Las Vegas Weekly

September 20, 2010 · 1:04 PM

Photos: Wolfgang Puck tours cafe named in honor of his mother Maria

By Robin Leach

Wolfgang Puck and Larry Ruvo at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Photo: Keep Memory Alive

It was the first time celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck viewed the just-completed Maria Puck Cafe downtown in the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The cafe named after his mother is at the headquarters of Keep Memory Alive, which he has been a part of since its first fundraiser in 1996 at his Spago in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Said Wolf: “I have been involved with Keep Memory Alive since 1995. The charity is committed to eradicating Alzheimer’s disease. Little did I know then that the disease would strike so close to home because I lost my mother to Alzheimer’s in 2004. If my family had known the importance of early detection, perhaps she would be with us today.”

In addition to touring the center and cafe last week with Chairman Larry Ruvo, Wolf is going one step further with his support of the clinic. He’ll unveil a wine label this winter with sales supporting KMA. Wolf and his executive team source a chardonnay, a merlot, a cabernet and a sauvignon blanc from a California producer. All the wines will be available this winter at his restaurants coast to coast, with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s research.

“I am very excited about these new wines and the opportunity to honor my mother and Keep Memory Alive,” he said. The labels will read “In honor of my mother. In 1995, when I first donated my services to Keep Memory Alive -- a charity committed to curing Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and ALS -- I didn’t know how soon I would need their help. I lost my mother, Maria, to Alzheimer’s in 2004. It’s not too late for you or someone you love to get early detection. Enjoy this wine knowing a portion of the profits will support the mission of Keep Memory Alive to find treatment and early detection of these terrible brain disorders. Your friend, Wolfgang.”

Larry and Wolf have adopted their own variation of the famous Las Vegas slogan: “What happens in Vegas -- will benefit the rest of the world.”

While Wolf was in town, he also visited his restaurants at The Venetian and Palazzo, where he hosted a cooking demonstration for members of the loyalty program Grazie. He took to the stage of The Venetian Showroom, where he charmed and entertained the audience with a three-course meal featuring Louie salad with shrimp, crab and lobster, Matsutake mushroom risotto with Liberty Farms duck breast and parmesan reggiano and chocolate raspberry souffle. Wolf shared cooking tips and noted that this is the season to buy the freshest mushrooms from Oregon, the mushrooms of choice for his exceptional demonstration.

This weekend in L.A., Wolf’s kitchen kings from his six Las Vegas restaurants will be there for his annual Meals on Wheels fundraiser at Universal Studios, with 100 chefs from all over America taking part. Then on Sunday, I’ll emcee his annual star chefs dinner, which will feature our hometown heroes Paul Bartolotta and Charlie Palmer among the international lineup of culinary stars.

We’ll have the full photo report of all the Las Vegas chefs and restaurants participating in the weekend festivities right here at Vegas DeLuxe on Monday.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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