Wolfgang Puck

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname of his stepfather, Josef Puck, after his mother's remarriage. The marriage produced two younger sisters and a younger brother. Puck trained as an apprentice under Raymond Thuilier at L'Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux-de-Provence, at Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, and at Maxim's Paris before moving to the United States in 1973 at age 24. After two years at La Tour in Indianapolis, Puck moved to Los Angeles to become chef and part owner of Ma Maison restaurant. Following the 1981 publication of his first cookbook, Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen, which was based on his Ma Maison recipes, Puck opened the restaurant Spago on the Sunset Strip in 1982. Fifteen years later, in 1997, Puck and Barbara Lazaroff, his then-wife and business partner, moved the award-winning Spago to Beverly Hills. It has been recognized as one of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. since 2004. One of Wolfgang Puck's signature dishes at his original restaurant, Spago, is house-smoked salmon pizza. In 1991, Puck opened his fourth restaurant, Granita, a seafood restaurant in Malibu, California. The restaurant closed in 2005. Since 2003, Puck's recipes have been syndicated worldwide to newspapers and websites by Tribune Content Agency. Wolfgang Puck is active in philanthropic endeavors and charitable organizations. He co-founded the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation in 1982. The foundation supports the annual American Wine & Food Festival which benefits Meals on Wheels; it has raised more than $15 million since its inception.

Reader's Guide

Wolfgang Puck's significance lies in his role as a pioneer of the celebrity chef phenomenon and his influence on American dining. By opening Spago in 1982, he helped define California cuisine, blending French techniques with local ingredients. His house-smoked salmon pizza became iconic, demonstrating that a chef could become a household name. Puck's business model, with multiple restaurant brands, catering, and licensed products, set a template for chef-driven empires. His charitable work through the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation has raised over $15 million for Meals on Wheels. Awards such as James Beard Foundation honors and Michelin stars for his restaurants underscore his impact on fine dining. Puck's syndicated recipes, begun in 2003, extended his reach into home kitchens worldwide. His recognition as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Hospitality in 2022 reflects enduring influence.

Did You Know?

• Puck learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef.
• He took the surname of his stepfather, Josef Puck, after his mother's remarriage.
• One of his signature dishes at Spago is house-smoked salmon pizza.
• He co-founded the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation in 1982, which has raised more than $15 million for Meals on Wheels.
• Puck became a U.S. citizen in 1999.