Famed chef and restauranteur, entrepreneur and philanthropist Wolfgang Puck is getting into the kids business. Puck is set to announce plans to launch a new children’s animated series, “Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy,” which he plans to pitch to networks and streamers.
Puck has partnered with Genius Brands International to launch the project. “Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy” will star Puck voicing himself, as he attempts to create the quintessential cookbook for Planet Earth. He enlists five talented kid chefs, “Wolf’s Gang,” who attend “4-S: — the “Secret Spago School of Scrumptious” — in the basement of his flagship restaurant. Wolf sends them on missions around the world to find iconic recipes that represent the culture of the places they visit. The kids must outsmart Puck’s rival, “Foxgang Muck,” secure the recipe and key ingredient, and get back to Spago in time for dinner service.
“’Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy’ is at its core a celebration of food and culture around the world, and an exploration of how we are all connected through our shared love of eating a delicious meal,” Puck said. “I am extremely passionate and committed to teaching kids and parents about nutrition and the value of cooking meals with healthy ingredients. Equally important is helping reinforce their understanding of how food goes from farm to table and touching on issues near and dear to my heart such as the elimination of global hunger.”
As part of the collab, Genius Brands has drawn up a global licensing and merchandising plan that includes themed subscription boxes with recipes for kids to create; publishing, cooking tools, apparel, home goods, and other branded products; a new private food label for kids; and a YouTube channel, website and other social media channels.
“I have had the privilege of knowing Wolfgang for many years and have been fortunate enough to experience his culinary magic from the beginning. I have always wanted to collaborate with him on a children’s project. His level of skill, passion, creativity and commitment is truly unparalleled,” said Genius Brands Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. “Our goal for Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy is to create an atmosphere of ‘James Bond meets Julia Child’ with a state of the art kitchen and supersonic gadgets, all while highlighting the importance of health, nutrition and sustainability through our storylines and characters’ journeys. We are creating a one-of-a-kind immersive experience through entertainment and merchandise for worldwide distribution.”
