Hawaii
PERHAPS the best known gourmet food and wine society in Hawaii is the Chaine des Rotisseurs. But there's another group that may be even more gastronomically select. It's called Les Amis D'Escoffier, named for French chef Auguste Escoffier, the most renowned chef in France, even after his death in 1935. Well, the local "Amis" (friends) of Escoffier take the master's demand for excellence seriously. And that is why The Patisserie owner Rolf Winkler, who's owned his stores as long as this column has been written, contacted old friend Oliver Altherr, former chef at the Kahala Mandarin, and invited him to Hawaii to prepare a fabulous spread for 15 or 20 members of "Les Amis." Altherr welcomed a return to Hawaii from Switzerland, where he's chief operations officer for Movenpick Gastronomy, which sounds like a company specializing in buffets, but is dedicated to the promotion of gastronomy. To help with expenses, Winkler asked the Hilton Hawaiian Village to give him a suite, which they did, and in return, the chef prepared a one-night-only gourmet dinner at Bali-by-the-Sea. If you want proof that Altherr is a stickler for the best, be advised he brought his own potatoes from Germany, just in case the local spud proved inadequate ... Ex-isle chef
cooks up a storm
on short visit
Tanonaka talks
FORMER Honolulu newsman Dalton Tanonaka continues to add to his resume. Now a reporter on CNN International, Tanonaka will be hosting a new show on the network called "Talk Asia." Featuring interviews with leading business, political and entertainment personalities, it'll debut May 17. Tanonaka has been covering stories in the region for more than 10 years and also hosts the network's "BIZASIA." ...HE still loves the restaurant business and is doing very well, thank you, with his Stinson Beach Bar & Grill across the Golden Gate Bridge and over the mountain from San Francisco, but Tom Horton looks to be spending more time in the islands. A columnist with the Advertiser back in the 1970s before he quit, Horton has signed on to write stories for Hawaii Hospitality magazine, published by Kini Popo of Trade Publishing. Here's a switch -- his boss at the magazine is managing editor Susan Sunderland, who used to be a publicist placing items in Horton's column when he was a newspaper man. The ex-three dotter will be in town next week working on stories about the Kalia Tower of the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Waikiki revitalization ...
Different strokes
WHILE strolling through the Academy of Arts' new Henry R. Luce Pavilion Complex with architect John Hara, a guest admired how nicely the new structure blended with the old, and asked what was Hara's favorite part of his new building. Would it be the grand staircase that leads to the new John Dominis and Patches Damon Holt Gallery of Hawaiian art, or the 60-foot waterfall, or the magnificent tall columns that make their presence felt? While proud of those elements, the one Hara singled out may surprise. He says his favorite thing about the new Luce wing is the eye-catching little pukas that penetrate the stairwell wall and give it dimension and style. Go figure! ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com