Wolfgang
Disney+What springs to mind when we think of the term “celebrity chef?”. Had it not been for the entertaining anger of Gordon Ramsay or the delightful hatred of Marco Pierre-White, then we may not have seen the darker side of those capable but condescending cooks. There is a light within the dark, a shining star of which an optimistic voice beats down the brutality and back-handed confidence of those popular television chefs. Wolfgang Puck, the topic of Wolfgang, a Disney+ documentary from director David Gelb, hopes to shed a bit of light on the world of the original celebrity chef and all his collected memories, works and life lessons.
Puck’s moments of reflection are light and charming. Where there is room to reminisce on the darker portions of the world around him, Puck instead takes it on the chin, powers on through and uses it to shape his future. He does not like to talk about the past, “how much time is left?” is all he has to say on the matter. How much indeed? He is a man who wishes to speed up, not slow down, in the twilight days as the sun dawns on another gloriously sunny day in the life of a celebrity chef. He is the original celebrity chef. The great influencer who has worked tirelessly for decades. His variety is special, his products differ, and his restaurants do too. What is strict is his routine, which is documented well by David Gelb.
The Jiro Dreams of Sushi director does well to interview the right people, those close to the heart and heat of Puck’s passion. His surprise revolutionary endeavours with his restaurant, Spago, defined not just what a chef does but who they are. Puck “brought the chef into the limelight,” one talking head states. Puck took them from the traditional role of feeding the public to larger-than-life stars that could sell restaurants better than any advertisement campaign. They are certainly not wrong. Puck has embraced the idea that a chef should be a friendly face, a fierce leader, and a talented asset to both front of house and those in the kitchen. Wolfgang shows that tremendously well, and it counters the highs with the lows of realising that he has achieved it all and is unsure of what is to come next.
Puck is presented as a warm individual with a love for food so broad and big that his career has paid him dividends. Wolfgang provides much detail on a man many may not have heard of. It is a sad shame, so few have encountered him. He is a nice little light that has marked his territory in the culinary industry but has done so without howling or hurting those that helped him to the top. With Puck presented as a hero of many a heart, his adaptability and general likeability is not just obvious, but comforting. A short and sweet piece of documentary filmmaking that brings out detail to the life of a man many may not know of. Documentaries are there to serve us with interesting, titillating bits of information, and Wolfgang strikes up a fascinating conversation on the role of chefs in the modern day.