From School Project to VP: My Journey Working for Wolfgang Puck

Ari Rosenson now serves as the vice president of food and beverage for the Los Angeles and Maui operations at Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining, having risen through the ranks after starting as a prep cook at age 16. Rosenson’s career with the culinary group began following a childhood interview with Chef Wolfgang Puck for a fifth-grade school project, according to a Business Insider account.

Early Connection and Entry into Spago

Rosenson first contacted Wolfgang Puck when he was 10 years old. He sought an interview for a school biography project after reading an article about Puck’s dispute with the USDA regarding the classification of his frozen pizzas, which the agency claimed were not pizzas due to a lack of tomato sauce, according to Rosenson.

During that initial meeting at Spago, Puck gave Rosenson a tour of the restaurant and had him prepare an omelet. Rosenson later encountered Puck again at age 14 at Granita in Malibu, where Puck told him to come work as a chef at one of his restaurants, as reported by Business Insider.

At age 16, Rosenson sent a letter and a photograph of the two of them to Puck to remind him of the job offer. He was hired the following Sunday as a prep cook at Spago.

Career Progression within Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining

Rosenson worked weekends at Spago during his school years and opted not to attend college or culinary school at age 18, choosing instead to learn through on-the-job experience. He progressed through several leadership roles within the organization:

• Prep cook
• Sous chef
• Executive sous chef
• Chef at Cut in Beverly Hills
• Executive chef at Spago Beverly Hills

Between these roles, Rosenson took a three-month sabbatical to travel in Italy and cook in Alba during the truffle season, according to the Business Insider report.

Operational Philosophy and Management Style

In his current role as vice president of food and beverage for Los Angeles and Maui, Rosenson attributes the success of Puck’s cuisine to a focus on high-quality ingredients over the ego of the chef. He noted that Puck previously drove himself to Chino Farms in San Diego to personally source produce to ensure the highest quality, according to Rosenson.

Rosenson describes the business as a family-run operation that extends beyond Puck’s son, Byron, to include long-term staff members. He characterizes the professional environment at Spago as one of continuous evolution and refinement, where staff are encouraged to identify and fill their own professional gaps.

Being a chef is about engaging people and building meaningful relationships.

Ari Rosenson via Business Insider