Hawaii's Jedi chef brotherhood reunited

Nadine Kam photos
The Alan Wong Jedi brotherhood, with one sister, reunited.

BY NADINE KAM

“Star Wars” imagery is everywhere this season in anticipation of this week’s release of the latest tale in the film saga, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Even so, when I spotted the Jedi T-shirts and life-size Storm Trooper balloon outside the tents at the MW and Friends “Reunited” event that took place Dec. 14 under a tent in the restaurant’s parking lot, I was a little confused about the meaning of the thing.

At least I wasn’t the only one clueless about the insider’s joke. Everyone else was asking the same questions: “What’s with the Jedi T-shirts?” “What’s with the Star Wars theme?”

OK, first things first. As well as being praise-worthy in their own right, chefs Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi and George Mavrothalassitis have been responsible for providing the real world training ground for most of Hawaii’s next generation of top-tier chefs. This particular reunion brought together chefs who formerly worked together at Alan Wong’s Restaurant and the Pineapple Room.

Jedi chef Steven Ariel, now with the W Seattle Hotel, was among the alumni of Alan Wong's family of restaurants who came together for a reunion event Dec. 14 at MW Restaurant.

In addition to MW host/owners Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka, in house were:

Sonny Acosta: Now at Abunai Food; Washington, D.C.
Steven Ariel: W Seattle Hotel
Brandon Hamada: Home Bar & Grill
Lance Kosaka: Top of Waikiki and Sky Waikiki
Jon Matsubara: Bloomingdale’s Restaurant Kaola
Gary Matsumoto: Hawai’i Convention Center
Jonathan Mizukami: Chef Mavro
Jared Murakawa: MW Restaurant
Neil Nakasone: Home Bar & Grill
Marc Urquidi: Roy’s Restaurant
Sean Walsh: Top of Waikiki
Mark Okumura: Kapiolani Community College
Also there was longtime restaurant manager Charly Yoshida.

Guarding the tent.

As for the “Star Wars” reference, Wade explained all in his program notes, writing:

“I remember long, long ago, in a kitchen not too far away …
The day I was new to the fish station … I had actually just learned to cook a simple fish fillet, and now, all of a sudden, as service was starting, I was responsible for a whole fish? I had no idea what I was in for. Being it was my first encounter with a whole fish (and nervous as hell), I nonchalantly asked,

“How do you know when it’s done?”

“The reply I received in the heat of the rush was, ‘Use your Jedi sense!’

“It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to commit myself to learn the ways of the Jedi. … It has taken many, many years of practice, long hours, and countless cuts, burns and mistakes to learn the ways of the Jedi."

Jedi chefs, from left, Wade Ueoka, Lance Kosaka and Jonathan Mizukami, who has returned home after working kitchens from Alinea, to Per Se, El Bulli and The French Laundry. Planning for the reunion event began about five months ago.

“… Through years of battle, and the opportunity to cook with hundreds of different troops, there have been those with which a group has formed. A group that has shown passion, dedication, determination, and the skills to become a true Jedi master. It had always been a dream of mine to bring all the Jedi back together again.”

As much fun as it may have been for them to see and cook alongside one another once again, it was just as thrilling for guests who enjoyed a lengthy grazing menu.

Charly Yoshida and Olena Heu were among the first employees at Alan Wong’s Restaurant. Heu continued working at the restaurant even after she took on full-time news duties at KHON.

Former front-of-the-house staffers were also there to check in with old friends and simply enjoy themselves. Among them was former KHON morning news anchor Olena Heu, who served as hostess when Wong opened his first eponymous restaurant in April 1995.

She had arrived from Kauai and was working at David Paul’s Lahaina Grill. When that restaurant was put up for sale, she simply decided she wanted to work at Hawaii’s No. 1 restaurant and rang them up.

