WRITTEN IN THE STARS

From the easy vibe of his flagship restaurant, Spago, Beverly Hills, to being caterer-elect of the Oscars for 25 years running, Wolfgang Puck unwittingly cracked the formula to being Hollywood’s favourite chef early on

- SAUMYAA VOHRA

As Wolfgang Puck settles down in his chair across from me – on a screen only 8,000 miles away in LA – he exudes the energy of a veteran runner on a marathon morning. It’s 9am West Coast time, and his grin is as sunny as the test kitchen he’s in, where his innovative cuisine starts out as myriad experiments, growing into revered classics over time. The city’s élite du cinéma took to Puck’s flagship restaurant, Spago, fairly early in its years, bursting at the seams with instantly recognisable faces – a scenario a young, 33-year-old Puck would’ve never imagined for his relaxed restaurant.

But, what he’d envisioned as a neighbourhood haunt with uncompromisingly fantastic food grew into the nerve centre of Hollywood royalty. The reason was simple: When most chefs were cultivating exclusivity to earn their Michelin star, he understood the power of casual dining. “I thought to myself, where would I want to go?” Pucks says. “And what I wanted was a fun place, one that wasn’t stuffy or overbearing; but with great food.” A straightforward idea, executed as intended, gave Spago its unflinchingly cool vibe – and set the tone for Puck’s stream of successful restaurants to come.