As soon as the last envelope for best picture is ripped open, it’s showtime at the Ray Dolby Ballroom for 1,600 guests who will make their way over from the theater at the Oscars for some high class sustenance after the lengthy ceremony.
A much smaller number got an exclusive preview of the 2013 Governors Ball the night before in what’s become an annual tradition—a full dress rehearsal of the food, drink and design overseen by Cheryl Cecchetto and her team at Sequoia Productions, along with acclaimed chef Wolfgang Puck.
It’s his 19th year at the ball, supervising a kitchen staff of 350 that turn out everything from a raw bar filled with baby lobster tails, crab legs and shrimp to Puck’s famous pizzas and comfort food like lamb chops, chicken pot pie with black truffles and chestnut tortellini.
Our favorite: the smoked salmon and caviar Oscars, a customized take on his legendary Jewish pizza.
In total, close to 50 different dishes are served to the crowd of actors, producers, directors, writers and studio executives, topped off with desserts designed by noted executive pastry chef Sherry Yard, both served and serve yourself at a 24-foot-long chocolate bar.
Guests will not go thirsty. Sterling Vineyards is the wine sponsor, pouring its Napa vintages, the 2007 Sterling Reserve Cabernet, the 2009 Sterling Reserve Chardonnay and three limited production dessert wines. Thienot is supplying the champagnes, taking over from Moet, and Patron is mixing up special Oscar cocktails with its tequilas.
Mark’s Garden created the unique floral arrangements, many of which are under glass-topped tables, while others sit atop tablecloths more traditionally.
According to AMPAS, here are some of the numbers:
Pieces of California micro greens: 20,000
Pounds of troll-caught Atlantic bigeye tuna: 250
Stone crab claws: 1,250
Cage-free eggs: 5,000
Mini brioche buns: 6,000
Gallons cocktail sauce: 30
Local fruit and vegetable farmers: 80
Pounds of edible gold dust: 30
Cocktail forks: 6,000
Bamboo skewers: 4,500
Bottles of 2007 Sterling Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: 540
Total glasses of Sterling Vineyards wine served during and after the Oscars: 13,680
–Hillary Atkin