She put in 10 years while attending school, and it was only after taking on an internship at KHON that she decided TV news was the place for her. Yet, even after landing a full-time job with the station, she continued to work at Alan Wong’s restaurant until she could no longer do so after taking the morning anchor job that required getting up at 2 in the morning.

“The restaurant shift didn’t end until midnight,” she said. “But they still let me come in and work one day a week. Everytime I see Alan I tell him I loved the time I spent working at his restaurant.”

As for the man who saw the promise in all of them, he is in Shanghai, preparing to open his next restaurant.

Michelle Karr-Ueoka shows a tray of her lemon meringue confections.

The Jedi moms, Marge Kosaka, left, mother of Lance, and Alan Wong's mom Terry Yamamoto, who's said to be a very good cook. She said she didn't teach him to cook, but through eating her food, he learned the optimal flavors. She said she's proud of all of her son's protégés, who still refer to her as "mama."

Some of the dishes:

 Jon Matsubara offered up a taste of his new menu at Bloomingdale's Kaola Restaurant, with "Hibiscus Egg," creamy "fu yung" topped with a dollop of ikura and scallions.

The 'Secret' is out

Nadine Kam photos
MW Restaurant’s Secret Menu dinner that took place Jan. 22 started with a quartet of hand-passed canapes.

Foodies are a restless lot. While others are content with their teri beef plates, loco mocos and poke bowls, the foodie is constantly prowling about, sniffing out the best new thing to put in his or her mouth.

Instead of waiting for things to happen, foodie Sean Morris seems to enjoy prodding chefs to make things happen. He’s a fan of secret and hidden menus, full of dishes chefs are capable of creating apart from their regular menus, and arranged such a meal at MW restaurant for 10 of his fellow food enthusiasts.

But when he found out Thursday’s dinner would be held in the restaurant’s new, adjoining private dining room, he thought it might be a waste of owners Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka’s time, so to make it worthwhile, he promised to fill the 40-seat room. A simple post to Facebook did the trick, with fellow foodies shelling out $70 apiece to partake in the special dinner.

MW Restaurant’s Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka introduced the dinner and their secret ingredient.

In the spirit of fun and with a little bit of showbiz flair, the Ueokas introduced the dinner with a mystery brown paper bag containing a secret ingredient that would permeate the meal. And, ta-da, from out of the bag, they pulled a foodie favorite, foie gras.

Beyond the main courses, details like housemade Naked Cow milk butter, with its marvelous straight-from-the-farm stinky cow aroma, were well appreciated.

My aim here is not to tease, but inform, so I wanted to let you know you can enjoy any of the secret menu dishes with 48-hour notice. You might also want to note the Kona lobster cannelloni was the consensus savory-side hit of the evening.

Smoked tako canape, and below, arancini. Before dessert’s arrival, we were also treated to airy potato beignets.

Kabayaki unagi over foie gras fried rice was the first of the main courses.

Kona lobster-filled cannelloni was also crowned with the shellfish and served with a tomato ragout, the savory-side hit of the evening.

Smoky Kurobuta pork loin in an upscale dish of kalua pig and cabbage was the most filling dish of the evening.

Beneath the chocolate tuille was “one way” of Waialua chocolate mousse served “two ways.” The one in the cup was in standard mousse form, although at first glance I thought it was a souffle and was surprised when I slipped in my spoon. The other “way” was dehydrated mousse.

The evening left many asking when the next secret dinner would take place. There are at least five restaurants interested in hosting the next dinners, and right now, one every other month seems to be a workable goal. And of course they will take place at restaurants Morris — whose taste is most in line with mine out of everybody I know — loves.

You can stay informed by following Sean Morris on Facebook or @incurablepicure on Twitter.

First Course: MW restaurant First Course: MW restaurant

Nadine Kam photos
Ahi poke with ikura, uni and crispy rice crackers, $18, at the newly open MW restaurant by Alan Wong alums Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka. 

mw1One of the most highly anticipated openings of Fall 2013 is the arrival of MW restaurant from husband and wife Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka, both long-time alums of Alan Wong's Restaurant, he as chef de cuisine and she as pastry maestro. Both won Rising Star accolades last year from StarChefs.com.

