Oscars 2014: Wolfgang Puck, Wayne Elias talk catering the night’s biggest parties

The care and feeding of celebrities reaches critical mass on Oscar night. Two veteran caterers of the glitziest shindigs on Hollywood’s biggest night revealed some of the ins and outs of the process and, of course, some of what their well-known guests can expect.

Over at the 22nd Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood Park, 1,000 donors will be treated to a more traditional, five-course waiter-served dinner while, yes, they watch the Oscar ceremony on big screens. The menu this year was designed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. But while someone like that chooses the dishes each year, for a decade running now it’s been up to chef Wayne Elias and his Crumble Catering company to buy, cook and serve all that food.

“It’s my anniversary and nobody else’s,” Elias said, laughing.

On a more serious note, Elias, who also runs the Rockwell Table & Stage restaurant in Los Feliz, added that the event is “far from about me.”

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TURNING REJECTION INTO GOLD

ONE SONG AT A TIME

~ by joel martens ~

The one thing supposedly guaranteed in life is the unconditional love of family. So no matter how many times I hear stories about a LGBT youth being rejected by his or her family, it never ceases to infuriate me. Unfair and so cruel for those who, for the most part, have already had far too many hard-learned lessons imposed by fear and a lack of understanding around their sexuality. Yes, in many ways it has gotten better, but there are still many who have to endure more than their share.

All you have to do is take a moment to read the stories about many of our youngest LGBT brothers and sisters to grasp the challenges they can often face, the inherent self-doubt, bullying, name-calling and angst that can come with growing up gay. Some have it more difficult than others, some less, with far tooo many having to hide in that less-than-comfortable closet. Many being forced out onto the streets when they step out of its confines—by choice or by a demand to leave. The statistics are sobering: between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBT.

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At Denver’s historic Paramount Theater, Colorado Music Hall of Fame 2013 Inductee Judy Collins recalled many mile high memories from four decades. It was also announced at the SRO show that the Red Rocks Trading Post, located at the base of the world famous natural amphitheater (currently housing merchandise and food), would become the CMHOF’s new home. Also inducted were the Serendipity Singers, Bob Lind and Chris Daniels.

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