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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, ISLE-STYLE
'Like being in a movie'
Chef Alan Wong is no stranger to celebrities, but having the new first couple as repeat customers is extra-special
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 20, 2009
At Alan Wong's King Street restaurant, celebrity guests aren't all that unusual.
Inauguration coverageThese local TV stations have crews covering events in Washington:KGMB: Grace Lee, Stacy Loe, George Hurd and Amy Kalili KHON: Gina Mangieri, Greg Lau KITV: Mahealani Richardson, Dan Churma
TodayKGMB: Inauguration preview at 4:30 a.m. during "Sunrise." Local cut-ins during CBS network coverage from 5 a.m. to noon.From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., extended, two-hour local newscast, live coverage with Loe and Lee, who will file recorded stories for the 10 p.m. news. KHET: PBS network coverage to begin at 6 a.m., which PBS Hawaii will rebroadcast at 3:30 p.m. A "Frontline" special, "Dreams of Obama," will air at 9 p.m. KHNL/KFVE: 5:30 a.m. NBC network coverage to begin. Local news at 5, 6, 6:30 (KFVE), 9 (KFVE) and 10 p.m. KHON: 4 a.m. Fox News; 5 a.m. local news with Mangieri reports; 6 a.m., back to Fox. 5 to 8 a.m., KHON simulcast on Hawaii's CW. KITV: From 2 a.m. to noon ABC network. Live coverage by Richardson and Churma planned for 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
TomorrowKGMB: 4:30 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m.KHON: 5 to 8 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m. KITV: 5 to 7 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Jan. 29 KHON airs a 30-minute inauguration special at 9:30 p.m. to be rebroadcast 4 p.m. Feb. 1. Coverage on the Net:
Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporters B.J. Reyes and Rosemarie Bernardo are in Washington, D.C. For more online, see www.starbulletin.com.
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"It was like being in a movie," Wong said of hosting President-elect Barack Obama over the Christmas holidays.
The chef has cooked for three presidents; three times for this one. Obama came once before as a senator and last summer as a presidential candidate. "Security gets a little bit more intense as his status rises," Wong said. (He also cooked for Presidents Nixon and Carter after they'd left office, when he was a chef at Lutece in New York City.)
Obama's party for 15 was booked two days in advance, kicking off a criminal-record check on every employee. They'd been through that before. "But this is the first time we had the bomb-sniffing dogs go through all the offices and all the cars in the entire building," Wong said. "That kinda clued everybody in. We never did say he was in the house."
The restaurant was packed that night - Obama's party was seated at a back banquette, out of sight.
"I welcomed him and gave him a couple of leis, one for him and one for the missus. You can't really put it around his neck; that's too close for Secret Service comfort. You have to hand it to him and he has to hand it to the Secret Service to inspect," Wong said.
"As he was being led to his table, everyone in the restaurant stood up and gave him a standing ovation. That was pretty cool. The same thing happened when he left."
Obama ordered the tasting menu, which features several of the restaurant's showcase dishes. He made one substitution, asking for the Nori-Wrapped Tempura Ahi. "I think he's an adventurous eater," Wong said.
The staff is trained to guard guests' privacy - no requests for autographs or photographs. "But he volunteered to take photos with the staff before he left, which was really nice and gracious of him."
By that time, word had reached the outside world, though, and when Obama left, the street was packed. "It was like a parade. I heard it got so thick, the Secret Service had to go across the street to make sure nothing was funky over there."
Wong left the kitchen to go downstairs and check it out. That's when he came across the Secret Service snipers in the elevator. They'd been on the roof. Just in case.
"It was a big scene - gave me chicken skin a little bit."
Wong's personal photo with Obama is tucked away in his office, and he's reluctant to put it on display. He's aware that a visit like this will be less likely after Obama takes office.
"The man has a daunting time ahead of him, a great, great challenge," he said. "Opportunities like this will be harder. I'm just glad he could come to our place and feel comfortable."
At Alan Wong's King Street restaurant, celebrity guests aren't all that unusual.
