Excitement is mounting in Hollywood. The Oscars are coming up on Sunday, March 12. Much changed in the production, including a two-year transition to remote broadcasts because of Covid-19. But the show returned to live programming in 2022.  

Food is a big part of the events. International chef Wolfgang Puck will be at the helm of preparing the cuisine for celebrities, writers, production staff, crews, and invitees. It's quite an honor, and he's quite a chef. The menu looks this year looks incredible.

The delicious food with Vegan selections will be served at the Governor's Ball following the Oscars. Chef Puck will cook this year with the Bronx-based culinary collective Ghetto Gastro. The collective focuses on the 'flavors of the Bronx' in menu choices.

Ghetto Gastro is the brainstorm of three entrepreneurs, Lester Walker, Jon Gray, and Pierre Serrao, who want to bring the Bronx to the world. The trio expanded from what began as an event planning and catering gig. Ghetto Gastro collaborates with major companies like Nike and has a line of cookware and syrup and waffle mixes.

The entrepreneurs capitalize on the unique vibe of the Bronx (remember Jennifer Lopez as "Jenny from the Block?") Even though I have not visited NYC recently, I know the City's diverse culture, from Little Italy to Harlem to Chinatown. Each pocket has a unique flavor. That's what the collective will bring to the Governor's Ball Table.

The book "Ghetto Gastro Presents Black Power Kitchen" will be released in October. According to eater.com, the work is a collaboration by the authors to bring their culture front and center. Jon Gray said, "We want to be neck and neck with the Bible and the Koran, all the sacred texts, and the Joy of Cooking." Photographs of the Bronx and interviews with celebrities like rapper A$AP will be featured--framed with recipes unique to the Bronx, like cauliflower rice and saltfish takoyaki.

Chef Puck, a James Beard honoree and host of the Emmy-winning "The Wolfgang Puck Show," has worked with the Academy Awards for 29 years. The internationally-known chef's love of cooking came from his mother, a pastry chef. Puck, who was born in Austria, worked as a chef at the prestigious Hôtel de Paris in Monaco and later at Maxim's Paris. He was just 24 years old when he moved to the US in 1973. Puck was in Indianapolis for two years as a chef before moving to California, where he became part owner of Ma Maison. He subsequently opened Spago in Beverly Hills. Puck's recipes are based on French and Californian cuisines and are published internationally. The chef owns three restaurants, plus a cooking line and multiple endorsements.

It makes sense for the Academy put to Ghetto Gastro on board. The Academy has a long reputation for racial and gender inequality but has been making some efforts to promote diversity. Food can be a perfect way to bring people together and bridge differences.