About this episode
James Beard Award-nominee, chef and cookbook author Lee Anne Wong introduces listeners to her restaurant, Koko Head Cafe. She shares what inspired her to launch the concept in Tokyo and Honolulu and the destinations’ appeal. The New York native spills unique challenges and advantages that come with running businesses in Hawaii and Japan. Then, she reflects on her unexpected family reunion while filming Top Chef on the island. She spills the personal reason she relocated and favorite moments from her 20+ years of experience competing on television. The proud mom shares valuable lessons she teaches her son while watching her shows together and favorite dishes to make with him. Determined to positively impact the environment, Lee Anne explains the key to filling her menus with locally sourced ingredients and the power of fresh food produced by humans who live and work in the area. She addresses ecological issues that importing ingredients cause and the lingering economic impact of the pandemic on her industry, offering an insightful take on inflated prices. She reveals her favorite local foods, goals for her guests’ experience and the reason she does it all. Post-Covid, numbed taste buds and concerning news from her doctor, Lee Anne shares how her diet has recently changed and what she’d put on her menu to have a perfect day of food. Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/lee-anne-wong-on-her-hyper-local-approach-to-hawaiian-cuisine Follow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetwork Follow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesire Check Out Lee Anne Wong’s Website: https://www.papaainamaui.com/ Follow Lee Anne Wong on Twitter: https://twitter.com/leeannewong?lang=en Follow Lee Anne Wong on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papaainamaui/ Follow Lee Anne Wong on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leeannewong/featured Learn More About The Next Iron Chef: https://www.foodnetwork.com/search/top-chef-/SHOW_FACET:The%20Next%20Iron%20Chef Learn More About Alex vs. America: https://www.foodnetwork.com/search/alex-vs-america- Learn More About Guy’s Ranch Kitchen: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-ranch-kitchen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.