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Barbara Lazaroff
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
The Path
At New York University, the rigor of study and the speed of the city helped form a working eye for composition, pace, and public space. Barbara Lazaroff’s practice has since been defined by that same mix of instinct and control: attention to the architecture of experience, the atmosphere of a room, and the way design can steer memory. Since 1979, Barbara has served as restaurateur of Wolfgang Puck Brand & IP, and since 1981 as designer of Imaginings Design, Inc, a pairing that shows both range and follow-through.
The Work Today
In hospitality, the brief is rarely only food or décor; it is the total read of a place. Barbara Lazaroff has worked on both sides of that equation as restaurateur at Wolfgang Puck Brand & IP and designer at Imaginings Design, Inc, bringing a consistent hand to the culinary and visual language of restaurants. Her specialty is the conception and execution of singularly unique restaurants, along with innovative restaurant concepts and product designs. The result is work that is built to function from the first glance and to hold its shape once the room fills. Restaurant creation, in her approach, is a matter of form as much as idea. Barbara Lazaroff has treated it as a practice of building places that are meant to be lived in as well as entered, with each project carrying a distinct mood and intent. As she put it, "When I met Chef Wolfgang Puck, I knew the world should know his and I had a vision of what he could be." The line is direct: identify the possibility, shape it, and give it a setting that can carry the work.
Signature
Together, they suggest a career defined by range and by a steady commitment to making each concept feel singular, memorable, and fully its own.
Acclaim
Barbara Lazaroff has received NAWBO-Los Angeles Legacy Award for Philanthropy (2013). Barbara's honors include James Beard Humanitarian of the Year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Honoree, Innovation Award, Alliance for Housing & Healing's Award, Spirit of Beverly Hills Award, National Association of Women Business Owners Hall of Fame, and Hot Concept Award. Taken together, these recognitions reflect not only the breadth of her influence, but also the unusual combination of creativity, leadership, and civic-minded purpose that has shaped her career over time.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Barbara
What is Barbara Lazaroff's current role?
As of 2026, Barbara Lazaroff is Restaurateur of Wolfgang Puck Brand & IP.
Where did Barbara Lazaroff train or study?
Barbara Lazaroff trained at New York University.
What recognition has Barbara Lazaroff received?
James Beard Humanitarian of the Year (1994).
