Chef Wolfgang Puck shares his tips for hosting your own Hollywood-worthy bash.
Manage your guest list carefully
“It’s really the mix of people [that makes] it fun,” says Puck. “If the people are boring, even if you serve the best wine and great food, it’s still a boring party.” When he entertains at home with wife Gelila Assefa, he likes to assemble an eclectic group.
“We’re really good friends with Frank Gehry and [painter] Ed Ruscha, the movie people too,” says Puck. “If [we’re at our place in London], all of a sudden Kate Moss is coming, and Naomi Campbell, Michael Caine . . . so we have all different people, and they can talk.”
Get bubbly
“Champagne is always good to celebrate,” says Puck. “You can put a little fruit in it. A bit of raspberry liqueur.” On a budget? “Get prosecco, which is really inexpensive. And most of the people won’t know the difference — especially when you add things to it.”
Serve comfort food
“It’s not like you’re going to have a tasting menu at home,” says Puck. “Make simple things — like a good macaroni and cheese, everybody loves that .. People always like simple things.”
Be cautious about centering a theme on one movie
“I never do that,” Puck says. “If they don’t win, it won’t look good. It’s like betting on one horse, and then you lose. Better to bet on all of them. It’s about the Oscars, all of them, the whole experience. I want guests to have great food without thinking they have to eat from one movie.”
One-bite appetizers
“It should be small, that way you have one pop and that’s it,” says Puck. “Especially for women, it’s very hard to bite into it, and you might drop it on your dress.” Try a mini-grilled cheese garnished with a sprig of watercress.
Serve food that’s good at room temperature
Choose dishes, like mac ’n’ cheese or potpie, that taste delicious hot or lukewarm, so you can set them out at the beginning of the party and let people graze throughout the night. That way, says Puck, “you don’t have to worry and be in the kitchen [the whole time].”
Everything doesn’t need to be homemade
“Whatever you can’t do, you buy,” says Puck. Don’t have time to make pizza crust? Just head to the store. Not much of a baker? “Go to a pastry shop.” Try picking up bonbons, petits fours and chocolate bark. Bottom line: Keep it simple.
Make a splash at the beginning and the end
“Start on a high note,” says Puck. If you’re going to splurge on caviar, use it for your first course — it’s what people will remember. And be a strong closer. “Make a dessert that’s a real favorite,” he says, suggesting a chocolate soufflé or a make-your-own-sundae bar.
RECIPES:
Puck’s pizza with smoked salmon and caviar
Preheat the oven to 500 F with a pizza stone (if you have one) inside.
Divide 1½ pounds pizza dough into four balls. Roll out each ball into an 8-inch circle. Brush dough with olive oil. Cut 1 medium red onion into thin strips and sprinkle over pizzas. Slide the pizzas onto the stone or a baking sheet and bake 8 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Mix ¼ bunch fresh dill, minced, with 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche and freshly ground pepper to taste. Spread mixture over cooked pizzas.
Top each pizza with 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon (16 ounces in total) and arrange decoratively over the cream layer.
Cut each pizza into slices. If you’re feeling fancy, place 1 tablespoon of caviar in the center of each slice. Garnish with chopped chives or dill. Serve immediately. Makes 4 pizzas.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Boil 8 ozs. elbow macaroni until tender but still chewy, about 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a lightly oiled baking pan. Set aside.
While macaroni cooks, melt 3 tbsp. butter in a separate pot over low heat. Whisk in 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.
Add 3½ cups milk, 3 tbsp. finely chopped black truffle (optional), ½ medium white onion, and 1 bay leaf to butter-flour mixture. Raise heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, until creamy, stirring regularly. Discard onion and bay leaf. Remove from heat.
Stir in 7½ ozs. aged shredded cheddar cheese, 3 ozs. grated Gruyere cheese, and 1 oz. grated Parmesan.
Season with salt, black pepper, a pinch cayenne pepper and 2 drops black winter truffle oil (optional). Fold in macaroni. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with 2½ ozs. shredded cheddar.
In a separate pan, melt 3 tbsp. butter. Add 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley. Toss to coat. Spread crumb mixture evenly over top of macaroni.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Top with shaved black truffle, if desired, before serving. Serves 4.