Discover chef Wolfgang Puck’s luxurious dishes, vegan options and classics served at Governors Ball
Every year, after the golden statuettes are handed out, Hollywood’s elite head to the Governors Ball, the official post-Oscar party, where the real banquet of the night takes place. Contrary to popular belief, there is no dinner served during the long ceremony at the Dolby Theatre; guests often arrive at the ball hungry and ready to sample the creations of legendary Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck.
Responsible for the menu for more than three decades, Puck commands a military gastronomic operation to feed around 1,500 guestsincluding winners, nominees and presenters. The menu combines extreme luxury with “comfort food”, ensuring that stars can eat everything from caviar to a simple pizza or burger, all prepared with the finest ingredients in the world.
How the Oscar dinner works
The Governors Ball does not follow the traditional format of a sit-down dinner with set dishes served at the table. To encourage circulation and networking among celebrities, the service is steering wheel and divided into “small plate” stations (small portions).
The waiters circulate with trays of cold and hot appetizerswhile gastronomic islands offer freshly made dishes, from risottos to premium meat cuts. This allows celebrities to prove a wide variety of flavors without the rigidity of a sequential tasting menu.
Wolfgang Puck’s classic dishes
There are items on the menu that have become as iconic as the figurine itself and are demanded by the stars every year. If Wolfgang Puck tries to remove them, he will face direct complaints from the likes of Barbra Streisand. Mandatory items include:
- Smoked Salmon Oscars: Cold starter made with matzee (crispy flatbread) in the shape of an Oscar statuette, topped with smoked salmon, dill and a generous portion of caviar;
- Chicken Pot Pie with Black Truffles: The most famous dish of the night. It’s a creamy chicken pie, homemade style, but elevated to the level of luxury with shavings of black Burgundy truffles. It’s many winners’ favorite “comfort” dish;
- Mini Wagyu Burgers: Small burgers made with high quality Wagyu beef, served with aged cheddar cheese and remoulade sauce;
- Mac and Cheese Cacio e Pepe: A sophisticated version of macaroni and cheese, seasoned with black pepper and noble cheeses.
Menu highlights and innovations
In addition to the classics, the menu always features new features that reflect global culinary trends. In the most recent editions (including planning for 2025/2026), the chef has focused on:
- Carne Miyazaki Wagyu: Considered one of the best in the world, served grilled or in Japanese preparations with wasabi mashed potatoes and ponzu sauce;
- Fish and Chips: A tribute to British cuisine, served in paper cones to make it easier to eat standing up;
- Wood-fired pizza: A classic from Puck (Spago) restaurants, served sliced during the party;
- Cone de Tartare de Atum Picante: Fresh tuna tartare served in crispy sesame and miso cones.
Vegan and sustainable options
The Academy and Wolfgang Puck’s team have significantly increased plant-based options to meet Hollywood’s growing demand for sustainability and restrictive diets. The menu usually includes:
- Wild Mushroom Risotto: Often prepared without dairy or with high-quality substitutes;
- Dumplings and Baos: Asian options stuffed with mushrooms, carrots and ginger;
- Vegan Pizzas: With chestnut-based cheeses and fresh vegetables.
Drinks and the golden dessert
To toast, the official champagne is usually Fleur de Miraval (the rosé brand co-founded by Brad Pitt), as well as wines from Francis Ford Coppola’s winery and cocktails made with premium tequila like Don Julio.
Dessert is a show in itself. The highlight is the Chocolate Figurines, perfect replicas of the Oscars made from chocolate (milk, dark or white), hand-painted with 24-karat edible gold. It is estimated that around 5,000 of these figurines will be produced so that each guest can take one home. In addition, there are ice cream stations, chocolate cigars and sweets inspired by international flavors, such as yuzu and passion fruit.
Curiosities from Oscar’s kitchen
The logistics of serving dinner are impressive and involve huge numbers:
Team: More than 100 chefs and 300 waiters work on the night of the event;
Timing: The kitchen begins to speed up the preparation of hot dishes (like Chicken Pot Pie) about 30 minutes before the “Best Picture” award announcement, to ensure the food is fresh as soon as guests leave the theater;
Ingredients: On average, 10 kilos of caviar, 7,500 shrimp, 150 kilos of tuna, 1,400 bottles of champagne and more than 1,000 black truffles are consumed.
Oscar’s gastronomic legacy goes beyond food; it represents the ultimate celebration of an industry. Wolfgang Puck’s menu has become synonymous with success and indulgence, ensuring that, win or lose, all nominees end the night with a “golden” experience.
