The Seven Sins of Wolfgang Puck |
Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur |
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The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts.
Puck began cooking as a child, at his mother's side. She was a chef in the Austrian town where he was born, and with her encouragement, Wolfgang started his formal training at fourteen years of age. As a young chef he worked in some of France's greatest restaurants, including Maxim's in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, and the Michelin 3-starred L'Oustau de Baumani're in Provence. At the age of 24, Wolfgang took the advice of a friend and left Europe for the United States. His first job was at the restaurant La Tour in Indianapolis, where he worked from 1973 to 1975.
In 1975, Wolfgang came to Los Angeles and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous, with Wolfgang as the star attraction. He had an innate understanding of the potential for California cuisine, and was pivotal in its rise to national attention during the late 1970s. |
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Wolfgang has changed the way Americans cook and eat by combining classic French techniques with California and Asian influences as well as the freshest and finest ingredients. He has also changed the face of dining in cities throughout the nation, first in Los Angeles, then in Las Vegas, where he was the first star chef to create a contemporary fine dining restaurant, paving the way for other celebrated chefs and the city�s metamorphosis into an acclaimed dining destination.
Since 2001, Wolfgang and his Fine Dining Group have opened restaurants across the United States from Atlantic City (Wolfgang Puck American Grille at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in 2006) to Maui (Spago at the Four Seasons Resort in 2001). These also include The Source in Washington, DC (2007), Wolfgang Puck Steak and Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina at MGM Grand Detroit (2012), Spago at The Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Colorado (2007), Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck at Reunion Tower in Dallas (2009), Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at L.A. Live (2009) and WP24 by Wolfgang Puck at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles (2010).
In 2010, Puck took the Fine Dining Group international with the opening of CUT at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. In September 2011, Puck opened his first European venture and is also the �founding chef of CUT at 45 Park Lane from The Dorchester Collection and in October, Puck furthered his relationship with The Dorchester Collection by overseeing the food and beverage operations at the historic Hotel Bel-Air including the property restaurant, �Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air,� plus in-room dining, catering and events. In spring 2014, Puck made his first foray into the Middle East with the debut of CUT at The Address Downtown Dubai (currently under construction). The opening of Spago at The St. Regis Istanbul in 2015 marked Wolfgang�s first international location of this famed concept, as well as CUT, and his most recent concept re/Asian Cuisine at the Four Seasons Bahrain Bay. |
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| Wrath - What makes you angry about the�hospitality�industry?
Poor service and a poor attitude.
Greed - If all your food fantasies came true what would be on your Plate?
White truffles with a little pasta, but more white truffles than pasta!
Sloth - What do you do to unwind?
I play with my two young sons Oliver and Alexander. And when time permits I play tennis.
Pride - What are you most proud of?
Longevity in restaurants is seldom seen these days, where restaurants go in and out of fashion every week. That said I�m proud of what we�ve accomplished as a restaurant group, but at the end of the day I�m most proud of my four amazing children.
Lust - Is there anything that you are still lusting to achieve?
I want to get a degree from Harvard Business School, which I�m looking into starting next spring.
Envy - who are you most envious of?
I�d still love to open a three Michelin star rated restaurant. Since most of the chefs that own three star restaurants are friends of mine, I�m not necessarily envious but rather very happy for them for their success.
Gluttony - have you ever over indulged?�
Yes of course! I once ate a 12 oz. Kobe steak with a bottle of Petrus and then finished the meal with the chocolate souffl� topped with cr�me fraiche. I felt like I had to move into a gym afterwards!
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| We put the spotlight on the industry's most recognisable faces in our new interview segment "Seven Sins". If you want to know what inspires the industry's movers and shakers or what your favourite food loving celebrity likes to indulge in then you'll find it in their Seven Sins. |
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