In May, the chef of "Spago" in Beverly Hills is making a guest appearance at the "Ikarus" restaurant in Hangar-7 in Salzburg.
If one Austrian has written a success story in the world alongside Arnold Schwarzengger, then it is Carinthian Wolfgang Puck. From his home country, he conquered the USA via France. His recipe for this success? Passion for what he does, the "marketing gene" that he probably carries within him and, of course, perfect cooking skills, a high level of creativity and a constant curiosity for new things. More than 50 years ago, he left St. Veit an der Glan to conquer the world of cooking. And today he rules over a cooking empire with more than 5,000 employees and countless restaurants all over the world. He just celebrated the 30th anniversary of his Oscar gala nights at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and his 75th birthday on July 8. Then he will be right back where he likes to be – in one of his kitchens.
His innovations from the past are now state of the art and he is the one who is always trying out new things - which is probably what keeps him so young and so popular wherever he appears. He brought the guests into the kitchen and the show kitchen was born. An open fire in the middle of the restaurant and you could watch the food being prepared and enjoy a delicious meal. Slightly adapted, this principle now works in more than 100 Puck restaurants around the world. "I like it flexible" he likes to say, and this also applies to new restaurant and cooking ideas. Puck is one of the most successful restaurateurs in the world and has become a cult figure in the USA. His life story reads like a true fairy tale and yet behind it all is work, creativity, a little luck and a whole lot of passion. Since he opened "Spago" in 1982, he has given the culinary world more impetus than perhaps any other chef.
The multi-talented Wolfgang Puck is now responsible for the guest chef menu at Salzburg's "Restaurant Ikarus" for the month of May. He brought along many of his signature dishes from his many restaurants and spent the first few days whirling through the kitchen and restaurant with his small team and the fantastic team led by Executive Chef Martin Klein. When you listen to him, you simply understand why he is so successful. Each of his stories revolves around his great passion for tasty dishes and ingredients. From the amuse-bouche, which reads like a who's who of his Hollywood cuisine – from the mini pizza with smoked salmon and caviar that once established his fame, to the spicy tuna tartare sesame miso cones, the brioche with truffle and beef marrow flan, to the iconic spring roll with foie gras. Delicious ingredients become little fireworks of flavor that make you want more.
And this "more" comes straight away in the form of a great hamachi sashimi and a "chinois" oyster, followed by a Maine lobster poached in butter and served with a Thai red curry and basil, known here as holy basil. When asked, Puck says it's a Thai basil, but he finds the name curious. The agnoletti with peas and morels, which are served before the crispy loup de mer, are not strange but delicious. For the author, this is one of the best dishes of the evening, not only visually but also in terms of taste. The fish is perfectly cooked and spectacularly served, and the "hot and sour sauce", which forms a spicy liaison with the pak choy, is spicy and delicious. This is followed by a Wagyu beef tongue with fine aromatic garnishes, before the New York steak tasting comes to the table.
"We have packed three continents onto one plate," explains Wolfgang Puck, "the best Japanese Wagyu matches up with outstanding steak meat from America and Austria".
After the cheese course, which is a perfectly refined Roquefort with honeycomb and Mostardi di Noci, comes a delicious marriage of flavors. The caramelized pineapple strudel combines two worlds of puck and, with the marzipan ice cream and candied kumquats, is a fruity end to a menu that will remain in your memory.
The month of June at "Restaurant Ikarus" is dedicated to the Spanish cuisine of Javier Olleros from the "Culler de pau" in Galicia. He is one of the most important representatives of the "nueva cocina" and a true culinary artist.
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