chefs by nature with chef Lee Anne Wong
FEATURING CHEF lee anne wong
Lee Anne Wong, a culinary talent and Executive Chef of Koko Head Cafe in Honolulu, Hawaii, has an impressive background. Originally from Troy, New York, she honed her skills at the International Culinary Center and began her career at Aquavit. She gained fame on Bravo's "Top Chef" as a contestant and later as a Supervising Culinary Producer.
In 2014, she opened Koko Head Cafe, quickly earning recognition in major publications. Wong published her first cookbook, "Dumplings All Day Wong," in the same year. She also served as a guest chef for Hawaiian Airlines and became their Executive Chef in 2018.
After moving to Maui in 2019, she returned to "Top Chef" for Season 17 and opened Papa’aina at the Pioneer Inn, which gained local acclaim but was lost in the Maui fires of August 2023. Despite this setback, she has actively contributed to community recovery efforts.
In 2023, Wong expanded Koko Head Cafe to Tokyo Station and plans to open another location in Osaka in 2024. Celebrating a decade of her restaurant, she is also working on a brunch cookbook and exploring new projects to share her passion for food.
A special culinary series
Designed to celebrate our local farmers, ranchers and growers and the natural abundance of Kaua’i— hosted by the world’s most celebrated chefs, who’ll each visit us from across the globe. Our Chefs by Nature will collaborate with our culinary team to learn more about local ingredients and traditional techniques, develop featured dishes on our 1 Kitchen menu, teach master cooking classes for guests, and host charity dinners in support of the Kaua’i Community College Culinary Arts Program—helping emerging local chefs bring even more artistry to the island.
Bringing Island Flavors to Life
Enrich your stay and take part in the dinner series through our Chef's By Nature room package.
