Dinner With Oscar: the Academy Awards after-party

Long gowns, longer speeches, and Wolfgang Puck. It’s Oscar time!

The red carpet has been rolled out in front of the Kodak Theater, but for a few more days it will remain in its rain-protective plastic covering. The tourists stand on it as they pose in front of the giant golden Oscar statues taking cell phone snapshots. For now, the only star crossing the red carpet is celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

Wolfgang Puck is once again at the helm for the official post-show feeding of the glitterati known as the Governors Ball. Preparations are underway as his cooking staff of 300 fills the ballroom’s kitchen, peeling potatoes and popping the mini chocolate Oscar-shaped statuettes out of the molds so that they can be sprayed with edible 24k gold.

The Scene

1930’s-style glamour with bronze and purple table linens and waitstaff uniforms. Overhead a fiber optic and crystal bead chandelier hangs from the triple-tiered drop ceiling. A 19-piece all-female orchestra will play on an elevated stage in the center of the room. Roses and orchids will decorate the tables where each place will be set with a commemorative box holding photos from the evening’s nominated films.

The Menu

At the reception stations:

Sushi

Maki Rolls – Spicy Tuna, Sweet Shrimp, Crab, Vegetable

Nigiri – Tuna, Sweet Shrimp, Yellowtail, Salmon, Snapper

Sashimi – Tuna, Yellowtail, Salmon, Snapper

Cucumber Salad, Edamame, Wasabi, Soy and Pickled Ginger



Shellfish

Shrimp, Oysters, and Crab

Cocktail Sauce, Mustard Sauce and Mignonette

Passed Hors d?oeuvre

Spicy Tuna in Sesame Miso Cone

Mini Kobe Cheeseburgers with Remoulade

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Assorted Pizzas

Brandade Fritters

Smoked White Fish and Taro Root Taco

Tempura Shrimp

Wasabi Pea Crusted Crabcake with Mango and Thai Basil

Potsticker with Ginger Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Toro with Crispy Rice and Yuzu

Pre-Set First Course

Crispy Potato Galatte, Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream and Baby Greens

Entrée

Organic Chicken Pot Pie

Black Truffles and Root Vegetables

Dessert

?L?Etoile de Oscar?

Baked Alaska with Espresso Glace and Guittard Chocolate Sorbet

24 Carat Chocolate Oscar

There will be a booth where Oscar winners can have their names engraved on their just-won statuettes, which are marked only by a serial number when they’re presented on stage. And naturally there is a swag suite to visit, full of product-placement-ready merchandise that the sponsors hope will be photographed in celebrity hands. The pickings are rumored to be a bit thinner this year after a days-early visit from Sarah Palin and her staff which has been likened to a locust invasion.

But who cares when Moet and Chandon Champagne is running the bar, pouring a specially-created drink? the Moet Golden Glamour Cocktail.

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A few years ago, the IRS tightened up its rules regarding celebrity freebies. Despite the potential tax liability, there’s still all kinds of swag for the attendees. Check out the list of gifts by category: winners, losers and everyone in between.

Chicken pot pie and kobe beef sliders are not the typical Hollywood diet. Oz Garcia, nutritionist to stars like Heidi Klum and Hilary Swank shares the pre-awards celebrity tune up regimen he recommends to his clients.

You can watch the Academy Awards from the comfort of your living room but still dine like a star with Wolfgang Puck’s recipe for the chicken pot pie he’ll be serving on Sunday.