Thanksgiving 101 with Chef Wolfgang Puck

This holiday season feels like a chance to make up for time spent apart from family and friends last year due to COVID.

• But, planning for a big Thanksgiving dinner isn’t easy, especially after many of us opted for take-out holiday meals last year.

If you need a little bit of help ahead of the big day, here are some tips from world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck.

• We sat down with the restaurateur during a recent visit to CUT by Wolfgang Puck in Georgetown.

1. Get organized, Puck tells us. He says planning your menu and making items (such as pies) ahead of time will make for a smooth Thanksgiving Day.
2. Pace yourself. Puck says starting your guests with a warm soup or lighter item will keep them from filling up too quickly. “People don’t eat all day, and then they’re so hungry and … then they eat the bread, they eat so fast for ten minutes and then they say ‘oh my God I’m so full.’”
3. Keep it warm. The chef says to use hot plates, keep food in the kitchen, or bring items out in groups instead of all at once to make sure the food doesn’t get cold.
4. Serve good wine. He likes Pinot Noir with a nice Thanksgiving meal.

Curious about what Wolfgang likes to eat for Thanksgiving? We were, too.

• He’s most excited about the side dishes. He loves creamy mashed potatoes made with fingerling potatoes with a lot of butter, a bit of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• One of his favorite Austrian dishes is braised red cabbage. He also enjoys braised chestnuts.