Wolfgang Puck: Newseum Museum Catering

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Wolfgang Puck may have appeared on the Today Show this morning, warming up America for the the first of a week's worth of episodes on Celebrity Cooking Showdown this week (see previous article), but the nation's capital is abuzz with his catering news. In Fall 2007, "The Source by Wolfgang Puck" will open at the new Newseum, with a planned menu from Wolfgang Puck Catering, presided over by Carl Schuster in partnership with Lee Hefter and Matt Bencivenga and also including stalwarts such as Puck empire co-founder Barbara Lazaroff and long-time Fine Dining partner Tom Kaplan. Brother and partner Klaus Puck will oversee all operational aspects of the new restaurant. Wolf announced to the public: The menu will offer some of my signatures dishes, as well as new creations inspired from fresh Maryland, Virginia, and East Coast ingredients and flavors. This combination will surely make our newest restaurant The Source for lunch and dinner in the District of Columbia. The ground floor will have a "bar and grill," while upstairs will offer Fine Dining by leveraging menu items from Spago, Chinois, and Postrio. Billed as "the District's first fine dining restaurant headlined by the legendary chef," following the opening of Wolfgang Puck Express units in the DC Convention Center and across the Potomac River at the Pentagon City Mall in Virginia, run by long-time Puck friends Simon Property Group (see Super Chef, p. 22). Wolf & Co. are clearly evolving their business strategies for Fine Dining and Catering. Only a few years ago, there seemed to be an internal war rising between two of three divisions in the Puck empire, Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events (WPCE) and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide (WPW), which controls the Wolfgang Puck Express franchise, in that both seemed to be competing for new business in airlines and in new venues like museums (see Super Chef, pp. 39-44). The player to watch in the fray, however, was Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining (WPFD), where most of the long-time players were concentrated. Clearly, what is emerging is a decision to expand Fine Dining and Catering venues together, particularly in museum venues. Thus, we see a new concept for the Minneapolis area in 20.21 Restaurant & Bar, the Walker Art Center's restaurant. Then there is Puck's at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (see previous article). Meanwhile, Wolf & Co. have also experimented with the "Bar & Grill concept in Las Vegas, on the site of the former Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe in the MGM Hotel, a variation on which is also slated to open in Atlantic City at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa. The bar and grill concept followed decision not to move forward with the "french colors" restaurant concept embodied in Vert (see Super Chef, pp. 41-46). Another new concept, which will probably stay with hotels is the Wolfgang Puck Steakhouse (see previous article). The branding decision is clear and sound: Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events is the best means to extend Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining, since it has a Spago equivalent in its long-time commitment to the Governors Ball of the Academy Awards (see previous article). (The Source's opening at the Newseum itself is old news. Wolf's partners the Levy Group announced it back in 2004 -- see press release) -- while Business Week mentioned it last summer in a story on museum catering.) Super chef: Wolfgang Puck Press releases: Newseum USNewswire BusinessWire AOL News Related news: WRC TV 4 (NBC) WUSA TV 9 (CBS) WJLA TV 7 (ABC) WTOP 103.5 FM Washingtonian Magazine Washington Post Washington Post Previous articles: Celebrity Cooking Showdown: Online Now Celebrity Cooking Showdown Wolf's Oscar Party: Menu & Food Photos Wolf's Oscar Party: Prep Photos Wolf's Oscar Party: Room Photos Chef-Crashing Into Oscars Wolfgang Puck on 'Las Vegas' Wolfgang Puck: 'Vegas' TV Restaurant Rob Kautz: Cursed to 99 Cents Only? Requiem for Granita Fly Avion (Wolfgang Puck Included) Romancing the Stove - or The Way We Worked? Applause for Gamal Aziz and Tom Kaplan Iron Chef Pizza Wars: Batali vs. Puck Todd English: Pots and Pans Pucked? Wolfgang Puck: Eastern Empire Wolf Want Meat: Wolfgang Puck Steakhouse Iron Chef America: Running on Empty Wolfgang Puck Inaugurates Washington Wolfgang Puck Returns to Indiana Coffee Puck: Heats in Your Hands Fly With Wolfgang Puck Express And Now Puck Paints, Two! Wolf Wines & Dines, or Puck's Party Euro Puck Puck in a Box Wolfgang Puck Examines the Examiner [Wolfgang Puck (complete articles)] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Wolfgang Puck --> back to superchefblog