The Oscars are approaching, and you know what that means. It’s time to dive into the food our best filmmakers will be chomping on during the ceremony! What, did you think we were going to present a long list of nominees? Well, you’re not wrong, click here for our ultimate guide to the Oscars (for Aussies). Now that the films are settled, let’s get into the really juicy details.
This highly anticipated annual event celebrates the biggest names in film, from the newcomers to watch to our favourite veteran stars. As you can imagine, such a prestigious event deserves a menu that is equally packed with stardom.
Famed chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck has been a staple name at the Oscars for almost 30 years, but this year, he’s enlisted the help of young gun British chef, Elliott Grover. Grover is considered a Puck protégée, having led the kitchen at 45 Park Lane and CUT — both London dining icons. Regarding how he got the coveted Oscars job, Grover told Elite Traveler: “I asked if I could go along and Wolfgang said, Yes, why not.”
Wolfgang originally asked Grover to make a dish for the night, but soon one dish turned into three. Now Grover is the man behind the full Oscars menu for 2023.
To start, Grover has reimagined the British staple of fish and chips. We might know it as hearty comfort food, but Grover’s fish and chips are served in a bamboo cone with a dollop of pea puree, a few chips, and a succulent piece of lightly fried haddock — miniaturised, of course. As he told Vice, “People will be celebrating so they’ll be more open to it and it’s only a four-biter. I might get away with it — maybe.”
For the main, Grover has chosen a chicken pot pie, which is a perennial favourite among Oscars guests. Grover’s iteration uses only the white meat of the chicken and a thin, flakey puff pastry shaped in a dome. Of course, he wouldn’t serve any normal pot pie — this one is cut at the table for a few theatrics. Then it’s topped with shards of aromatic black truffle, which mix in with the rich stew for an umami punch.
To end the night, stars will find themselves digging into a sherry trifle, served in individual glass pots and layered with fruit jelly, custard, cream. Each serving is topped with a maraschino cherry, too.
I think we can all agree the 2023 Oscars menu will put British food back on the map.
