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The Playbook With David Meltzer

The Secret to Lasting Success in Hospitality

The Playbook With David Meltzer

David Meltzer, Entrepreneur.com

Careers, Entrepreneurship, Business

4.91.9K Ratings

🗓️ 7 September 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today’s episode, I sit down with the legendary chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck to talk about the joy and purpose behind a life’s work. He shares how finding passion, not chasing money, has been the foundation of his success, and why quality, hospitality, and making people feel good are non-negotiables in creating lasting experiences. Wolfgang reflects on the defining moments that shaped his career, from France to founding Spago in Los Angeles, and the lessons his mother instilled that still guide him today. At 75, he remains energized by his craft, showing why joy is the ultimate ingredient for longevity.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to office hours. I'm David Meltzer. We are here at the Sirius XM Studios at the win in Las Vegas.

0:07.8

And we all know of Mr. Las Vegas. I got three amazing co-hosts, Kim, Brian Blaine. Thank you for joining me.

0:15.8

But the new Mr. Las Vegas to me is Mr. Beverly Hills. He is an extraordinary chef, entrepreneur, restaurateur.

0:24.9

He's an owner as well, which is a big responsibility.

0:29.4

You know what they say with employees in overhead.

0:31.7

You've just cursed someone.

0:33.1

Well, if that's true, this man's very cursed, but he's also blessed with so much talent and joy,

0:38.3

my favorite part of Wolfgang Puck. Welcome to office hours.

0:42.9

Thank you. Thank you. And you know what I tell all my chefs, don't spend time in the office,

0:47.5

spend time in the kitchen. So I have too much. Yeah. Great advice. Well, you are full of great

0:54.0

advice. And what I love about you beyond the successes that you have and the joy that you've brought other people through your restaurants, through the experiences, the hospitality, and of course the delicious food is the joy that you have. Every time I've seen you in person or virtually, you radiate a great

1:14.6

energy of joy. And so I thought I'd go in a different direction than just knowing about the newest and

1:20.1

latest and greatest in cookbooks and chefs and restaurants that you are launching around the world.

1:25.2

But I really would love some advice as you are getting further along in your experience

1:30.7

of some tips and traits that you can give me to have the joy that you have every day

1:36.9

with all the successes, failures, and challenges that you've endured.

1:41.9

You know, I talk to a lot of young people

1:44.2

because I have my youngest son, Alexander,

1:47.4

just is leaving high school.

1:49.3

He's graduating in a few weeks, going to college,

1:52.7

and then not really knowing what he wants to do.

1:57.0

He wants to go to the university,

...

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