Red and Gold Oscars Governors Ball Will Serve Mac and Cheese

On Wednesday morning at the Grand Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center, Academy Awards Governors Ball chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs and event producer Cheryl Cecchetto gave press folks a sneak peek at this year’s post-Oscars celebration. Attendees had a chance to preview table settings and floral arrangements in this year’s chosen palette of red and gold—a nod to the golden Oscar statuette plus Hollywood’s ubiquitous red carpet—and to nosh on a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres that chef Wolfgang Puck created for the ball, including spicy chicken mango rice paper rolls and barbecue chicken pizza. As for the main courses, Puck chose a theme that he described as “refined simplicity" and “comfort food with a touch of elegance.” For Puck, that means updated classics like macaroni and cheese with black truffle shavings and baked potatoes with caviar.

Earlier this month, Oscar broadcast producer Gil Cates said the academy will put its February 24 show on as planned, regardless of any effects of the ongoing writers strike.