Wolfgang Puck (b. 1946)

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck – the first chef to be inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame – is known for his dynamic personality and culinary inventiveness, which have propelled his culinary empire of fine dining restaurants, catering, express food lines, cooking shows and cookbooks to widespread fame. In 1982, Puck opened his first restaurant, Spago, in Los Angeles, which quickly became a magnet for the rich and famous.

Ten years later, Puck brought the Spago phenomenon to Las Vegas, opening in the Forum Shops at Caesars, becoming the first true “celebrity” chef to create a contemporary fine dining restaurant in the city. Spago Las Vegas led the way for other celebrated chefs to open signature restaurants in Las Vegas, initiating the city’s metamorphosis into a culinary destination.

The Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining group maintains a dominant position in the Las Vegas market with five restaurants and currently is developing a new American restaurant scheduled to open in 2006 at Borgata Casino Resort & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J. Over a 20-year span, the empire of Wolfgang Puck food establishments has grown to 12 fine dining restaurants, and 51 casual dining and quick service restaurants located in urban centers, airports and supermarkets nationwide.