Wolfgang Puck's Chefs Talk All Things Sip & Savor

Wolfgang Puck brings together all of his Las Vegas restaurants along with food and the chefs behind them for his third annual Sip & Savor event dine-around on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Spago at the Forum Shops at Caesars.

Eric Klein from Spago, Matt Hurley from Cut, Jorge Martinez from Trattoria del Lupo, Dustin Lewandowski from Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand and Mark Andelbradt from Downtown Summerlin, and Michael Tiva from Cucina by Wolfgang Puck gave Eater Vegas a behind-the-scenes look at the dishes being served along with kernels of wisdom they learned from Puck and more.

Ticket prices begin at $175 per person for general admission at 6 p.m. and $225 per person for VIP with reserved seating and early entry at 5:30 p.m. The event benefits Keep Memory Alive. For tickets, call Spago at 702-369-6300 or click here.

Matt Hurley

Name: Matthew Hurley
Restaurant: CUT By Wolfgang Puck
Title: Executive chef

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I have worked with Wolfgang Puck for 20 years

What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
I began as a prep cook at Spago

What made you stay so long?
I have been with the company for so long because it has been a pleasure working with a great product and great people.

Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
I have learned how to push myself to be better every day, to always be on top of my game and how to do always make the customer happy.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
Some of the dishes we will be serving include:
Kobe beef sashimi with matsutake mushrooms
Braised beef short ribs with curried corn puree and Bengali tomato chutney
Grilled dry-aged New York strip with Hollandaise sauce and shaved black truffles
Potato tarte tatin
Market haricot vert

Are these dishes on the regular menu?
Yes, these dishes can be found on our menu at CUT at the Palazzo.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes.
I picked these dishes because it was a great way for us to showcase the beef we use at CUT in three different styles and three different cooking methods.

Handout

Eric Klein

Name: Eric Klein
Restaurant: Spago Las Vegas
Title: Executive chef

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I have worked with Wolfgang for 20 years.

What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
My first job with Wolfgang Puck was as a line cook at Spago.

What made you stay so long?
Nothing “made” me stay. Working side by side with chef Wolfgang made me feel like I belonged somewhere.

Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
When I started at Spago, I was fascinated by the quality of food and the personal touch that Wolfgang delivered to his guests. I have learned that it takes a genuinely passionate chef to create lasting memories.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
I am very excited to have a whole blue fin tuna that will be prepared in a few different ways:
Miso sesame cones with blue fin tuna tartar
Blue fin tuna sushi rolls
Our signature smoked salmon pizza
Are these dishes on the regular menu?
Some of the dishes are on the regular menu, but we tried to be unique and create innovative dishes for this special event.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes.
The inspiration behind these dishes was showcasing the best of what Spago has to offer as well as a respect for the ingredient. 

Jorge Martinez. Photo: Amelinda B Lee

Name: Jorge Martinez
Restaurant: Lupo by Wolfgang Puck
Title: Chef de cuisine

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I have been with the company since Aug. 10, 1999.

What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
I started as a dishwasher/steward at Spago Beverly Hills.

What made you stay so long?
I have been with the company for so long because it has given me the opportunity to expand my culinary experience and skill set with some of the best chefs around.
Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
Wolfgang has taught me the importance of using the freshest ingredients, cooking with the seasons and how to use those ingredients with simplicity.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
Some of the items we will be serving include:
Italian sausage pizza
Sweet shrimp pizza
Margherita pizza
Wild Mushroom Pizza
Summer Squash Pizza

Are these dishes on the regular menu?
These dishes are on the regular menu at Lupo by Wolfgang Puck at Mandalay Bay.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes?
In my recent trip to Italy, I was able to experience the simplicity and freshness of their produces and techniques, which inspired me to use such techniques for the dishes for Sip & Savor.

Handout

Mark Andelbradt

Name: Mark Andelbradt             
Restaurant: Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Summerlin
Title: Executive chef

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I have worked with Wolfgang for a year and a half.

What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
My first job with Wolfgang was an executive chef of Postrio.

What made you stay so long?
The quality product and quality of people have made me stay with the company.
Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
The number one thing I’ve learned from chef is to always focus on the guests’ experience.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
Some of the dishes we will be serving include:
Late summer corn soup and lobster toast
Roasted heirloom baby beets, citrus yogurt, aged balsamic
Line caught halibut with fennel puree, roasted baby squash and carrot

Are these dishes on the regular menu?
These dishes have made appearances from time to time either as menu items or specials.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes.
The inspiration for the dishes came from the transition between summer and fall and what ingredients are great at the market right now.

Michael Tiva. Photo: Amelinda B Lee

Name: Michael Tiva     
Restaurant: Cucina by Wolfgang Puck
Title: Chef de cuisine

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I started working for the company March 17, 1999.
What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
I started off as a prep cook in the mornings at Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesars.

What made you stay so long?
One of the many reasons for my longevity with the company is that there are so many parts to the company that there is never a time that we are not learning something new.

Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
One thing I have learned from chef is to never rest on your laurels and constantly strive for new ways of doing things. He has re-invented himself time and time again and he pushes us to do the same, look at things in different perspectives and stay inspired.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
Some of the dishes we will be serving include:
Lobster and burrata tortellini with uni butter
Sweet corn agnolotti with chanterelles
Ricotta cavatelli "cacio e peppe"

Are these dishes on the regular menu?
These dishes can be found on our regular menu at cucina at the Shops at Crystals.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes?
Seasonality drives the inspiration for all of our dishes within the restaurant, as we are constantly looking for new and fun products at the peak of their season to create the perfect dishes with strong, bold flavors.

Dustin Lewandowski. Photo: Edison Graff

Name: Dustin Lewandowski

Restaurant: Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand

Title: Executive chef

How long have you worked with Wolfgang?
I have worked for Wolfgang for 13 years.

What was your first job with Wolfgang Puck?
I started as a line cook on the pasta station when Postrio opened at the Venetian in 1999.

What made you stay so long?
I’ve stayed with Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group because it is a great company to work for with good people and a lot of great history. The culinary experience continues to evolve throughout the years with new challenges and opportunities developing all the time.

Tell us some of the things you’ve learned from Wolfgang Puck over the years.
I’ve learned the importance of hospitality and going above and beyond to take care of our guests. He has also taught us the importance of staying innovative and creative, while staying true to your roots.

What will you be serving at Sip & Savor?
We will be serving a selection of house made charcuterie with accompaniments from the farmers market and house made breads. Below are some items we will be serving at the event:
Pate de campagne, smoked bacon, herb dijon, rosemary sea salt 
Fromage de tete, pickled radish salad, spicy mustard   
Pork and duck rillettes, elderberry compote, sourdough baguette
Chicken liver mousse, market plum and port gelee

Are these dishes on the regular menu?
No, these dishes are not on our regular menu, but are known to pop-up as a special from time to time.

What was the inspiration behind these dishes.
We wanted to feature food that chefs love to cook and eat. Charcuterie is a classic in every chef’s repertoire and it’s a natural pairing with artisan breads and wine.