They've set up house in one of the refurbished spaces in the former KGMB building at 1538 Kapiolani Boulevard, with valet or self-parking entrance on Makaloa Street.

Alan Wong has always given those in his kitchen room to shine, putting team members in the spotlight through his Next Generation dinner series, but when someone leaves, there's always a question of how close a protégé's new endeavor will hew to that of his mentor.

In this case, MW appears to a whole different creature, with a casual temperament and novel twists on comfort food.

The Ueokas hosted three days of soft-opening dinners, and quite bravely, invited every food writer in town. I pretty much never get invited to these things because most restaurateurs wisely believe in working out all the kinks before throwing themselves at the mercy of a critic. But, they've prepared well, and I had the opportunity to sample much of the menu. Below are a few dishes you can expect now that the restaurant is open to the public:
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MW Restaurant, 1538 Kapiolani Boulevard. Call 955-6505. www.mwrestaurant.com

Starchefs.com names its Hawaii 'Rising Stars'

Nadine Kam photos
Fourteen of Hawaii's Rising Star chefs and their mentors share a stage at the Halekulani Ballroom before heading to the lawn to plate up their specialties.

Since 2003, StarChefs.com, the online magazine for culinary insiders, has criss-crossed the country with its StarChefs Rising Stars Revue, showcasing up-and-coming chefs.

Each year, StarChefs.com selects four American markets in which to name its Rising Stars. Candidates are nominated by the StarChefs.com Advisory Board, previous winners, local media,and the StarChefs.com website, as well as through editorial research. Winners are then chosen by the StarChefs.com editorial team.

On Dec. 4, StarChefs members descended on the Halekulani Hotel, where executive chef Vikram Garg had been instrumental in pitching Hawaii as home to dozens of up-and comers. And on stage, StarChefs.com CEO said, Hawaii chefs "blew our minds," as the website's advisory board sampled cooking of 60 candidates on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii island, over what she told me was two 12-day trips over the summer, sampling from about five restaurants per day. The winner's list numbered 14, though the cutoff age to win an award is 40, and they couldn't find a winner for their sommelier award.

Also conspicously missing from the list, to me, was Christopher Kajioka, whose current home at Vintage Cave Honolulu was not yet open at the time of the sampling. But I'm sure there will be many other accolades ahead for the young chef.

During the gala tasting event at the Halekulani, hosted by Garg and co-hosted by Chai Chaowasaree of Chai’s Island Bistro, with beverage pairings from host sommelier Kevin Tomaya of Halekulani, each of the 14 winning chefs presented the dish that won them their award.

After a night of noshing, diners at the event picked their favorite dishes, and the winners, with Michelle Karr-Ueoka, center, pastry chef for Alan Wong's restaurant, named the winner for her dessert of a quadruple-layered Hanaoka Farms Lilikoi Brûlée. Starchefs.com CEO Antoinette Bruno, left, said Michelle has the distinction of being the first pastry chef to win top honors at any of their annual Rising Stars competitions, held in different cities nationwide. The award was well deserved. Coming in second was Mark Noguchi, right, of Pili Hawaii Catering and Taste Table, and in third, next to him, was Andrew Le of the Pig and the Lady. Presenting the Jade's Best Dish Award is Lex Poulos, VP Sales and Marketing at Jade Range. 

