World-renowned master chef Wolfgang Puck will stage a three-course cooking demonstration in the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa on Saturday, February 29, at 7 p.m.

Tickets priced starting at $90 can be purchased now online via Ticketmaster.com or at seminolehardrocktampa.com. Attendees will be able to experience samples and take home recipes.

The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts. The famed chef has built a brand that encompasses three companies: Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc.

Born in Austria, Puck began cooking alongside his mother at a very young age. A chef herself, she encouraged him and inspired his passion for food. So driven and inquisitive to learn, he started his formal training when he was just 14. As a young chef he worked in some of France’s greatest restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, and the Michelin 2-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence. At the age of 24, he took the advice of a friend and left Europe for the United States. His first job was at the restaurant La Tour in Indianapolis, where he worked from 1973 to 1975.

In 1975, Puck arrived in Los Angeles and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous. He had an innate understanding of the potential for California cuisine, and was pivotal in its rise to national attention during the late 1970s.

After leaving Ma Maison, Puck opened his first flagship restaurant, Spago, in 1982. Located in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip, Spago was an instant success and culinary phenomenon. His early signature dishes, such as haute cuisine pizzas topped with smoked salmon and caviar, and Sonoma baby lamb with braised greens and rosemary, put him and Spago on the international gourmet map.

Puck and Spago earned many accolades during its popular 18 years in West Hollywood, including winning the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef of the Year in 1991 and 1998, and the James Beard Foundation Award for Restaurant of the Year in 1994. He is the only chef to have won the Outstanding Chef of the Year Award multiple times.

Active in philanthropic endeavors and charitable organizations, Puck co-founded the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation in 1982. The foundation supports the annual American Wine & Food Festival which benefits Meals on Wheels; it has raised more than $15 million since its inception.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is one of the largest and most successful casinos in the world offering award-winning gaming, hospitality and entertainment. The casino features nearly 5,000 of the hottest slot machines, 179 table games and a state-of-the-art Poker Room featuring 46 tables. Additionally, the property offers a smoke-free Mezzanine Level Casino. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and the property proudly offers ten restaurants, including the upscale dining venues Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and The Rez Grill, as well as the new elegant Italian restaurant, Cipresso. Recent openings include a new hotel tower, an elevated arrival experience, the Hard Rock Event Center and Rock Spa® & Salon. The resort is located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.​

About Hard Rock®

With venues in 76 countries spanning 262 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops® and Cafes – Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s most valuable collection of music memorabilia at more than 83,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. In 2018, Hard Rock International was recognized as a Forbes Magazine Top Employer for Women and Land Operator of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards. In 2019, Hard Rock International was honored as one of Forbes Magazine’s America’s Best Large Employers, Forbes Magazine’s Top Employers for Women and No. 1 in J.D. Power’s 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study among Upper Upscale Hotel Chains. Hard Rock destinations are located in the world’s greatest international gateway cities, including its two most successful flagship properties in Florida and home to the world’s first Guitar Hotel® in South Florida, where its headquarters are located. The brand is owned by HRI parent entity The Seminole Tribe of Florida. For more information on Hard Rock International visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.

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