Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck's 2011 Governor's Ball Menu For The Academy Awards

Some things the Academy Awards like to shake up (changes in hosting for example) but in other areas, well, you don't mess with tradition. For the 17th consecutive year, master chef Wolfgang Puck has been selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create the menu for the Governors Ball, the annual celebration immediately following the Oscars.

Celebrating the past, present and future of the industry and the Academy, the Governors Ball is always an unforgettable experience," said Puck. "Our goal each year is to honor Hollywood's brightest stars and most accomplished artists with a culinary masterpiece. Only the finest ingredients and flavors will do." Wolfgang Puck Catering will serve the Academy's 1,500 Ball guests, which will include winners, nominees, presenters and telecast participants.

The 2011 menu created by Puck and chef Matt Bencivenga is inspired by Latin flavors, from classic paella to coastal seafood, along with signature favorites such as smoked salmon Oscars and pastry chef Sherry Yard's gold-dusted chocolate Oscars. Puck is shown above with an entree of Dover sole with fennel, olives, tomatoes and haricot vert is a sauce of lemon, olive oil and Sherry.

Tags: academy awards, governors ball, oscars, wolfgang puck

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Macy's Culinary Council's Celebrity Chefs Offer Valentine's Day Recipes

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Macy's Culinary Council's Wolfgang Puck offers favorite recipe for Valentine's Day

Macy's Culinary Council, which includes some of the best known chefs in the world from Wolfgang Puck (above) to Nancy Silverton, have offered us some of their favorite recipes for celebrating Valentine's Day. From a goat cheese fondue to a butterscotch budino with caramel sauce, these recipes are bound to make your Valentine's Day entertaining a special one.

Chef Rick Bayless suggests serving his famous "Red Hot Margaritas". The recipe calls for Ferrara Red Hots, which provide the kick. The chef's recipe for the limeade can be used for other types of margaritas as well. "We were trying to come up with a margarita for our winter bar menu at Frontera Grill," says Bayless. "So we were thinking mulling spices...bright red color... and then someone said it: 'The drink should taste like a liquid version of those Red Hot candies.' Bingo."

Chef Takashi Yagihashi, proprietor of Takashi Restaurant in Chicago, suggests making his intensely flavorful Curry Kaffir Lime Soup recipe, which is best served to guests in little cupfuls. It can be passed as an appetizer, with colorful garnishes on toothpicks for a complete dipping and sipping experience. Kaffir lime leaves gives this soup its floral aroma and flavor.

Tags: awards-main, la brea bakery, luxist-awards, macys, Macys Culinary Council, nancy silverton, recipes, recipes+for+valentines+day, recipesforvalentinesday, Rick Bayless, Takashi Yagihashi, Todd English, valentine+day+recipes, valentinedayrecipes, Valentines Day, valentines+day+recipes, valentines+day+recipes+and+macys, valentines+recipes, valentinesdayrecipes, valentinesdayrecipesandmacys, valentinesrecipes, wolfgang puck, www.valentine+recipes.com, www.valentinerecipes.com

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Wolfgang Puck Creates First London Restaurant

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Wolfgang Puck, is known for being the king of California cuisine but the Austrian chef famous for restaurants like Sago and Cut is taking his food to a new restaurant in London. The latest version of Cut (a Luxist Awards' Readers Choice Nominee), Puck's lavishly modern twist on the steakhouse category, will on the ground floor of the Dorchester Collection's new 45 Park Lane hotel. Bloomberg News reports that the menu will be based on Cut in the Beverly Wilshire. Puck is also opening a Cut in Singapore and there is already a Las Vegas location. The London venue will open next year.

Although Puck has restaurants scattered around the U.S., branded Wolfang Puck Express locations in many airports and several food lines he has never done a restaurant in London or New York. He will operate the London Cut rather than own it. The head chef in London will be David McIntyre, who helped open Spago and Cut in Beverly Hills before starting his own restaurant in San Diego.

Tags: 45 park lane, awards-main, Best Steakhouse, Cut, cut restaurant, cut steakhouse, london, luxist-awards, wolfgang puck

Meet Celebrity Chefs at the Savor Borgata Event

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

This year's Savor Borgata at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey takes place on November 13. The event centers on a taste of France, Italy and Spain with food from some of the Borgata's finest chefs, including Wolfgang Puck, Geoffrey Zakarian (as seen on "Chopped"), Michael Schulson and more.

