Before the celebrity-studded restaurants, before the frozen pizza franchise, there was Wolfgang Puck the man and enterprising chef. From a humble childhood in Austria to worldwide fame, a colorful history surrounds Puck and his amazing successes. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Early Years
Wolfgang Puck learned the basics of the culinary arts while standing at the side of his mother in their home kitchen. She was not only the family cook but a professional chef. She saw her son's potential and enrolled him in culinary school at the age of 14. He trained amongst the world's best dining establishments, notably Maxim's in Paris and L'Oustau de Baumaniere in Provence, which has a three-star rating from Michelin.
Moving to America
As a young adult, Puck made the move from Europe to the United States. He worked in Indianapolis from 1973 through 1975. But it was his subsequent move to Los Angeles, in 1975, that marked a turning point in Puck's career. Puck's signature style and charm wowed the Hollywood elite, and he soon was a partial owner of West Hollywood's Ma Maison. Puck's innovations with traditional recipes and fusion styles soon made Ma Maison the go-to place for gourmands in-the-know.
Innovations
The classic features of Wolfgang Puck's early culinary efforts were the groundbreaking elements of California cuisine. Puck was able to reproduce French and Italian recipes that had a twist involving local, seasonal produce. These innovations were the underpinnings of the celebrated Spago restaurant, which Puck opened in 1982. His signature smoked salmon and caviar pizzas and Sonoma lamb served with braised greens and rosemary earned the chef accolades.
Success and Expansion
Wolfgang Puck was not one to rest on his laurels. After winning two awards from the James Beard Foundation, Puck opened another restaurant, called Chinois. The chef had different goals with Chinois, hoping to create an Asian-fusion menu. A few years later, in 1989, he opened Postrio in San Francisco. Postrio marked a return to Puck's initial devotion to California cuisine, featuring a menu filled with local bounty.
Potential
Wolfgang Puck is one of the few chefs that has managed to become a successful brand. His name sells everything from frozen pizza to gourmet food (at gourmet prices) at the Las Vegas version of Spago, in Caesar's Forum Shops. The enterprising chef has set up three independent entities that look after his interests, Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Worldwide Inc. and Wolfgang Puck Catering.
Tags: Wolfgang Puck, California cuisine, enterprising chef, frozen pizza, Puck opened