Executive Chef, Partner/Owner

Lee Anne Wong is the chef and owner of Koko Head Cafe in Honolulu, Hawaii. A native of Troy, New York, Wong graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), formerly known as the French Culinary Institute, and began her culinary training at Marcus Samuelsson’s Aquavit before playing an integral role in the opening of Jean Georges Vongrichten’s Chinese concept, Restaurant 66. Wong went on to work as the Executive Chef of Event Operations at ICC, during which time she was prominently featured on Season One of Bravo’s Flagship Series “Top Chef”, and subsequently was hired as the series' Supervising Culinary Producer for the next 6 seasons, helping to build the show into the powerhouse it is today. 

In late 2013, Wong moved from New York City to Honolulu where in 2014, she partnered with Chef Kevin Hanney of 12th Ave Grill and debuted Koko Head Cafe – an island style brunch house in the Kaimuki neighborhood – to popular acclaim, with Wong recognized on the cover of Honolulu Magazine, as well as in Bon Appétit, Food and Wine Magazine, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Huffington Post. Wong released her first cookbook, Dumplings All Day Wong, in August 2014. Chef Wong joined Hawaiian Airlines as a guest chef in 2016 and was named Executive Chef for the airline from 2018 until 2021, leading the culinary program and menus for both domestic and international flights. 

In March of 2019, Wong moved to Maui with her partner and one year old son. She also participated in Season 17 of Bravo’s Top Chef All Stars, filmed in Los Angeles and Northern Italy. Chef Wong’s newest project, Papa’aina, located in historic Old Lahaina at the Harbor, showcases her culinary travels while featuring local, Maui grown and raised ingredients, as she reimagines the restaurant for Maui’s oldest hotel, The Pioneer Inn. Chef Wong travels regularly between Maui and Oahu, and remains actively involved with Koko Head Cafe and its dynamic team.

Hometown: New York

Resumé: Aquavit, 66, French Culinary Institute, Top Chef, Unique Eats, Koko Head Cafe, Papa’aina at the Pioneer Inn

Hobbies: Shelling, Farmers’ Markets, Gardening and Ducks

Favorite dish/food: Lifelong love affair with Japanese cuisine

Favorite local ingredient: Heart of Palm, Kalo, Lilikoi

Why you love Hawaii: I’m raising my family in the most beautiful place in the world.

Sous Chef

Hometown: Columbia, MD

Restaurants: Saxapahaw General Store (1.5 years), Press Coffee and Crepes (1 year)

Hobbies: Surfing, Fishing, Hiking

Favorite Dish: Fried Chicken

Favorite Local Ingredient: Guava

Why I love Hawaii: The Mountains

Hometown: Los Angeles

Hobbies: Lifetime surfer, anything in the ocean, and a beer at UH baseball game.

Favorite Cuisine: Japanese, no brainer.

Favorite local ingredient: Reef Fish / Tea Leaf

Why you love Hawaii: “My favorite people in the world are here.”

Owner

Born in Rochester, NY, Chef Kevin Hanney has worked in the restaurant industry for over four decades, having helmed farm to table concepts since 1978, in California, then in Hawaii. After running the kitchen at 3660 on the Rise, he opened 12th Ave Grill in a modest space in the busy neighborhood of Kaimuki. 12th Ave Grill received countless awards and acclaim over its 18 year life span before closing its doors for good in February of 2022. Kevin continues his restaurant legacy with his business partner, Chef Lee Anne Wong, with Koko Head Cafe taking over 12th Ave Grill’s former space, and continued plans for expansion into the Japanese market with a Tokyo KHC in the works.