Here's How Wolfgang Puck Stays Focused In The Kitchen
Forget spending money on a meditation app; throw away the sand-filled stress ball you got at that job fair expo in 1996. There is only one way to stay focused, alert, and firing on all cylinders during your next high-stress event, and that is the way of Wolfgang Puck. The 72-year-old Austrian chef pioneered the open kitchen concept in America, hosted cooking shows, started a soup brand ubiquitous in American grocery stores, and even found time to run a bunch of restaurants (six in Vegas alone, and almost a hundred airport locations across the country). Needless to say, he has learned a thing or two about focus over the years (via Food & Wine).
Puck's catering company (the aptly named Wolfgang Puck Catering) has hosted its flagstone event — a little get-together called Oscar night — for over 20 years now. And when it comes to the Academy Awards, Puck and his team of executive chefs from around the world bring their A-game. But, as Food & Wine points out, despite the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen and the world's best-known celebrities like Meryl Streep milling about, munching on taro tacos, Puck "has a remarkable ability to stay present." And his secret isn't in the addition of something, like an app or a stress ball, but in the subtraction: When he's working, Puck never has a cell phone on him. Ever.
Wolfgang Puck isn't the only phone-free celebrity
If the thought of separating yourself from your phone for an entire workday gives you the yips, the twisties, or any combination of heebie-jeebies, know that retiring your cellular device might (unfortunately) be what it takes for greatness. Or, at least, to stay mentally healthy. As Us Weekly reports, social media breaks are common among celebrities these days, and some Luddites — like Tom Cruise and Justin Bieber — have opted out of the cell phone world entirely. Of course, if you have assistants, publicists, and people dedicated to the communication, organization, and planning of your life, the lack of a cell phone is probably not a huge imposition. But as Self reports, even a "social media cleanse" can go a long way to boosting your mental health. You might sleep better, find more free time, and, like our pal Puck, focus more effectively.
Food & Wine was rightfully concerned about Puck's unreachability during his workday. What if there is an emergency? More importantly, what if his wife needs to reach him? Puck laughed, "We've been married for ten years. She knows that's who I am." The chef is probably onto something there — getting distracted by your phone in the kitchen might lead to a burned burger, but getting distracted by your phone in your relationship could lead to real disaster, according to People. Establishing boundaries around cell phones — at home and at work — is key. Luckily for Puck, his relationship, and his taro tacos, cell phones are persona non grata in the chef's kitchen.