For the past 21 years, Wolfgang Puck Catering has been creating the delicacies served at the annual Governors Ball, the official post-Oscar celebration hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The televised Oscar ceremony, attended by Hollywood glitterati and watched by millions across the globe, takes place this year on Sunday, Feb. 28. Smart Meetings offers a sneak peek at what Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and his esteemed team is cooking up for Oscar night.
The Envelope, Please
In addition to some of his signature dishes such as spicy tuna tartare in sesame miso cones; baked potato with caviar; chicken potpie with shaved black winter truffles; and little ramekins of baked macaroni and cheese, Puck is adding some new F&B items to the red carpet menu.
New options will include avocado toast with radish, sea salt and finger lime; grilled fig filled with local ricotta and saba; taro root tacos with wild mushrooms and salsa verde; artichoke and fromage agnolotti; braised Wagyu short ribs with cauliflower puree and golden raisin puffed Thai rice; ancient grain risotto with peas, mushrooms and pea leaves; and chilled white grape and almond gazpacho. An elaborate raw bar will feature made-to-order sushi, as well as poke, stone crab and king crab legs.
Some of the dishes will be one-bite hors d’oeuvres, while others will be small plates passed throughout the evening by servers clothed in attire chosen by acclaimed costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, who is marking his seventh year as chair of the Governors Ball. To appease Hollywood stars that adhere to special diets, many of the dishes are dairy, nut and gluten-free.
For dessert, the pastry team is creating mouthwatering treats such as pistachio crêpes with strawberry-Champagne foam and crumbled pistachio; caramelia shot with maple cream, muscovado couscous and coffee sorbet; chocolate passion layer cake with chocolate biscuit speculoos and banana ice cream; tiramisu push pops and passion fruit mallomars. The chocolate dessert bar will include Puck’s famous 24-karat-gold chocolate Oscars.
The glitzy event will take place immediately following the 88th annual Oscar ceremony, in the Ray Dolby Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center. According to Kurland, the ballroom will feature more than 170 commissioned illustrations of film luminaries, including many who contributed to this year’s crop of esteemed films. The décor theme was inspired by the caricatures that cover the walls of Sardi’s and Brown Derby restaurants.
Oscar Night by the Numbers
1,500 – Number of guests, including Oscar winners, nominees and presenters, Puck and his team will serve
13,000 – Beverage glasses that will need to be washed
4,500 – Bamboo skewers for hors d’oeuvres
2,600 – Weight (in pounds) of the illuminated and sculpted ice raw bar
300 – Maine lobsters
300 – Pounds of Snake River Wagyu beef short rib
10 – Kilos of American caviar
15 – Pounds of winter black truffles, imported from Burgundy, France
800 – Asparagus spears
1,000 – Cara cara orange segments
5,000 – Cage-free local eggs
10 – Gallons of homemade banana ice cream
30 – Pounds of edible gold dust
7,000 – Mini chocolate Oscars
2,400 – Bottles of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne
