Celebrity chef catering Oscars afterparty dishes on Hollywood’s Ozempic craze as he unveils his Academy Awards menu

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Chef Wolfgang Puck shared his thoughts on the current Hollywood trend of using the drug Ozempic and also gave his predictions for the upcoming Oscars. He’s busy preparing to cater the official Oscars afterparty, the Governors Ball, for yet another year.

Puck is preparing a delicious menu for the 32nd year at this high-profile event. This year’s highlights include cannolis, dry-aged ribeye sliders made like In-N-Out burgers, dark chocolate eclairs, and a generous supply of caviar.

The Daily Mail had an exclusive first look at the menu and interviewed the chef in his kitchen, where we found the food lives up to its promising appearance.

This sophisticated party offers more than just a delicious meal prepared by the famous chef Puck – it’s a perfect excuse to indulge and enjoy a break from dieting.

Recently, many celebrities have publicly discussed using GLP-1 medications to control their eating, but 76-year-old chef Wolfgang Puck prefers to stick to his usual kitchen routine when preparing for events.

Puck explained that he doesn’t adjust his cooking based on people’s eating habits. He prefers to take initiative and make his own decisions, rather than waiting for instructions. He jokingly added that his wife is the only one who tells him what to do – otherwise, he follows his own judgment.

As a big believer in mindful living, I always make sure we prepare just the right amount of food – enough to enjoy, but not so much that we’re left with tons of leftovers. I hate the thought of anything going to waste, so we’ve made it a practice to donate whatever’s remaining to organizations serving those in need downtown, like on Skid Row. We want everyone to have a delicious meal, and it feels great knowing our extra food gets put to good use – a little bit of luxury for everyone, really!

You know, watching my idol, Puck, work is just…amazing. His son, Byron – such a sweet guy, helping out with everything tonight – he totally gets it. He was saying, it’s not just about the food, it’s about feeling something. And honestly? I think Byron’s right. It’s all about connection, about sharing this incredible experience with everyone. That’s what Puck creates, and it’s everything.

I believe people are increasingly ordering food to share with others, rather than each person having a full plate. Ultimately, food is about celebrating with loved ones.

It’s interesting to see so many people trying to eat less, but I don’t believe that means people are losing their love of food or dining out. People still enjoy the experience of going out to eat and aren’t necessarily cooking less at home.

Out of the kitchen, Puck is enjoying some of the films up for a coveted Oscar. 

Puck shared his Oscar predictions with The Daily Mail, forecasting wins for Paul Thomas Anderson and Sean Penn.

But as far as Best Picture, he thinks it’s down to two films.  

He told The Daily Mail he believes ‘One Dish After Another!’ and ‘One Battle After Another!’ are both strong films, but also thinks ‘Sinners’ is excellent and could potentially win Best Picture.

Paul Thomas Anderson is a strong contender for Best Director, but I believe Sean Penn deserves to win, even though he’s already won twice. The Academy might hesitate to award him a third time, feeling it could be excessive and affect him personally.

Puck didn’t think Timothée Chalamet was guaranteed to win his first Oscar this year, either.

‘I think now it’s a little up in the air,’ he said.

The Governor’s Ball is a big party that wraps up awards season, following many other fancy events – most of which included a meal.

Puck was unfiltered when asked what he thought of the food at past awards shows.  

‘I don’t give a s**t!’ he replied. ‘I only care about us!’ 

The menu will feature his classic chicken pot pie and Oscar-shaped chocolates, along with some new dishes for the 2026 event.

As a big fan, I always love hearing what Chef Puck has to say about food! He explained to The Daily Mail that when people are truly hungry, they crave comfort food – and what is comforting really varies from person to person. This year, he’s really upped the ante! He’s created a huge sushi station right in the dining room, bringing in five amazing Japanese sushi chefs. They’ll be making everything fresh, like nigiri, hamachi, and hand rolls – it’s going to be incredible!

It’s prepared fresh, to order, just like at a top-quality Japanese restaurant, which I really appreciate as a big fan of Japanese cuisine. We also use beef imported directly from Japan – we’ve been doing that for years because it’s truly the best beef you can find.

This year’s gala will offer a selection of premium beverages, including wines from Domaine Clarence Dillon, cocktails made with Don Julio tequila, Dassai sake, and Piper Heidsieck champagne. Beautiful floral designs by renowned florist Saco Sarkissian of Petals LA will also enhance the event.

We prepare a tomahawk steak fresh to order. We’ll also be offering a special English dish – fish and chips, but with a twist. It’s fried when you order it and comes with a few potato chips and a spicy sauce. While traditionally fish and chips isn’t served with spice in England, we’re adding jalapenos and other chilies to make it extra flavorful. It’s a perfect pairing with champagne!

After years in the business, Puck has seen it all in the kitchen, and he’s confident he and his team can handle any challenge on the big night.

Wolfgang Puck describes how his chefs will create custom dishes for special requests. He recalls making a simple pasta dish with basil, tomato, and garlic for Martin Scorsese, even though it wasn’t on the menu. When Ang Lee won an award for ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ Puck’s team prepared a Hong Kong-style steamed fish with chili peppers, bok choy, and rice. Lee was surprised and delighted, asking how they knew it was one of his favorite meals.

Now that the awards show is over, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Michael B. Jordan, and other stars are expected to arrive, and the father-son team running the event already have plans for special refreshments to serve them.

I’m really excited about the possibility of cooking for Leo DiCaprio and Sean Penn,” says the chef. “They both gave such amazing performances in the film, and I’m hoping they’ll visit. I’d love to cook them a fantastic steak when they come to celebrate their Oscars!

I know Leo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and the director [Paul Thomas] all enjoy our restaurant, Cut. I recently hosted them and they ordered the Snake River Farms New York strip steak. We’re featuring it again this year, and I’ve prepared it with extra care hoping they’ll win an Oscar. I even have an Oscar statue ready for them, just in case!

Byron believes Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner will especially enjoy the Cut sliders. This dish is a favorite they’ve brought over from London, and Chalamet has consistently ordered it during previous meals with them. Byron expects it will be very popular throughout the night.

Although the 99th Academy Awards are still months off, and Hollywood’s focus on weight loss continues, Puck is already brainstorming potential stories for next year’s coverage.

Puck jokingly suggests they might offer Ozempic alongside the food next year, letting people eat whatever they want. He then playfully predicts restaurants will start selling the weight-loss drug themselves soon.

You can watch the 98th Academy Awards live on ABC and Hulu on Sunday, March 15, 2026, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Time / 4 p.m. Pacific Time.

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2026-03-13 20:19