The 2012 Hawaii Rising Stars Award Winners are:

CHEFS
Christopher Kulis: Capische? (Maui)
Featured dish: Australian Beef Carpaccio, Horseradish Aïoli, Radish, Lemon Oil, Fried Capers and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Andrew Le: The Pig and the Lady (Oahu)
Featured dish: Pho with Betelnut Leaf-wrapped Pork Sausages

Cameron Lewark: Spago (Maui)
Featured dish: Onaga Ceviche, Green Papaya Salad, Kaffir Lime, Coconut, and Passionfruit Flower

Nick Mastrascusa: Beach Tree at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Big Island)
Featured dish: Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragout

Wade Ueoka: Alan Wong’s (Oahu)
Featured dish: Oxtail “Soup” of Oxtail and Corned Beef Roulade, Boiled Peanuts, and Shiitake Mushrooms

Jojo Vasquez: The Plantation House Restaurant (Maui)
Featured dish: Australian Lamb Rack, Eggplant Purée, and Chickpea Cake

PASTRY CHEFS
Michelle Karr-Ueoka: Alan Wong’s (Oahu)
Featured dish: Lilikoi Brûlée

Elizabeth McDonald: Honu Seafood & Pizza (Maui)
Featured dish: Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake

SUSTAINABILITY CHEF
Quinten Frye: SALT Kitchen & Tasting Bar (Oahu)
Featured dish: Octopus, Chorizo, Olives, Potatoes, Compressed Grape Tomatoes, Almonds, and Kahuku Corn Purée

ARTISAN
Doug Kocol: SALT Kitchen & Tasting Bar (Oahu) for excellence in charcuterie
Featured dish: Pork Rillette and Soppressata

CONCEPT CHEF
Sheldon Simeon: Star Noodle (Maui)
Featured dish: Hapa Ramen: Roast Pork, Poached Egg, Bamboo Shoots, Kamaboko, Bok Choi, Mayu, and Spicy Miso

COMMUNITY CHEF
Mark Noguchi: Pili Hawaii Catering (Oahu)
Featured dish: Ho’i’o Fiddlehead Ferns, Dried Cuttlefish, Kombu, Octopus, and Tomatoes

RESTAURATEUR
Ed Kenney: Town, Uptown Events (Oahu)
Featured dish: Cervena Venison Pipikaula with Bud Bucket Ice

MIXOLOGIST
David Newman: Pint+Jigger (Oahu)
Featured cocktail: The Whiskey Thatcher: Rye, Mint, Lime, and Flamed Pernod Rinse

In addition, Alan Wong, whose kitchen produced two winners, and countless other young chefs around town, won the StarChefs Mentor Award.

In StarChefs.com’s long-running tradition, guests at the event were given the opportunity to vote for their favorite dish of the night. As the favorite of the evening's tasters, Michelle Karr-Ueoka will receive a Jade Range 18” commercial plancha. Because she's a pastry chef, wondering if her boss Alan Wong has dibs on the range?

Tickets for the event were $95 to $125, and a portion of the evening’s tickets sales will be donated to the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College.

Next year, StarChefs.com will take their search for rising stars to Philedelphia in February, New York in April, the San Francisco Bay Area in June, and the Carolinas in December.

Christopher Kulis led his restaurant, Capische?, on Maui to win Steelite's Restaurant of Distinction Award. When I took this photo, I broke up the swarm of women around him, and they were like, "You have to be in the picture." I was like, "No, I can't be in my photos," and they were like, "Oh, you have to! He's so handsome!" Then they were all saying how good-looking he was and how he was the most handsome chef in the batch, then all the guys around started getting into it. Chris took it all with humor, and having set him up for that, I quietly slinked away.

Halekulani executive chef Vikram Garg was instrumental in bringing the Starchefs competition to Hawaii. To whet appetites prior to early award announcements, he prepared this Petrossian Royal Shassetra caviar and lemongrass panna cotta.

During the tasting event that followed the award announcements, Vikram also served this spiced sumac-marinated Australian lamb chop over hummus. A favorite with many, but as host chef, his dish wasn't eligible for the Rising Stars vote.

Christopher Kulis's Australian beef carpaccio with horseradish aioli, crisp radish, lemon oil, fried capers and Parmigiano-Reggiano. In addition to his work at Capische?, he recently started Stir, a personal chef company, and The Salt Box, a high-end picnic basket caterer.