Hawaii
Wong joins master chefs
in NYC for culinary festivalIF you've dropped into Alan Wong's restaurant in the past few days, you've not found him. He and his lovely fiancee, Alice Inoue, have been in New York for the first World Master of Culinary Arts celebration. International judges have selected 10 chefs from each participating country, and Chef Wong is not only the sole chef from Hawaii on the list, but only one of three not from the Eastern part of the United States. Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in the wine country are the others ... People in Hawaii take their food seriously, so there should be some local saluting for Chris Garnier, named Chef of the Year by the Orange County Business Journal. He's a longtime employee of Roy Yamaguchi and has traveled to various Roy's restaurants to whip them into shape. The son of retired Star-Bulletin circulation distributor Tony Garnier and wife Diane, Chris is St. Louis grad, Class of '90 ...
STILL on the foodie front, two of the James Beard Foundation regional nominees for chef of the year are heading this way, alas only for two nights each. Appearing as part of the Lanai Visiting Artist Program at the Manele Bay Hotel in August will be "Best Midwest" Chef Rick Tromonto of Tru and in September Chef Lee Hefter of Spago Beverly Hills will show his culinary stuff at the Lodge at Koele. Better plan now if you want to sample their cuisine ...
Duchess of aloha
WHEN Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, appeared at Macy's Ala Moana on behalf of Wedgwood, she made a lot of friends with her generosity and that of Macy's as well. Unaware that "Fergie" was even in the store, Linda Egoshi, Anthe Peterson and her son, Joshua, were lined up at the Pineapple Room's coffee bar. Suddenly the Duchess popped behind the counter and started serving coffee and pastries to the astonished customers and even comped their order. Following a performance by Halau Hula O Lana, Fergie asked each dancer her name, posted for photos with the troupe and announced she'd personally buy each of the 20 dancers a Wedgwood pitcher or vase. Up stepped Bob Mettler, president of Macy's West, who countered that the china would be given to the halau courtesy of Macy's ...FIRST Insurance employees are giving the Easter Bunny a hand this year. They've donated candy, chips, canned food and toys to fill baskets for kids from needy families. Employees spend their lunch hours creating more than 150 baskets to be given to kiddies through Hawaii United Charities ... And Compadres celebrates Easter Sunday with its "Keiki Eat Free" program -- complimentary meals for kids 12 and under when accompanied by a paying adult diner...
My Chinatown
YOU may have read the lengthy Star-Bulletin story about L. Ah Leong and his key but unchronicled role in Honolulu's Chinatown, an oversight that's been rectified by his great-granddaughter, Pam Chun, in her novel, "The Money Dragon." Artist Ramsay is making available her museum in the Historic Tan Sing building on Smith Street in Chinatown for a celebration and book signing by the author. It's April 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com