HAWAIIAN AIRLINES recently appointed Lee Anne Wong, chef-owner of Honolulu’s Koko Head Café, as its new executive chef. In this role she will lead the airline’s Featured Chef Series, a collaboration that brings celebrated Hawai‘i chefs’ menus to trans-Pacific flights. The series highlights the islands’ diverse culinary traditions and elevates the onboard dining experience for travelers.
Under Wong’s direction, the Featured Chef Series — launched June 1, 2018 — will showcase several notable chefs, including Mark Noguchi, cofounder and chef of Pili Group; Eric Oto, chef de cuisine at Hoku’s; Wade Ueoka, co-owner and chef of MW Restaurant; and Chang-Wook Chung, owner and chef of Kumsan Restaurant.
Passengers can expect an authentic taste of Hawai‘i at altitude with thoughtfully crafted dishes that reflect local ingredients, cultural fusion, and culinary craftsmanship.
Which destinations inspired you, and how has that inspiration translated into your culinary concepts?
I’ve been fortunate to travel widely, and Japan is one place I return to repeatedly. Over the past eight years I’ve staged at kaiseki establishments in Kanazawa and Kyoto and worked with Hawaiian Airlines’ catering partners at Kansai, Narita, Haneda and Chitose while creating menus for inbound Japan routes. Japanese cuisine has a strong presence in Hawai‘i, and I enjoy using Japanese ingredients and flavors in new contexts — for example, pairing furikake-seasoned chicken breast with a wakame-ginger beurre blanc. These influences shape how I think about balance, texture and umami when designing dishes.
Whom do you consider to be your culinary hero?
André Soltner. While I was executive chef of events and continuing education at the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center), I worked closely with our culinary deans. Chef André, of the famed Lutece, led Classic Studies and demonstrated traditional Alsatian recipes in my kitchen. Working alongside him, I heard stories of his early years as an apprentice in the 1940s and learned how kitchens functioned before modern conveniences. His perspective grounded me; when things go wrong, I often ask myself, “What would André do?” It helps me pause, reassess and find a steady solution.
What one person most influenced your cooking style?
Marcus Samuelsson and Nils Noren had a major impact on my approach. My first job, in 2000, was at Aquavit, where Samuelsson was executive chef and Noren was chef de cuisine. They taught me how to develop a dish and craft a cohesive menu. Although Aquavit is a Scandinavian restaurant, they wove global influences into the cuisine — from Southeast Asian flavors to spices reflecting Samuelsson’s Ethiopian roots. That openness encouraged me to travel, explore diverse ingredients and be bold in blending techniques and traditions.
What is your favorite food city?
Tokyo.
What do you think the next big trend on the food scene will be?
A stronger focus on vegetarian cooking, if that trend hasn’t already arrived. I see chefs and diners embracing plant-forward dishes with creativity and depth, making vegetables the centerpiece rather than an afterthought.