Wolfgang Puck facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wolfgang Puck

Puck in 2012
Born	Wolfgang Topfschnig (1949-07-08) July 8, 1949 (age 76) Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria
Cooking style	California, French, and fusion
Spouse	Marie France Trouillot ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1980)​ Barbara Lazaroff ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 2003)​ Gelila Assefa ​ (m. 2007)​

Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is a famous chef and restaurant owner from Austria. He is known for his amazing cooking and for creating many popular restaurants around the world.

Wolfgang's Early Life

Wolfgang Puck in 1988

Wolfgang Puck was born in a town called Sankt Veit an der Glan in Austria. He learned how to cook from his mother, who was a pastry chef, meaning she was great at making cakes and desserts! When his mother remarried, Wolfgang took the last name of his stepfather, Josef Puck. He also gained two younger sisters and a younger brother.

Wolfgang's Cooking Journey

Wolfgang started his cooking training when he was young. He worked as an apprentice (a trainee) in famous restaurants in France and Monaco. When he was 24, in 1973, he moved to the United States. After working in Indianapolis for two years, Wolfgang moved to Los Angeles. There, he became the chef and a part-owner of a restaurant called Ma Maison.

Opening Spago and Other Restaurants

In 1981, Wolfgang published his first cookbook, which had recipes from Ma Maison. Then, in 1982, he opened his very own restaurant called Spago in Los Angeles. It quickly became very popular! Later, in 1997, Wolfgang and his business partner, Barbara Lazaroff, moved Spago to Beverly Hills. Spago is still considered one of the best restaurants in the U.S. Many people say that Spago made Wolfgang Puck one of the most famous chefs in the world.

In 1991, Wolfgang opened another restaurant called Granita, which served seafood in Malibu, California. This restaurant closed in 2005. Since 2003, Wolfgang's recipes have been shared with newspapers and websites all over the world.

Helping Others Through Food

Wolfgang Puck also cares a lot about helping people. In 1982, he helped start the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation. This foundation supports an event called the American Wine & Food Festival. This festival raises money for Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers food to people who can't easily leave their homes. The foundation has raised more than $15 million to help others.

One of Wolfgang Puck's most famous dishes at his first Spago restaurant was a unique house-smoked salmon pizza.

Wolfgang's Personal Life

Wolfgang Puck was married to interior designer Barbara Lazaroff from 1983 to 2003. They have two sons named Cameron and Byron. Barbara Lazaroff helped start the Wolfgang Puck restaurants and was very important in designing their interiors.

In 1999, Wolfgang became a citizen of the United States. His favorite food is macarons, which are sweet, colorful cookies.

In 2007, Wolfgang married his third wife, Gelila Assefa. She is a model and a handbag designer from Ethiopia. She first met Wolfgang when she was working at his Spago restaurant. In late 2023, Wolfgang became a grandfather when his son Cameron's son, Maxwell, was born.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Wolfgang Puck has received many awards for his amazing work as a chef and restaurateur.

• In 1985, he received a Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
• In 1993, Spago Hollywood was added to the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame.
• The next year, Spago received the James Beard Restaurant of the Year Award, which is a very important award in the food world.
• In 2002, Wolfgang won a Daytime Emmy Award for his TV show, Wolfgang Puck.
• Spago Beverly Hills received another important award, the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Service Award, in 2005. It also earned two Michelin stars in 2008 and 2009. Michelin stars are a sign of excellent cooking.
• His restaurant CUT Beverly Hills also received a Michelin star in 2007.
• In 2013, Wolfgang Puck was added to the Culinary Hall of Fame.
• In 2016, CUT at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore also received a Michelin Star.
• On April 26, 2017, Wolfgang Puck received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television.
• In June 2022, he was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Hospitality by the International Hospitality Institute.

Wolfgang Puck's Restaurants

Wolfgang Puck has many restaurants around the world. Here are some of them:

• Spago: His first famous restaurant, now in Beverly Hills, with other locations in places like Budapest, Las Vegas, and Singapore.
• Caramá: Located in Las Vegas.
• CUT: Found in Beverly Hills, London, New York City, and Washington D.C. There are also CUT by Wolfgang Puck locations in Bahrain Bay and Singapore.
• Chinois on Main: In Santa Monica, California.
• The Marketplace by Wolfgang Puck: At El Dorado International Airport in Colombia.
• III by Wolfgang Puck: In Houston, Texas.
• Merois: In West Hollywood, California.
• Wolfgang Puck Kitchen: In Shanghai and The Villages, Florida.
• Wolfgang Puck’s Kitchen Counter: At Cancún International Airport.
• Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar: At Kempegowda International Airport in India.

Past Restaurants

Wolfgang has also had other restaurants that have since closed:

• Five-Sixty: Was in Dallas and closed in 2020.
• Postrio: Was known for its innovative food and wine list, open from 1989–2009.
• Granita: A seafood restaurant in Malibu, California, open from 1991–2005.
• Eureka: Restaurant & Brewery in West Los Angeles, open from 1990–1993.
• Lupo: In Las Vegas.
• Ospero: In West Hollywood, California, open from 2021-2024.
• Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill: Had locations in Las Vegas and Disney Springs.
• The Source: In Washington, D.C., which closed in 2020.
• Wolfgang Puck Steak: In Detroit, which closed in 2020.
• Wolfgang Puck Kitchen: In Costa Mesa, California.
• Wolfgang Puck Express: In Disney Springs.
• Wolfgang Puck Cafe: In Newport Beach, California.

Wolfgang Puck on TV and in Movies

Wolfgang Puck has appeared in many TV shows and movies, often playing himself!

Wolfgang Puck's Companies

Wolfgang Puck's restaurants, catering services, cookbooks, and other products are all managed by the Wolfgang Puck Companies. This group has three main parts: the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. They help manage all his different food businesses.

See also

In Spanish: Wolfgang Puck para niños

• List of American restaurateurs