Imagine you're cooking for about 1,600 people and your electricity goes out.
That's what happened to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck a few years ago while preparing the dinner for the Academy Awards' Governors Ball...
And to make matters worse, an electrician had problems getting past the tight security to fix the problem. "He wasn't dressed properly," Puck remembered earlier today during a preview of this year's post-awards show soiree.
Thankfully, they only lost power for about ten minutes.
Puck has been in charge of the gala's menu for 16 years. This year's offerings will include everything from mini Kobe beef burgers to chicken pot pie, along with Moet & Chandon champagne. "We have almost everything," Puck said. "If somebody says, 'I want salmon,' we have salmon. If somebody wants vegetarian, we make it. It's really just like a restaurant."
And if somebody wants to take home the night's floral arrangements, they can do that, too. Mark's Garden will use about 20,000 flowers to decorate the ballroom, including orchids from Thailand, New Zealand hydrangeas and elephant ear leaves from Costa Rica. "At the end of the night," said florist to the stars Mark Held, "I really do hope people take some flowers."
And if you don't happen to get an invite to the big night on March 7, it's OK. Get tips on throwing your own viewing party with the Academy's Oscar Party Kit.
At least if your electricity goes out, you won't have to worry about finding an electrician in a tuxedo.
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Speaking of Oscars, check out our 2010 Oscars: Notable Nominees photo gallery.