 | The Simpsons | Guest Star | Episode: "The Bart Wants What It Wants" |
| 2004 | Iron Chef America | Himself | |
| 2005 | The Weather Man | Himself | |
| 2005 | AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes | Himself | |
| 2006 | Las Vegas | Himself | Episodes: "Meatball Montecito", "Father of the Bride", "Lyle & Substance",
"The Bitch Is Back", "Pros and Cons" |
| 2006 | Celebrity Cooking Showdown | Reality Cast Member | |
| 2008 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Himself | Episode: December 26, 2008; Kristen Bell, Wolfgang Puck |
| 2009 | Top Chef: Las Vegas | Guest Judge | |
| 2009 | The Jay Leno Show | Himself | Episode: Jaywalking |
| 2011 | Top Chef: New York | Guest Judge | |
| 2011 | The Smurfs | Chef Smurf | |
| 2011 | Keeping Up with the Kardashians | Himself | Chef to Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries' Wedding |
| 2011 | The Next Food Network Star | Guest Judge | |
| 2011–14 | Hell's Kitchen | Guest Judge | |
| 2013 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Himself | Episode: "Last Supper" |
| 2016 | MasterChef | Guest Judge | |
| 2020 | The Chef Show | Himself | |
| 2021 | Wolfgang | Himself | Documentary |
| 2021 | Beat Bobby Flay | Himself (Guest Judge/Competitor) | Cooking Competition |
| 2025 | The Rookie | Himself (caterer) | S7:E17 "Mutiny and the Bounty" |
Companies
Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are handled by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions: Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc.<ref name="cul">Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
References
External links
| name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=699826|2=^nm}}
| Template:Trim/
| nm0699826/
}}
| {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
| name/Template:First word/
| find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+Wolfgang+Puck%0A++++++%7C+Wolfgang+Puck%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
}}
}}{{#if: 699826 {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch:
| award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
}}}} {{#if: Wolfgang Puck
| Wolfgang Puck
| Template:PAGENAMEBASE
}}] at IMDb{{#if: 699826{{#property:P345}}
| Template:EditAtWikidata
| Template:Main other
}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=699826|plain=false}}
| 1 | 3 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}
- American restaurateurs
- 1949 births
- Living people
- American chief executives in the food industry
- American cookbook writers
- American food company founders
- American television chefs
- Food Network chefs
- Head chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants
- Businesspeople from Los Angeles
- Writers from Los Angeles
- Austrian emigrants to the United States
- Austrian television chefs
- Austrian male writers
- 20th-century American male writers
- 21st-century American male writers
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- 20th-century American non-fiction writers
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- James Beard Foundation Award winners
- American male non-fiction writers
- People from Sankt Veit an der Glan
- Chefs from Los Angeles
- Judges in American reality television series