This Sunday, Hollywood’s biggest stars will gather for the 98th Academy Awards – the film industry’s most glittering night, where trophies are handed out (click here to see who our predictions), speeches run a little too long, and at least one controversy is almost guaranteed.
But after the final envelope is opened and the ceremony’s arduous three-plus hours draw to a close, another celebrated ritual for those in attendance begins: dinner. The likes of Timothée Chalamet, Guillermo del Toro, Jessie Buckley and Leonardo DiCaprio will swap the red carpet for the buffet line at the Governors Ball.
The man feeding them is Wolfgang Puck – the celebrity chef now in his 32nd year catering for the Academy’s most exclusive after-party. Backed by an army of 75 savoury chefs and 45 pastry chefs, he’s responsible for making sure Hollywood’s A-listers don’t get too “hangry”.
So who exactly is the man behind the Oscars menu? How did he land one of the most coveted culinary gigs in Hollywood? And, perhaps most importantly, what will he be serving the stars this year?
How Wolfgang Puck conquered Hollywood
Born in Austria in 1949, Puck started his formal training when he was just 14-years old, training in some of Europe’s most prestigious kitchens. His early career saw him embark on a pretty impressive culinary circuit – from the grand kitchens of Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco, to the legendary Maxim’s in Paris, and the Michelin-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence.
At the age of 24, Wolfgang left Europe for the United States. His breakthrough came at Ma Maison, a glamorous restaurant where actors, agents and studio executives gathered over long lunches and late dinners.
It was there that Puck started building relationships with Hollywood’s elite – and introducing them to a more relaxed, inventive style of cooking – such as pizzas topped with smoked salmon and caviar, and Sonoma baby lamb with braised greens and rosemary. It was refined, but playful.
The buzz soon extended beyond the restaurant. In 1981, Puck published his first cookbook, Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen, based on the recipes that had made Ma Maison famous.
A year later he opened Spago on the Sunset Strip, a restaurant that would come to define the exuberant spirit of California fine dining. Soon after, he expanded his empire with Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, blending French technique with Asian flavours.
As his restaurant empire grew, so did his public profile. Puck became a familiar face on American television, appearing regularly on Good Morning America from 1986, before launching his own Emmy Award-winning series, Wolfgang Puck’s Cooking Class, on Food Network in 2000.
Hollywood soon realised that Puck could do something few chefs manage: cook world-class food at enormous scale without losing flair – so in 1995 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences asked him to cater the lavish Governors Ball.
What began as a one-off became a tradition. Puck is as much a fixture of Oscars night as the red carpet itself. While actors rehearse speeches and stylists adjust gowns, his kitchen is already in full motion – preparing thousands of dishes before the first statuette is even awarded.
What’s on the menu at this year’s Governor’s Ball?
As you can no-doubt certain imagined, feeding Hollywood’s elite is no small task. Around 1,500 guests are expected at this year’s ball, and to pull it off Puck has assembled a squadron of 75 savoury chefs, 45 pastry chefs, and more than 300 front-of-house staff and managers.
Among the newer additions this year are a live izakaya station – inspired by the casual energy of a Japanese pub – and an Italian gelato machine churning fresh ice cream throughout the evening.
But alongside the novelties, many of Puck’s long-time favourites are returning to the menu. “Comfort food is always the people’s favourite food, like our chicken pot pie, smoked salmon pizza, our macaroni and cheese, or the mini Wagyu burgers,” Puck said during a preview event at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Puck’s team will prepare around 600 house-made pizzas, 3,000 servings of artichoke agnolotti and some 2,000 chocolate Oscars.
To do it, the kitchen works through A LOT of ingredients: an estimated 90 kilograms of dry-aged ribeye, 136 kg of house-smoked salmon, 13.6 kg of Kaluga caviar, 227 kg of wild mushrooms, 90 kg of Nishiki rice and roughly 180 kg of cheese.
Nearly eight litres of edible 24-carat liquid gold are also on hand – used at a special station where miniature chocolate Oscars are sprayed to their signature shimmering finish.
Throughout the evening, trays of roaming bites will circulate among the guests: spicy tuna tartare cones with sesame miso, lobster corn dogs, and Korean steak tartare served on puffed rice. There are also smoked salmon “Oscar” matzo, sweet pea falafel with hummus and za’atar, and taro root tacos filled with shrimp, mango and avocado.
For dessert, there’s raspberry panna cotta with lemon sablé, gianduja mousse éclairs and mocha tiramisu served in verrines, alongside coconut macaroons, pistachio and chocolate macarons, cranberry meringues and rich dark chocolate brownies.