This year, each restaurant will have its own culinary station, offering guests the exclusive opportunity to interact with Wolfgang Puck (Wolfgang Puck American Grille), Michael Mina (SEABLUE, A Michael Mina Restaurant), Michael Schulson (Izakaya – A Modern Japanese Pub), Stephen Kalt (FORNELLETTO Cucina & Wine Bar), Geoffrey Zakarian (The Water Club at Borgata), Romeo DiBona (Old Homestead Steak House), Ron Ross (Borgata Executive Chef) and Thaddeus DuBois (Borgata Executive Pastry Chef), while sampling each chef's unique approach to Mediterranean cuisine. The event will have a beer garden with pairings that complement the Mediterranean atmosphere of the evening. Julie Powell author of the New York Times Best-Selling book-into-movie, "Julie & Julia" will also join the event for a signing. This event is open to the public and guests will have the chance to mingle and interact one-on-one with the chefs, while sampling signature menu items. Tickets, priced at $100 per person, and are now on sale. Borgata is also offering a VIP ticket (priced at $150) that includes early admission to the event among a limited crowd and a gift bag with an autographed copy of "Julie & Julia". Hotel packages for Saturday, November 13, 2010 start at $449 and include an overnight stay in a Classic Room, two tickets, and entrance to MIXX and mur.mur nightclubs. Tickets can be purchased at www.theborgata.com or by calling 1.866.900.4TIX (4849).

Tags: borgata, food and drink, food event, food events, geoffrey zakarian, michael mizrachi, the borgata, wolfgang puck

The Best Steakhouses in the U.S.

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Luxist readers nominated for the steakhouses that they believe are the best-of-breed around the world. Here are their favorite places to go for juicy, mouthwatering steaks cooked to perfection:

Cut
Wolfgang Puck is credited with redefining fine dining in America. Indeed, the award-winning Austrian-born chef and celebrated restaurateur has built a vast restaurant empire with locations around the world, beginning with his flagship Spago, which opened in 1982 (famous for its haute cuisine pizzas), and later Chinois and Postrio Bar & Grill, among many others. His trademark dishes have revolutionized the culinary industry.

In 2006, Puck opened Cut, a sleek, innovative and contemporary steakhouse complete with a lounge called "sidecar", located in the Richard Meier-designed Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons' Hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills. After only one year in operation, the restaurant earned a coveted one star ranking from the Michelin Guide--no small accomplishment.

Gallery: Cut in Los Angeles

Tags: awards-main, best steakhouse, Cut, luxist-awards, Peter Luger, Peter Luger Steak House, Smith Wollensky, steakhouse, Strip House, The Prime Rib, Wolfgang Puck

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Cut: A Classic Steakhouse with a Contemporary Twist

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Wolfgang Puck is credited with redefining fine dining in America. Indeed, the award-winning Austrian-born chef and celebrated restaurateur has built a vast restaurant empire with locations around the world, beginning with his flagship Spago, which opened in 1982 (famous for its haute cuisine pizzas), and later Chinois and Postrio Bar & Grill, among many others. His trademark dishes have revolutionized the culinary industry.

In 2006, Puck opened Cut, a sleek, innovative and contemporary steakhouse complete with a lounge called "sidecar", located in the Richard Meier-designed Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons' Hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills. After only one year in operation, the restaurant earned a coveted one star ranking from the Michelin Guide--no small accomplishment. Beloved by its many patrons, Cut has been nominated for a Luxist Readers' Choice Award for Best Steakhouse.

Gallery: Cut in Los Angeles

Tags: aards-main, Best Steakhouse, Beverly Wilshire, Cut, luxist-awards, Marina Bay Sands, Spago, Steakhouse, wolfgang puck

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Wolfgang Puck's Edible Oscars

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Oscar season is always a busy time for celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. He is in charge of feeding around 1,600 guests at the post-Oscar Governors Ball, given by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He and his team are responsible for making sure the attendees are fed well and quickly 90 minutes. It is the party to go to and most of the nominees attend. Puck has revealed the menu for his 16th effort at catering this annual fete. Diners begin their feast with crispy potato pancakes with smoked salmon and caviar followed by black truffle chicken pot pies. For desert guests will eat baked alaskas with espresso ice-cream, chocolate sorbet and hazelnut meringue. But perhaps the best part, and the part that Puck's team including expert pastry chef Sherry Yard are laboring over are the 3,500 small Oscar statuettes made of chocolate and dusted in edible 24-carat gold.

Tags: academy awards, governors ball, oscars, wolfgang puck

Oscar Website Offers Party Planning Tips

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Oscar night is coming up on March 7 and this year's show plans to be bigger than ever with two hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin and 10 nominees for Best Picture. The Oscar website has a variety of videos and content on how to have your best Oscar night ever.

Pastry chef Sherry Yard shows how to make a molten chocolate cake. Wolfgang Puck reveals his Oscar menu including smoked salmon blinis with dill cream, mini burgers with cheddar cheese and remoulade and slow braised short ribs. The website also lists cocktail recipes using Oscar sponsor Moet & Chandon champagne.

