FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Chefs DK Kodama, left, and Alan Wong prepared spoons full of Kodama's appetizer, called Tuna "Soup" with Ponzu Granita, in the kitchen at Vino on Monday. The chefs put their talents up for bid in a fundraising auction for Central Union Church Pre-School.
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Benefit unites renowned chefs
Top bidder collects his prize, a dinner catered by 4 star chefs
It's Monday night and Chuck Furuya's Italian tapas restaurant, Vino, is closed to the public. But the master sommelier, gourmet dinner manager and server never stops moving.
Back in the kitchen, restaurateurs Alan Wong, DK Kodama and Hiroshi Fukui prepare a six- course meal for 24 people invited by real estate executive Michael Pang, who paid "between $5,000 and $10,000" for the dinner at an auction to benefit Central Union Church Pre-School, where DK Kodama has been a parent for several years. Furuya has selected the wines for each course. And Roy Yamaguchi appears later in the evening to check in with his executive chef, Ronnie Nasuti.
"Look around," Furuya says during a rare lull. "There's no cooks. It's all the bulls. You see how everyone helps each other? That's the whole deal."
Indeed, Halekulani wine manager Randy Ching has volunteered to assist with the wine for the evening, and slows down only to wipe the sweat from his brow. Each chef is in charge of one course and dutifully instructs the others about how it should look when the frantic, artistic hustle of plating begins.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mike Pang made the top bid, winning a private dinner at Vino for a few of his friends. His wife, Diane, joined him in hosting the party.
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"Be careful not to tip the plate, OK?" Furuya says to a server before grabbing three plates topped with Onaga "Sous Vide" and heading toward the dining room himself.
As labor intensive as it is, watching Kodama and Wong chuckling together as they arrange spoons full of Tuna "Soup" with Ponzu Granita, Seared Miso Scallop and King Crab with Truffle Butter Broth makes it obvious they enjoy the process.
Renowned Honolulu chefs give more of their time and resources to the community than most people realize. Furuya said this group may do 30 to 40 charity dinners per year among them. Those that include several heavy hitters working together, however, are limited to about four.
"The chefs contribute so much," says Pang. "It's all genuine. ... And believe me, this is very special for all of us. Just to have a six-course meal prepared by all of these guys, and to have the whole restaurant to ourselves." Besides, he adds jokingly, "there's nothing more worthy than getting my son into preschool!"
Clearly, Pang plans ahead. His wife, Diane, is scheduled to deliver their first child in about 6 weeks.
The evening is complete 2-1/2 hours later -- for the guests. But the connoisseurs usher in the next phase in the privacy of a deserted dining room: Experimenting with new wines and food pairings, exchanging opinions and ideas, breaking out the occasional cigar and throwing competition to the wind in favor of culinary arts and camaraderie.