Wolfgang Puck (1949 -)

Wolfgang Puck was born in Carinthia and learned cooking by his mother’s side (Puck). He is probably best known for his restaurants and cooking shows, his catering of the Academy Award ceremonies, and brash marketeering of his cookware on television.

After his apprenticeship in Austria and training with French chefs he moved to the U.S. in 1973 and to Los Angeles in 1975. In 1981 he published his first cook book Modern French Cuisine for the American Kitchen and opened his Spago restaurant (the 1994 James Beard Restaurant of the Year ), where House Smoked Salmon Pizza became his signature dish (his pizzas originated from his cooking experience in Provence, not from Italy).

With his enormous success as a “foodie entrepreneur,” he launched a number of companies expanding his restaurant empire (now also including Wolfgang Puck Express shops in numerous airports around the world), moving into catering services and licensed products (like pressure cookers).

In 2017 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work on television and in film. He also has built a sterling reputation as a serious philanthropist, raising money for Meals on Wheels and cancer research.

Video: Wolfgang Puck Cooks A Valentine's Day Dinner, via The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/ YouTube, February 2018.