Show 30, June 1, 2013: Celebrity Chef Alan Wong, Alan Wong’s, Honolulu

Alan WongChef Wong is one of the distinguished pioneers of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine. This group of influential chefs was advocating using local ingredients and sustainability years before the concept was fashionable. In Honolulu he is the owner / chef of Alan Wong’s and the more casual Pineapple Room located in Macy’s in the Ala Moana Center. On Maui his property is Alan Wong’s Amasia at the Grand Wailea Resort. That’s Hawaii Regional Cuisine with sushi and a robata grill.

Chef Alan defines Hawaii Regional Cuisine as an artful blending of all the cultures now populating the Islands. In addition to native Hawaiian food it includes influences from the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Koreans, and Filipinos, among others.

Chopped Ahi Sashimi and Avocado Salsa StackThere are many ways to experience dinner at Alan Wong’s. The a la carte menu features salads and entrees. There is also an a la carte “Side By Side Tasting” menu. Additionally there is both a “Chef’s Tasting Menu” and “A Tasting of The Classics” prix fixe menu. Both of the “Tasting” menus have optional wine pairings matched with each course.

Miya Nishimura is Chef Alan’s Chef De Cuisine at Alan Wong’s. She is a rising star in her own right.

On Sunday, June 2nd Chef Alan Wong is one of the celebrity chefs with a tasting station at the annual Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation Benefit at Studio at Montage Laguna Beach Resort. The event starts at 4:00 p.m. One hundred per cent of the ticket sales revenues goes toward hunger relief efforts in Orange County

June 1: Hawaiian Food and Restaurant Special

Podcasts

Segment One: Hawaii Food Tours’Chef Matthew Gray
Segment Two: Jeffrey Vigilla, executive chef of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu
Segment Three: Celebrity Chef Alan Wong, Alan Wong’s, Honolulu
Segment Four: Chuck Furuya, Master Sommelier and partner in DK Restaurants, Honolulu
Segment Five: Celebrity Chef Sam Choy, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, The Big Island, Hawaii
Segment Six: Les Apoliona, Land Asset Manager, Land Assets Division of Kamehameha Schools of Hawaii

Summer is upon us and the vacation travel season is at hand. Both Jet and Producer Andy have recently been to Hawaii. Saturday will be our Hawaii special bringing you the best (and tastiest) tips for visits to Oahu and The Big Island.

Matthew Gray of Hawaii Food ToursChef and food critic Matthew Gray has been objectively observing the Oahu food scene since 1993. He was previously the food critic for the local newspaper, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Whether it’s a joint in Chinatown making their own noodles or the best in high-end cuisine Matthew knows the territory.

Some six years ago he created Hawaii Food Tours to provide visitors with highly entertaining, one-of-a-kind food adventures. His signature food tour is his Hole-in-the-Wall Food Tour where you discover the rich history of Honolulu through food. Matthew takes his guests to unusual places they would never discover on their own.

Chef Jeffrey Vigilla of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach ResortJeffrey Vigilla is the accomplished executive chef of the 2,860 room Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu on 22 lush tropical acres. It’s the largest hotel property on the famed Waikiki Beach with the widest stretch of beach. Chef Vigilla is going local with as much of his menu ingredients as possible. His chocolate is from Waialua Estates on Oahu and he even sources local honey.

 

Alan WongHawaii’s Alan Wong is one of the pioneers of Hawaiian Regional cuisine. Now, sourcing and serving the freshest local ingredients is in vogue. In Hawaii, Alan owns the flagship Alan Wong’s in Honolulu as well as the more casual Pineapple Room in Ala Moana Center. On Maui his most recent establishment is Amasia at the Grand Wailea.

The President dines with the First Lady at Alan Wong’s on his yearly vacations on Oahu.

On Sunday, June 2nd Chef Alan will be one of the celebrity chefs cooking at the Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation Benefit at Studio at Montage Laguna Beach.

Chuck FuruyaChuck Furuya of the D.K. Restaurant Group with hugely successful properties on Oahu, Maui, and The Big Island was only the 10th person in the United States to pass the rigorous Master Sommelier examination. He’s the recognized leader in the Islands in furthering wine education.  He loves to introduce undiscovered wines to his guests and good value is always part of his mission. No wine snobbery here…

Sam ChoyThe Big Island’s Sam Choy is known as Hawaii’s culinary ambassador to the world. He has a new restaurant on The Big Island, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, with a 180-degree view of the Pacific Ocean. He’s also known as the “Godfather of Poke” which is his signature dish. Chef Sam is the author of 16 cookbooks and is a regular culinary celebrity chef aboard Crystal Cruises.

Kamehameha Schools is Hawaii’s largest private landowner with some 365,000 acres on The Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai. They own the choice land in Waikiki that are the sites of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and associated upscale retail complex. One of their new initiatives is to support value added agriculture with entrepreneurial leaseholders of their land. Two out of three coffee estates in the Kona area are on Kamehameha Schools leased land.

Les Apoliona, a land asset manager for the north Kona district for the Land Assets Division of Kamehameha joins us to talk about the inventive effort to support these businesses and the move to make The Big Island more self sufficient in the production of food. Les has a background in food service and hotel management and is well-known in the restaurant community of The Big Island.

Podcasts

Segment One: Hawaii Food Tours’Chef Matthew Gray
Segment Two: Jeffrey Vigilla, executive chef of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu
Segment Three: Celebrity Chef Alan Wong, Alan Wong’s, Honolulu
Segment Four: Chuck Furuya, Master Sommelier and partner in DK Restaurants, Honolulu
Segment Five: Celebrity Chef Sam Choy, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, The Big Island, Hawaii
Segment Six: Les Apoliona, Land Asset Manager, Land Assets Division of Kamehameha Schools of Hawaii/a>

Show 29, May 18, 2013: Craig Strong, executive chef of Studio at Montage Laguna Beach

Chef Craig StrongFor the 3rd year Chef Craig, Studio, and Montage Laguna Beach are hosting the Orange County “Taste of the Nation” benefit for Share Our Strength. Share Our Strength’s national mission is hunger relief.

One hundred percent of the ticket revenue from June 2nd goes to local Orange County hunger relief organizations for programs. All expenses are covered by donations and sponsors. That’s highly unusual!

The event itself is an elaborate, walk-around tasting on the oceanfront bluff (with views of the Pacific) of Studio with food tasting stations from Studio and celebrity chefs from around the country. There are also premium wines served. Guests have the chance to really interact with the chefs and winemakers in a relaxed environment.

The impressive chef line-up includes Alan Wong from Alan Wong’s in Honolulu, Josiah Citrin of Melisse in Santa Monica, and Brooke Williamson of Hudson House in Redondo Beach, the 1st runner up on this season’s “Top Chef” series on Bravo.

Tickets in advance are $150, and the VIP Meet the Chef experience is $250.