For ambiance party expert Cheryl Cecchetto lists the 10 must haves to hosting the best Oscar-viewing party in town. The website also includes downloadable Oscar ballots for predicting the winners and downloadable bingo cards to use during the show.

Tags: Academy Awards, AcademyAwards, oscar parties, OscarParties, oscars, Oscars 2010, Oscars2010, sherry yard, SherryYard, wolfgang puck, WolfgangPuck

Celebrity Chefs Announced For Marina Bay Sands Resort

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

The celebrity chef lineups for the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore has been revealed and they are taking no chances at the $5 billion resort, bringing out some of the world's culinary big guns. The resort will feature restaurants by famous chefs from around the world. The six chefs announced include Mario Batali (New York), Daniel Boulud (New York), Wolfgang Puck (Los Angeles), Santi Santamaria (Barcelona), Guy Savoy (Paris) and Tetsuya Wakuda (Sydney). Chefs Santi Santamaria, Guy Savoy and Tetsuya Wakuda will have their restaurants on the mezzanine layer of the casino while Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud and Wolfgang Puck will have signature restaurants situated near Marina Bay Sands Theatres. Each of the six chefs is personally involved in the concepts, menus, and interior design of the six different restaurants.

When completed, Marina Bay Sands will feature have approximately 2,500 luxury hotel rooms, the rooftop Sands SkyPark, a museum, Las Vegas- style gaming, the Paiza Club for premium players, theatres, entertainment, an outdoor event plaza, and shopping and dining venues. In a press release, Batali calls the resort "the most exciting project I have ever been involved with" but the most philosophical quotes come from the European chefs. Santi Santamaria ponders the possibilities of "culinary poetry" saying he wants his cuisine to "delight the senses and awaken emotional memories with a cuisine of wisdom." Guy Savoy expresses a similar view saying that" cuisine is the art of instantaneously turning produce suffused with history into happiness." They sound like perfect fits for a city that prides itself on the quality and infinite variety of its food.

[via NY Daily News]

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Tags: celebrity chefs, CelebrityChefs, daniel boulud, DanielBoulud, food-awards, guy savoy, GuySavoy, marina bay sands, MarinaBaySands, mario batali, MarioBatali, santi santamaria, SantiSantamaria, singapore, tetsuya wakuda, TetsuyaWakuda, wolfgang puck, WolfgangPuck

The Classicist: Touring in the New Touareg TDI

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green, The Classicist

Volkswagen is not a marque one usually associates with luxury, and so we admit to being somewhat skeptical about the new 2010 Touareg V6 TDI and not all that enthusiastic at first when the chance came to test it out. MotorTrend changed our mind with its recent comparison of diesel and hybrid luxury SUVs - amazingly, their pros all concurred that it outclassed more expensive models like the Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC, BMW X5 and Lexus RX 450h. Plus it's one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest SUVs in the world.

We had a chance to experience it firsthand on a recent jaunt to Washington, DC and Annapolis, Maryland. The Touareg handled all situations with poise and equanimity, from navigating the city streets to an amazing dinner at Wolfgang Puck's The Source, to finding the right marina in Eastport through the bay's backroads for some sailing (the touchscreen GPS was a big help there). We could easily have kept on going, as the comfy interior with its wood and leather resembles in MotorTrend's words "a den in a ritzy Alaska fishing lodge" - or for our purposes make that the upstairs bar at the Annapolis Yacht Club.

Don't think that "diesel" means noisy and slow like those old Mercedes wagons of your youth. The Touareg TDI is powered by a hushed 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine that produces 225 horsepower and an impressive 407 lbs-ft. of torque. Tourque, we learned en route, is more important than horsepower in diesel engines. The TDI's torque gives it performance equal to the gas-powered Touareg V8 that's rated at 350 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque, to give you an idea. And whereas the latter has an EPA mileage rating of 13/18 mpg city/hwy, the TDI gets 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Gallery: Touring in the Touareg TDI

Tags: Annapolis, BMW, diesel, Lexus, Mercedes, SUV, Touareg, Volkswagen, VW, Washington DC, WashingtonDc, Wolfgang Puck, WolfgangPuck

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Tao Las Vegas Tops Restaurant Earnings List

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Restaurants everywhere are struggling, Las Vegas tourism is down and still somehow Tao Restaurant and Nightclub in Las Vegas owns the top spot on the list of the 100 highest grossing independent restaurants in the U.S.according to the latest data from Restaurants and Institutions. This was Tao's third time at number one in a year where sales in the top 100 pretty much stayed the same as last year's numbers ($1.52 billion in 2008, compared to $1.53 billion in 2007).

Tao Las Vegas brought in $68.4 million in food and beverage revenue in 2008 which is a three percent gain over 2007. The rest of the top five, Tavern on the Green in New York City, Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Smith & Wollensky in New York City and Tao Asian Bistro in New York City were all also in the top five last year.

