It might seem odd to someone who does not live in Los Angeles, but we often don't see the permanently blue skies and the palm trees. We forget to go to the beach. We completely forget about Lindsay Lohan. We take Wolfgang Puck for granted, despite the beautiful garden of Spago, the Oscars, the reminders on television and in airports. And then the chef does something to remind us of how necessary he has been to this town, to Los Angeles cooking, to the fusion food and creative pizzas, and to the resumes of so many of our chefs.

Dining downtown, 24 floors up: Wolfgang Puck's WP24 on the 24th floor of the 54-story Ritz-Carlton downtown is now open

Wolfgang Puck is perhaps the best known celebrity chef in the world and he is also a ubiquitous brand.

At Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe in Downtown Disney, they cater to a lot of children and want to give them a little sample of sushi menu.

Inside look at Taylor + Johnathan's Wedding Reception with Wolfgang Puck Catering at Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas

Get cookin' with Chef Peter Sherlock of the Springs Cafe by Wolfgang Puck, as we highlight seasonal specialties and create delicious meals for good health and smart living.

The Austria-born celebrity chef and founder of Spago is considered a pioneer of California cuisine. He is set to cater the Governors Ball after the Academy Awards for his 16th year.

This world-renowned chef shares the wedding catering trends for 2010

Chef Wolfgang Puck has a standing date every year for the Academy Awards: He caters the star-studded Governors Ball after the awards show. This year, Puck says, the theme is 1930s glamour – and, he tells PEOPLE, "we'll have the food to match it."

Adding excitement to the highly anticipated opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, the hotel announced today that Wolfgang Puck, one of our country's most esteemed chefs, will be opening WP24 by Wolfgang Puck in April. Located on the twenty-fourth floor of the hotel, WP24 will feature refined Asian fare, against a backdrop of the stunning Los Angeles skyline.

It’s an all-star turnout with a $15 million goal for the huge gala Keep Memory Alive tomorrow night at the Bellagio. Top chefs Thomas Keller and Wolfgang Puck will be serving up a four-course gourmet meal for 1,000 guests who will all be served Dom Perignon and extraordinary vintage wines.

Pair winter pears with meats, soufflés and tarts.

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck opened two new dining spots in Las Vegas’ new CityCenter complex this week, including the first French bistro for his growing fine-dining group.

For the 16th consecutive year, master chef Wolfgang Puck has been selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create the menu for the Governors Ball, the celebration immediately following the 82nd Academy Awards® presentation on Sunday, March 7, 2010.

For 15 years Wofgang Puck has been the official caterer of The Governors Ball, the celebration that follows the Academy Awards. And this year, LAist was there for the preview. This time we get to show you pictures of Oscar-shaped chocolate statues. We also had the opportunity to test-taste a few of the treats and the cocktails that will be served at the Ball.

A sweet plan for a fluffy, smooth and chocolaty Valentine dessert.

Features Wolfgang's Barbecue Chicken Pizza recipe.

What most people don't know is you can use your rice cooker to cook other delicious dishes — anything for which you combine all the ingredients in a single pot at the same time, heat them quickly (as a rice cooker automatically does to get the water boiling for rice) and then cook gently over low heat (as the rice cooker also does).

Chef Puck encourages people to participate in The Organic Center's Mission Organic 2010 program, which recommends purchasing at least one organic food item out of every 10 food items whenever you shop.

Any season is grilling season if you use electric indoor grill.

Save a little bit of that bubbly for the sabayon.

For those who decide to spend Christmas in Las Vegas this year, don't worry about missing out on a traditional holiday dinner. Several of the restaurants on the Strip are offering special Christmas menus for lunch and dinner, with both comforting holiday favorites as well as innovative and contemporary dishes.

Feed the early risers with Christmas morning strata.

While on his book tour, Wolfgang Puck sits down for a interview. Once you get past the softball questions ("Wolfgang, were you always confident you would be successful?"), Puck shares some fun anecdotes from yesteryear: "I remember Orson Welles used to come every day for lunch ... I used to go play tennis with Gene Kelly, and he used to come to the restaurant and eat a pepper steak all the time."

Making crispy flatbreads the foundation of a holiday spread

Wolfgang talks LA vs. NYC, coffee and if we'll ever see a Puck Resto in New York.

Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali share a love of Italian food, good footwear -- and of course, the spotlight.

Wolfgang appeared live on FOX Boston this morning promoting his "Come Together" event with Boston's Mayor. Watch it here...

Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck has been named to the list of the nation’s top 50 restaurants with a view.

San Francisco-based OpenTable Inc., which provides online reservations services for more than 11,000 restaurants, announced the winners of the 2009 Diners’ Choice Awards for Most Scenic View.

Five Sixty opened in January in the renovated Reunion Tower, which is attached to the Hyatt Regency Dallas and owned by an affiliate of Hunt-Woodbine Realty Corp. The restaurant, which rotates inside the ball 560 feet atop the tower, is part of a total $46 million renovation project.

Puck’s venture is the only Dallas restaurant on the list, which was published in trade magazine Nation’s Restaurant News. The only other Texas-based eateries on the list are Chart House Restaurant in the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio, and the Republic of Texas Bar & Grill in Corpus Christi.

Not surprisingly, the list is heaving with restaurants based in California. Las Vegas also has popular views. Other spots on the list included restaurants based in Longboat Key, Fla.; Newport, Ky.; Portland, Ore.; Weehawken, N.J.; Detroit; Pittsburgh; and Kapalua, Hawaii.

Puck really knows how to pick them. Locations, that is. Wolfgang Puck, who burst onto the scene in 1982 with a little place called Spago, has just opened a new restaurant downtown at L.A. Live.

Chef Wolfgang Puck cooks everything from kabobs to summer rice salad.

Following his live appearance on Good Day L.A., FOX also did a web interview with Wolfgang where he discusses the opening of Bar & Grill at L.A. Live as well as our new website.

Wolfgang shares his passion for great food and planning a memorable wedding reception.

Housed in a glammed-out room, 20.21 at the Walker Art Center doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to closing the meal. The caramelized banana millefeuille is made with layers of chocolate wafer, banana custard and brown butter walnuts, while the ginger tempura fruits carries the Asian theme with assorted fresh fruits, honey yogurt sauce and soy butterscotch. [1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.253.3410]

Campbell Soup Co. has bought the Wolfgang Puck soup business in a move that quickly expands the company's organic soup options.