Chef Wolfgang Puck’s Oscars Party Food Countdown!
Chef Wolfgang Puck prepares food during a preview for the 87th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball. Photo: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
One of the first stops on the Oscar-winner party circuit is the Governors Ball, held right upstairs from the Academy Awards ceremony. The man who’s been in charge of the menu for the past 21 years is Wolfgang Puck, the famed Los Angeles chef who is a star in his own right. Obviously this is no mere catering gig for Puck and his team. With 1,500 of Hollywood’s most important players to feed, they start planning months ahead to ensure the hors d’oeuvres are worthy of the guest list.
Curious what it takes to pull this off? Puck’s team shared the prep schedule with us, so take a look:
Two months out… Edible gold dust delivered!
Three weeks out… Submit staff measurements for tuxedos. Begin making chocolate Oscars: six days to cast, four days to “clean,” two days to wrap, one day to place in custom-branded boxes.
10 days out… Smoked salmon preparation: three days to cure (salt/sugar), 16 hours to smoke; slice the day before.
Six days out… Receive American Wagyu. Bundle tiny forks in sets of 11 for tray service. Build out the chocolate showpieces for the chocolate bar.
Five days out… Begin pasta-making for the agnolotti; prepare the duck confit for the beet latkes (salt the legs overnight, cook over low heat in duck fat for four to six hours, rinse, cool in duck fat). Review chefs and sous chefs and assign positions.
Beet Latkes with Duck Pastrami and Apple Mustard. Photo: Carin Krasner for Wolfgang Puck Catering
Three days out… Polish and distribute stemware. Crew meals begin for the lunch and dinner service for the 2,000 show and service staff.
Two days out… Receive caviar and truffles. All-hands meeting with captains and managers to review timeline and service details.
Day before… Make flatbread dough and cut with Oscar shape. Distribute Piper-Heidsieck Rare champagne, Sterling Vineyards wines, Johnnie Walker whiskey, and other beverages throughout the pre-show and ball service areas.
Day of show… In early morning bake mini brioche buns.
10 a.m. day of… Set equipment in auxiliary kitchens and additional cooking areas to ensure an even flow of food.
12 p.m. day of… Begin food plating for pre-show guests. Set bar snacks in lobbies.
1 p.m. day of… Commence butler check-in and uniform check.
2-3 p.m. day of… Chef greets the media on the red carpet.
4 p.m. day of… Prepare the mise en place for specialty cocktails. Set up sushi-making station and raw bar. Set up chocolate bar with the featured cake, caramels, artisanal chocolates, and other sweets. Vacuum, vacuum, and vacuum the carpet!!!
Peanut Butter Strawberry Jelly Lollipops and Chocolate Mint Truffles. Photo: Carin Krasner for Wolfgang Puck Catering
7 p.m. night of… Service meeting and pep talk with the ball’s 500 service staff.
Wait for Best Director award and “get ready” (but don’t go yet!)…
First wave of passed hors d’oeuvres and plates of cocktail bites placed around the room. The first 100 guests arrive, and salads start to be served. After 400 or so guests enter the ballroom, butlers begin passing small plates.
10:30pm night of… Begin serving the plated desserts.
Midnight… The Academy staff is served dinner.
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Photo: Carin Krasner for Wolfgang Puck Catering
Excited about the Academy Awards? Here’s how to eat like an Oscar winner:
Oscars Eats: Preview What the Stars Will Nosh on This Sunday
Oscars Party Eats: Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Black Truffles Recipe
