Wolfgang Puck’s Exclusive Test Kitchen Dining Experience Is Picking Up Steam

Late last year, Wolfgang Puck began offering one of his more exclusive Los Angeles dinner experiences: a test kitchen seating inside the Pacific Design Center. Dubbed, efficiently enough, Wolfgang Puck’s Test Kitchen, the plan has been to let private parties book the space for a phenomenal fee — and an equally exquisite experience.

Now Departures Magazine is taking a closer look, teasing out some previously unknown details. First, did you know that Dave Beran is now the operating chef at the space? Yep, the same award-winning Chicago transplant who made massive waves as longtime executive chef of Next under Grant Achatz has stepped in for a time at the kitchen.

The piece paints a narrative where Beran helps out with Puck and his extensive kitchen team on some pretty exciting (and exclusive) meals, usually themed around a particular theme or guest request. The staff is mostly made up of Puck empire veterans, cooks and chefs from their expansive catering empire or array of restaurants, with helping Beran to lead the charge along with Puck.

And the cost? As of December they were $295 per person set across a meal that includes a cocktail and 10 to 20 courses. Given the level of intimacy at the restaurant, seating is reserved to ten folks at a time, all pre-booked, and with a minimum of eight guests per experience.

The result is a meal that hovers just above Jordan Kahn’s newly announced modernist tasting menu restaurant in Culver City, but below Disneyland’s massively expensive meal at the private 21 Royal. Want in? Hit up the restaurant directly via email.

• One of Chicago's Best Chefs Is Moving to Los Angeles For a Big New Project [ELA]