Barbara Lazaroff Restaurant Design
The design of the Wolfgang Puck Cafes
In 1993 Lazaroff developed the original prototype design for the Wolfgang Puck Cafés.
As co-founder of the Wolfgang Puck Food Company, Lazaroff developed the design of the former Wolfgang Puck Cafés, which were featured on college campuses and other venues in the United States, Canada and Japan. The signature Café design had showcased the company’s logo with Lazaroff’s custom “pizza chairs,” triangular-shaped fused glass sconces and elaborate, vividly colorful geometric mosaic on floor and wall surfaces. ~WolfgangPuck.com
There were eighteen cafés, including Grand Cafés. Cafés were typically reworked to accommodate specific locations, while still retaining their whimsical and highly recognizable signature statement. In 1997, Barbara completed the 18,000-square-foot Wolfgang Puck Grand Café at Disney World, Orlando. The other two Grand Cafés were The Block at Orange and Sawgrass Mills.
In January of 2005 the Café concept was discontinued, resulting in the sale of various café locations and closure of the remaining locations. This business plan allowed the company’s resources to provide greater focus on the new expansion plans for the “express” eateries, which were originally launched in 1991. This chain of fast-casual restaurants is now called Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express. This expansion now offers more than 80 locations in major urban and suburban retail centers, airports and supermarkets throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
