Legend has it Wolfgang Puck came up with his famous smoked salmon pizza when his restaurant ran out of bagels—and ended up changing the way America cooks. In his MasterClass, the five-time James Beard Award-winning chef behind more than 100 restaurants brings you into his kitchen. You’ll learn not only how to master starters, mains, sides, and cocktails, but also how to take risks to create memorable recipes of your own.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- Welcome to Wolfgang Puck’s kitchen. In his first lesson, Wolfgang shares the goal of his MasterClass: inspiring you to feel confident in the kitchen, whether you’re a home cook or restaurant chef.
- Training Your Palate
- The key to perfect seasoning is learning how to taste—and adjust—the flavors in a dish. Wolfgang introduces some essential ingredients and then shows you how to turn a simple soup into a delicious meal using just salt, pepper, honey, and lemon.
- Recipe: Tuna Sashimi
- Wolfgang brings one of Spago’s most famous appetizers to your kitchen. Learn how to select ingredients, pair flavors, and utilize color to create this stunning dish.
- Recipe: Veal Stock and Demi-Glace
- Countless recipes and sauces are within reach once you know how to make your own veal stock and demi-glace. Learn why you should roast your ingredients before making stock and how to transform your stock into a flavorful demi-glace.
- Recipe: Pepper Steak with Red Wine Sauce
- While working in three-star restaurants in France, Wolfgang perfected this classic pepper steak. Learn how to flawlessly sear your steak, and discover how to transform the demi-glace you made in the previous chapter into a rich red wine pan sauce.
- Recipe: Farro Salad with Roasted Carrots
- Take your vegetables to the next level. Wolfgang shows you how to roast carrots to bring out their natural sweetness, and how to cleverly use the oft-discarded carrot tops. Finish this vibrant farro salad with orange yogurt vinaigrette.
- Recipe: Roasted Chicken With Mustard Port Sauce
- Wolfgang breaks down the recipe he created for his Los Angeles exclusive French restaurant Ma Maison. Discover the secret to perfectly crispy chicken skin, and learn to make a tangy, sweet sauce that makes this dish unforgettable.
- Recipe: Béchamel Sauce
- Learn to master one of the five French mother sauces with Wolfgang's recipe for béchamel sauce. Wolfgang shows you how to use the béchamel to make his restaurants’ best-selling macaroni and cheese, and the creamed spinach from his childhood.
- Recipe: Roasted Branzino
- Don’t be intimidated by buying and preparing fish. Wolfgang teaches you how to identify the freshest fish, and he shares his technique for perfectly seasoning and preparing his herb crusted branzino.
- Recipe: Oatmeal Risotto
- Think oatmeal is only for breakfast? Think again. Learn Wolfgang's imaginative recipe for oatmeal risotto, as well as proper knife-handling and mushroom cleaning techniques.
- Recipe: Seafood Gazpacho
- Learn to combine vibrant color and flavor in Wolfgang's seafood gazpacho. From selecting fresh clams to making a special clam mirepoix, you will discover Wolfgang's unique method for mastering your plating technique.
- Cocktails
- Great dining experiences call for great drinks. Learn to make four classic cocktails—berry margarita, negroni, bellini, and bloody mary. Wolfgang elevates his drinks with a unique chef’s twist that's guaranteed to please your guests.
- Wolfgang's Journey
- Discover how Wolfgang worked his way up from an Austrian hotel kitchen to open his own Michelin-rated restaurants. Learn how hard work, risk-taking, and innovation influenced his journey.
- Wolfgang's Business Philosophy
- Wolfgang shares the insight he's gained from years building a global brand. Analyzing his triumphs and failures, Wolfgang teaches the importance of risk-taking, innovation, and evolution.
- Wolfgang's Culinary Philosophy
- Wolfgang breaks down the main tenets of his culinary philosophy. Sharing the lessons he's learned from his restaurants, Wolfgang shows you how to elevate your dining experiences at home.
- Bonus Chapter: Kitchen Essentials
- Wolfgang ends his MasterClass with a bonus lesson on his recommended kitchen tools and appliances. He’ll show you that with just a few key essentials, you’ll be ready to start cooking.
Taught by
Wolfgang Puck
