The Proust Q&A: Wolfgang Puck

Austrian-born US chef Wolfgang Puck founded the celebrity hot spot Spago in 1982 on the Sunset Strip in California, and now has Spagos at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the Four Seasons in Maui, as well as in Istanbul and Singapore. This month the chef brought the concept to London for the first time, running a sold out four-day Spago pop-up at at CUT at 45 Park Lane, Puck’s American steak restaurant, to celebrate Spago’s 35th anniversary. The restaurant’s pouring partner from the beginning, Champagne Lanson joined the event with the house’s owner, Philippe Baijot, providing 12 magnum bottles of Lanson’s 1982 vintage Champagne, plucked from his private cellar, for the occasion. A restaurateur and chef by trade, Puck is also a well-known face on screen, appearing as himself in CSI, Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef and reality show Keeping up with the Kardashians as official chef of Kim Kardashian’s wedding to first husband Kris Humphries. Here, Puck reveals his greatest fear, why he might just move to London and drinking ’67 Yquem with Roger Federer.

Wolfgang Puck

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I am happiest when I am enjoying a great meal paired with delicious wine.

What is your greatest fear?
In the industry your biggest fear is opening a restaurant and no one coming, luckily my first restaurant Spago was a hit.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Every summer I take a month off to enjoy time with my wife and children. It is a big extravagance but something that is really important to me.

What is your current state of mind?
I want to enjoy my life to the fullest.

What is the quality you most like in another person?
Strength of character is so important, particularly when you work in the restaurant industry.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?
My greatest loves are my wife, Gelila and my four boys.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Look at that”. I say this in the kitchen all the time.

When and where were you happiest?
Life is a journey and fortunately we remember more happy times than sad ones. I was very happy to leave home when I was 14 because by that age I was ready to be independent and develop my passion for food.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I think everyone who works with me would agree that I should be more organised although I tend to thrive off the pressure that comes with disorganisation.

Which talent would you most like to have?
As a chef I enjoy creating something tangible and aesthetically beautiful, so I would love to be a painter or sculptor.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am proud that my kids are happy and already doing so well.

Where would you most like to live?
I love living in LA but maybe we should move to London, the food scene here is exciting!

What is your most treasured possession?
I tend not to treasure material objects so much, but I really love my Robert Rauschenberg painting.

What is your most marked characteristic?
People describe me as a loyal character; this can sometimes be to my detriment.

Who is your favourite writer?
I struggle to find the time to read, but when I do I really enjoy reading inspiring biographies. I particularly enjoyed the biography of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a German writer and statesman. I recently read the biography of Walter Isaacson which proved to be an interesting read.

What is it that you most dislike?
Bad food and bad hospitality is my strongest dislike, in today’s competitive environment where we have so many talented chefs there is no excuse.

What is your greatest regret?
I try not to have any regrets, but if anything I wish I had met my wife Gelila earlier in life so we could have spent more time together.

What is your motto?
Live. Love. Eat.

Who would be your ideal dinner party guests and what three wines would you serve?
John F Kennedy would be a great guest as he was known for his love of good wine. Another guest would have to be Roger Federer, I am a huge fan of tennis and support him this year at The Wimbledon Championships. For the occasion I would serve Old Krug Champagne, La Tâche and a ’67 Château d’Yquem.