Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck

Carinthian homeland and friends take a bow

Wolfgang Puck has lived in California for decades.(Bild: AP/Jordan Strauss)

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is returning to his Austrian homeland on Lake Wörthersee at the end of March - and for a very special reason: he is being honored with a prestigious award there. The culinary world star, who cooks for Hollywood's elite, is celebrating a special kind of homecoming.

No, it's not an Oscar that Carinthian-born Wolfgang Puck is bringing back to his home country at the end of March (even though he cooks for the stars of the Hollywood Gala every year), but he is receiving something. Specifically, he is invited as a guest of entrepreneur Hans-Werner Frömmel to the season opening of the Werzers Hotel. As part of the celebrations, Puck will receive the Golden Werzers Award.

Rosam and Flick join in the celebrations.(Bild: Vienna Press / Andreas TISCHLER)

"I'm really looking forward to it," says his friend, Falstaff editor Wolfgang Rosam, who is excited about the event, which will be more of a get-together between friends. Rosam will also be giving the laudatory speech for the culinary artist.

In addition to Armin Assinger, Mariella Ahrens and Simone Stelzer, none other than billionaire and entrepreneur Ingrid Flick will be among the well-wishers in this exclusive, closed society. She recently supplied Puck with her unique blue mountain prawns at the Governors Ball in Los Angeles. So it's quite possible that these two in particular will have a lot to talk about ...