Wolfgang Puck: The biggest tennis fan in the kitchen?

Wolfgang Puck is a titan of the food industry, and somebody that continues to set the standard for high-quality restaurants worldwide. But before his name was synonymous with excellent eating, Puck was a kid in Austria with a passion for tennis. Something about the sport gripped his heart strings and never let go.

Decades later, in a new country with many thriving restaurants and accolades to his name, the chef still goes crazy for the game.

Puck recently joined Nick Monroe, Jan-Michael Gambill, Tracy Austin and host Geoff Chizever in-studio for an appearance on “Second Serve" during the BNP Paribas Open, where he discussed at length his commitment to his craft, his tennis, and his role as a bridge between the two communities.

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Puck grew up in Europe with fond memories and big dreams, many of which he would eventually go on to achieve. But his imagination ran wild with tennis, and in many respects, it was his first true love.

“I started as a kid in Austria, where I was a tennis ball boy,” Puck said of his tennis origin story. “I still remember my mother was a chef in a hotel across the street. I made more money picking up tennis balls than she made cooking."

"I started to play really when I came to America," he continued. "I took tennis lessons and everything, so it was really here. And you know in Southern California, you have to play tennis. The weather is so perfect year-round.”

It's been more 50 years since Puck moved to America, and since that life-changing decision, he has set the standard for the restaurant business. When Monroe asked the chef what advice he has for a novice like himself, the reply was swift.

“I know where you should start. Pick up your phone and make reservations, call me at Spago,” Puck replied with a smile, referring to his flagship Los Angeles restaurant founded in 1982.

“That’s how I met Roger Federer at Spago. Each time before going to Indian Wells, he came and had his Wiener schnitzel,” the chef recalled fondly. “Roger was really my favorite player. When I look at the tapes, the way he moved and everything, I think it was so effortlessly.”

Even with all of his accomplishments, Puck continues to stay hungry (pun clearly intended) and motivated each day. He has no plans on slowing down and doesn’t see retirement as an option as long as there is breath in his lungs—much like a tennis player, he says.

“If you’re going to play at Wimbledon, the US Open or here at Indian Wells, if you’re not motivated, you might as well stay home," he said. "So for me to do a new restaurant is always exciting. Even learning a lot is really exciting for me."

The chef is also loyal to his team, and that loyalty has led to minimal turnover and employees that feel empowered. “We have to create a culture. We have to really get people who really understand what we do. And I have people who work with me for 30 years, 40 years.”

With the chef full of exuberance during his entire appearance on Second Serve, 30 minutes flew by during the lively conversations about food, tennis, and culture. Puck was a fan of Austin offering to fix his backhand, but he was not a fan of the cast & crew’s choice of dinner that evening (sorry to Smashburger). But on the whole, it's great to have successful people with large platforms eager to join the tennis community, and it’s endearing to hear such an accomplished person marvel at what the world's best players can do on the court.

Second Serve brings out the best the sport has to offer, and Puck’s appearance absolutely cooked.