Chef Alan Wong with Maui Culinary Academy Students
Chef Wong used an illustration of 212 degrees, the boiling point–one degree less and you don’t achieve the effect. Wong related to the students that attitude makes a difference and positive leadership drives change.
It struck a powerful note with the 62 Maui culinary students who participated in expanding their minds and palates. Chef Wong led students on a tasting experience that included shrimp in a buerre blanc sauce vs. a teriyaki sauce, Big Island Lobster with green onion oil, local coffees, goat cheeses, and a ground beef tasting featuring local and mainland beef.
Various sauces, pairing beverages with desserts, and even a candy bar with coke “woke” up taste buds encouraging the students to explore acid, bite, aroma, and texture plus the sweet, salty, sour, bitter flavor notes. Alan Wong has made a name for himself internationally with his marriage of different ethnic cooking styles with the finest island grown ingredients, creating local dishes with a contemporary twist.
The James Beard Award winner for Best Chef-Northwest, Wong is a founding member of Hawaii Regional Cuisine Chefs. As chef/owner of Alan Wong’s Restaurant, and The Pineapple Room in Honolulu, Chef Wong also has Alan Wong’s Hawaii in Tokyo Disneyland. Wong serves on the Hale ‘Aina ‘Ohana board
Source: Hayley Matson-Mathes