Wolfgang Puck Prepares 70 Dishes for Oscars Governor’s Ball in His 32nd Year as Head Chef

On March 15, the 98th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, is expected to last about three hours. After the awards are handed out, around 1,500 guests will move to the Governor’s Ball, the official after-party held nearby. As in previous years, the event will be catered by Austrian-born chef Wolfgang Puck, who has become a fixture at the Oscars. This marks his 32nd year preparing food for Hollywood’s biggest night.

The menu for this year’s Governor’s Ball features 70 different dishes. Among the highlights are chicken pot pie, Spago’s signature pizza, macaroni and cheese, and mini wagyu beef burgers. Guests will also find Oscar-shaped salmon crackers and a dedicated sushi station staffed by five chefs preparing rolls, nigiri, and crispy rice cakes. For dessert, there will be apple strudel made from Puck’s mother’s recipe and freshly churned ice cream using advanced equipment.

The official wines of the Academy Awards—red, white, and rosé—will once again come from Clarendelle and Domaine Clarence Dillon. This marks the fourth consecutive year these Bordeaux producers have supplied wine for the event. Domaine Clarence Dillon is led by Prince Robert of Luxembourg and is known for estates such as Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion. For this occasion, they will introduce “Le Dragon de Quintus” 2020, a blend from Saint-Émilion.

Champagne service returns to Piper-Heidsieck this year. The French house was previously featured at the Oscars from 2015 to 2021. Their Cuvée Brut will be poured throughout the evening. In recent years, other Champagnes have been served: Fleur de Miraval rosé from Brad Pitt and the Perrin family from 2022 to 2024, and Lallier in 2025.

Cocktails at the event will have a strong Italian influence thanks to Lorenzo Antinori, co-founder of Bar Leone in Hong Kong. Antinori was invited by Tequila Don Julio to create two cocktails for the evening alongside American mixologist Charles Joly. Bar Leone has gained international recognition for its classic cocktail culture and welcoming atmosphere.

The kitchen staff for the Governor’s Ball includes 75 chefs and 45 pastry chefs, supported by more than 300 servers and managers. Over the course of the night, they expect to prepare about 600 pizzas, 3,000 artichoke agnolotti, and 2,000 mini chocolate Oscar statuettes. Ingredients include approximately 90 kilograms of aged beef ribeye, 136 kilograms of smoked salmon, 227 kilograms of wild mushrooms, and 181 kilograms of cheese. There will also be about 14 kilograms of Kaluga caviar and nearly eight liters of edible 24-karat gold used to decorate desserts with Oscar-shaped stencils.

Despite the scale of production, organizers say all dietary needs will be accommodated. Chef Puck recalls serving vegan dishes to Joaquin Phoenix and his team after Phoenix won Best Actor in 2020 for “Joker.” Puck said Phoenix called it “the best vegan restaurant in the world.”

The guest list includes some of cinema’s most prominent figures. Presenters this year include Nicole Kidman, Rose Byrne, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Delroy Lindo, Will Arnett, Adrien Brody, Javier Bardem, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Chris Evans, Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow and Zoe Saldaña. Jimmy Kimmel will also present an award after hosting previous ceremonies. Last year’s winners such as Robert Downey Jr., Kieran Culkin and Demi Moore are also expected to return to the stage.

The combination of high-profile guests and elaborate food and beverage offerings continues to make the Oscars not only a celebration of film but also a showcase for culinary excellence on one of Hollywood’s most important nights.