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 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 in March of 2018, 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 at the Pioneer Inn, 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.

Papa’aina has received numerous local awards and accolades, including the 2022 Ai’pono Gold Award for Best Breakfast Maui, and Chef Wong was recognized as a 2022 Semi-finalist for Outstanding Chef Pacific-Northwest by the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

In April 2023, Chef Wong realized her longtime dream of opening her restaurant in Japan. Koko Head Cafe opened its first international outpost next to the bustling Tokyo Station, with its third location slated to open in Osaka in the fall of 2024.

In August 2023, Papa’aina at the Pioneer Inn was a casualty of the Maui fires. Chef Wong immediately jumped into food relief and fundraising efforts for her Maui community and her staff at Papa’aina.

With new projects on the horizon, Chef Lee Anne continues to stay busy with regular television appearances, and multiple restaurant operations, while enjoying island life with her husband and young son.