Kelly Kawachi
Sous Chef, Alan Wong's Honolulu
(featured in the upcoming "Girls Night In" Next Generation Dinner)
on September 17, 2014)
What was the inspiration behind your dish - the Kawachi Kampachi Poke Cup?
The inspiration was from a recent trip with Chef Alan and the team to Montage at Laguna Beach
for the Taste of the Nation: No Kid Hungry fundraising event. There was a dish there, at another booth, that had a crab salad lemon gelee in a lemon cup, topped with whipped cream.
The flavors were balanced, with the acidic lemon, sweet crab, and fatty cream.
It being served in its own lemon shell made it fun, cute, and witty.
It was simple yet so good and memorable, which is what I aim for my dish to be.
What was the inspiration behind your Wagyu Beef Ribeye entree?
I drew inspiration from my Japanese side, which I'm more culturally influenced by.
The components of this dish are some of my favorite Japanese dishes and food items: wagyu, mentaiko potato, konyaku noodles.
On a recent trip to Japan with my family, I had the best wagyu I've ever had.
What amazed me was that the steak was simply seasoned, grilled, cubed, and needed absolutely no sauce.
The mentaiko potato is something my dad and I share at certain izakayas.
The konyaku noodles are also connected to my dad
because he enjoys eating gyudon with konyaku noodles.
Food is about memories.
What are you most looking forward to about this particular dinner event?
Working with the group of girls from our kitchen.
What's your favorite snack?
Cheese, salami, and crackers
. . . . .
A warm congratulations to Kelly Kawachi
on her recent promotion to Sous Chef at Alan Wong's Honolulu!
She will be making her solo Next Generation Dinner debut on October 15!
More details coming soon.