Haute 100 LA: Why Is Wolfgang Puck Hosting Lunch In Detroit?

Over the weekend, restauranteur and Haute 100 lister Wolfgang Puck hosted a small Q&A at his namesake eatery in Detroit. Puck was in town for an event at his new restaurant in Grand Rapids as well as cook lunch for a small crowd of local media.

With the help of his Los Angeles culinary team, and reporters, the world-renowned chef prepared salads, pasta, chicken, various steaks, a chimichurri sauce and kaiserschmarrn with strawberries for dessert. According to the Detroit News, the latter is a dish the 66-year-old Austrian-born chef used to eat quite often as a kid.

While at his namesake restaurant, Puck discussed a number of things including the restaurant scene in Detroit and more. He said, “The whole economy in Detroit has changed so much now. People come downtown, young people come downtown, there’s a bar-restaurant scene and everything. I think Detroit is totally on an upswing.” His senior operations partner for his fine dining group, Alex Resnik, also commented. He said, “I think that one of the driving forces in the resurgence in the economy is coming from the restaurant and bar industry. I remember since we started coming (to Detroit), I would go for a run down Michigan Avenue past the old Tiger Stadium and it was nothing, years ago. Now there is restaurant after restaurant, wine bars, bars and nice cafes.”

Puck currently has three restaurants in Michigan. Puck debuted at the MGM Grand in 2007 with Wolfgang Puck Steak and the casual Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina. In September, Puck debuted The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids.

Most recently, the restauranteur announced he will, finally, open a eatery in New York City. Next summer, he will open one of his Cut steakhouses near the World Trade Center. Like many of the other six editions of Cut, the New York restaurant will makes its grand debut in the new Four Seasons.