On March 3, Byron Lazaroff-Puck steps into the role of president at WP Fine Dining, officially succeeding his father, Wolfgang Puck. The handover begins with a celebratory Generational Tasting Dinner that launches an international tour across six countries. It is both a business transition and a culinary statement.
From Austrian Underdog to Global Powerhouse
Few chefs have rewritten their own destiny the way Wolfgang Puck has. Raised in the small Austrian town of St. Veit with a father who didn’t believe in his son, he built a career that reshaped American fine dining. Over four decades, he turned “California Cuisine” into a global language. Today, his name stands for nearly 70 restaurants worldwide, from Michelin-starred dining rooms to airport concepts. Spago became a Hollywood institution. A star on the Walk of Fame followed. So did friendships with A-list regulars who treat his dining room like a second living room.
A Generational Shift With Vision
Just last year, Wolfgang Puck said in an interview that he plans to work until he turns 100, or simply until the very end. That mindset has not changed. Still, when it comes to WP Fine Dining, his successor has been preparing behind the scenes for quite some time, ready to step into a leadership role as the company enters its next chapter. Byron Lazaroff-Puck, 31, grew up inside the family enterprise. As the son of Wolfgang Puck and restaurateur Barbara Lazaroff, he was immersed early in the rhythms of elite hospitality. He refined his craft in some of the world’s most respected kitchens, including Steirereck in Vienna, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, and Le Bernardin in New York.
On March 3, he officially assumes leadership of Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining. The portfolio includes international outposts of the CUT and Spago brands, with locations in Bahrain, Bodrum, Singapore, and Maui. The casual division, WP Worldwide, as well as the catering arm responsible for the annual Oscars Governors Ball, will remain structurally unchanged for now.
The Generational Tasting Tour
As the company’s new president, Byron Lazaroff-Puck will symbolically take the baton from his father as part of a culinary “world tour.” The gourmet celebration begins on March 3 at CUT in Washington, D.C., before continuing in 15 restaurants across six countries. The Generational Tasting Tour is an exclusive dinner series where father and son meet through food. Wolfgang Puck presents the classics that shaped 44 years of California cuisine, while Byron introduces dishes that reflect his own perspective and signature style. It is a dialogue between two generations that promises both continuity and change. CUT, elegantly set inside the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, provides a fitting and impressive stage for the occasion. Guests can attend the five-course dinner for $395 and take part in a moment that marks the next chapter of the Puck legacy.