The list includes a few celebrity restaurants. Danny DeVito's DeVito South Beach is in the 19th slot, Michael Jordan's steakhouse at the Mohegan Sun is number 62 and Mike Ditka's Chicago restaurant is in the 94th position. Celebrity chefs also appear on the list. Wolfgang Puck owns a few slots, Mario Batali and Lydia Bastianich's Del Posto in New York is at number 45. "Top Chef" host Tom Colicchio is on the list for Craftsteak in Las Vegas and Daniel Boulud hits the list twice.

Most of the restaurants are located in major cities or in vacation destinations but there are a few surprises. The Harris Ranch restaurant is located in the small cow town of Coalinga, California and Zehnder's is in the Bavarian-themed town of Frankenmuth, Michigan.

[via Bloomberg]

Source

Tags: danny devito, DannyDevito, michael jordan, MichaelJordan, restaurants, tao las vegas, TaoLasVegas, tom colicchio, TomColicchio, wolfgang puck, WolfgangPuck

Spottswoode Wine Dinner at Chinois on Main

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Spottswoode wine dinner held at Chinois on Main, Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in Santa Monica. With an entire food empire to tend to you wouldn't think that Wolfgang Puck would still get in the kitchen but last night he cooked beside chef Rene Mata. The restaurant has been open since 1983, making this year the 25th anniversary of this California landmark.

Spottswoode wine has an even longer history. Spottswoode is a family-owned historic vineyard and winery which was established in 1882 by George Schonewald. The estate features a Victorian home which is shown on the Spottswoode label. The Spottswoode name comes from Mrs. Albert Spotts, who owned the property from 1910 until 1972 (the "woode" part of the name was added for fancy effect). In 1972, Mary Weber Novak and her husband Dr. Jack Novak purchased the winery, moving their family from San Diego to St. Helena. The vineyards were planted with a variety of grapes but were then replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Shortly after this Dr. Novak died and Mrs. Novak continued to sell the grapes to other producers. Finally in 1982, the first Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon was produced. Today, two of Mary's daughters, Beth and Lindy, work for the family winery which currently produced around 3,000 cases a year of Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. They also produce the Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc, which is made from grapes purchased elsewhere and the Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the estate's second label. The estate also produces a limited amount of olive oil. The winery has been certified organic since 1990 and is committed to environmentally sensitive practices.

The dinner at Chinois was definitely not for vegetarians but the rich food was well complemented by the various Spottswoode vintages served. The 2001 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly noteworthy and well worth finding if you can get your hands on it. The wines are pricey, the 2005 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon is $130 and the 2005 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon is $60 but the wines are everything you'd expect from a Napa Cab, rich with cherry flavors that straddle the line between being fruity enough to appeal to the nose but spicy and layered enough to tempt the tongue. The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, which sells for $32 is a great summer wine. It doesn't have the grassy and mineral flavors of some Sauvignon Blancs. Instead it has tastes of pineapple and citrus and is a crisp white that would be a great wine for drinking on its own or with light food.

The gallery below shows each course and the wines served for this very special meal.

Gallery: Spottswoode Wine Dinner

Source

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, chinois, spottswoode wine, wolfgang puck

MGM Grand Detroit To Get Celebrity Chefs

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Is Detroit set to become the new Las Vegas. The MGM Grand Detroit is a new luxury hotel with 335 guest rooms, nine rooftop VIP suites and 56 corner suites. The hotel will have a private entrance, a concierge level with full-service lounge and a Lobby "Living Room" for hotel guests only (shown above. The hotel which is set to open in the fall, has just announced that it will be home to three signature restaurants by two famed chefs. Wolfgang Puck will open the Wolfgang Puck Grill and chef Michael Mina will introduce both Saltwater, a seafood restaurant and Bourbon Steak, a steakhouse. Puck's entrees will also be part of the room-service program. The hotel will also include a piano bar, nightclub and a lavish spa. The MGM Grand Casino in Detroit is already open and is part of a growing hotel and casino complex in the Motor City.

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Tags: casino, detroit, hotels, mgm grand, MgmGrand, michael mina, MichaelMina, wolfgang puck, WolfgangPuck

Wolfgang Puck Joins The Newseum Project

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The Newseum project on Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. is more than just another museum in Washington D.C. The project will have 135 apartments, retail space and, as was just announced, a new Wolfgang Puck restaurant to be named "Source by Wolfgang Puck." The Newseum located on Pennsylvania Avenue will replace the old Newseum which was in Arlington, Virginia. The complex will open in 2007. The building includes a large facade which looks out on Pennsylvania Avenue and the National Mall while letting the public see inside to the visitors and displays. It will be Puck's first foray into high-end dining in Washington.

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Tags: fine dining, food, newseum, restaurant, spago, washington dc, wolfgang puck, WolfgangPuck

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