Inauguration coverageThese local TV stations have crews covering events in Washington:KGMB: Grace Lee, Stacy Loe, George Hurd and Amy Kalili KHON: Gina Mangieri, Greg Lau KITV: Mahealani Richardson, Dan Churma
TodayKGMB: Inauguration preview at 4:30 a.m. during "Sunrise." Local cut-ins during CBS network coverage from 5 a.m. to noon.From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., extended, two-hour local newscast, live coverage with Loe and Lee, who will file recorded stories for the 10 p.m. news. KHET: PBS network coverage to begin at 6 a.m., which PBS Hawaii will rebroadcast at 3:30 p.m. A "Frontline" special, "Dreams of Obama," will air at 9 p.m. KHNL/KFVE: 5:30 a.m. NBC network coverage to begin. Local news at 5, 6, 6:30 (KFVE), 9 (KFVE) and 10 p.m. KHON: 4 a.m. Fox News; 5 a.m. local news with Mangieri reports; 6 a.m., back to Fox. 5 to 8 a.m., KHON simulcast on Hawaii's CW. KITV: From 2 a.m. to noon ABC network. Live coverage by Richardson and Churma planned for 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
TomorrowKGMB: 4:30 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m.KHON: 5 to 8 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m. KITV: 5 to 7 a.m., 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Jan. 29 KHON airs a 30-minute inauguration special at 9:30 p.m. to be rebroadcast 4 p.m. Feb. 1. Coverage on the Net:
Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporters B.J. Reyes and Rosemarie Bernardo are in Washington, D.C. For more online, see www.starbulletin.com.
|
"It was like being in a movie," Wong said of hosting President-elect Barack Obama over the Christmas holidays.
The chef has cooked for three presidents; three times for this one. Obama came once before as a senator and last summer as a presidential candidate. "Security gets a little bit more intense as his status rises," Wong said. (He also cooked for Presidents Nixon and Carter after they'd left office, when he was a chef at Lutece in New York City.)
Obama's party for 15 was booked two days in advance, kicking off a criminal-record check on every employee. They'd been through that before. "But this is the first time we had the bomb-sniffing dogs go through all the offices and all the cars in the entire building," Wong said. "That kinda clued everybody in. We never did say he was in the house."
The restaurant was packed that night - Obama's party was seated at a back banquette, out of sight.
"I welcomed him and gave him a couple of leis, one for him and one for the missus. You can't really put it around his neck; that's too close for Secret Service comfort. You have to hand it to him and he has to hand it to the Secret Service to inspect," Wong said.
"As he was being led to his table, everyone in the restaurant stood up and gave him a standing ovation. That was pretty cool. The same thing happened when he left."
Obama ordered the tasting menu, which features several of the restaurant's showcase dishes. He made one substitution, asking for the Nori-Wrapped Tempura Ahi. "I think he's an adventurous eater," Wong said.
The staff is trained to guard guests' privacy - no requests for autographs or photographs. "But he volunteered to take photos with the staff before he left, which was really nice and gracious of him."
By that time, word had reached the outside world, though, and when Obama left, the street was packed. "It was like a parade. I heard it got so thick, the Secret Service had to go across the street to make sure nothing was funky over there."
Wong left the kitchen to go downstairs and check it out. That's when he came across the Secret Service snipers in the elevator. They'd been on the roof. Just in case.
"It was a big scene - gave me chicken skin a little bit."
Wong's personal photo with Obama is tucked away in his office, and he's reluctant to put it on display. He's aware that a visit like this will be less likely after Obama takes office.
"The man has a daunting time ahead of him, a great, great challenge," he said. "Opportunities like this will be harder. I'm just glad he could come to our place and feel comfortable."
Today’s Edition
- Troubled bridges over island waters
- Man shot in police encounter
- 70 U.S. Army reservists receive warrior citizen awards
- Family raises $66,000 for son's liver surgery
- Ocean Watch: A love of fish catches new friends, families
- Island Images
- Newswatch
- Police and Fire
- Trader with a taste for risk fishes for tuna from a kayak
- Deal will turn a hospital private, with goal of efficiency
- Readers asked to share holiday horrors
- Easing holiday stress
- It's About Time: An annual reality check can help you reorganize
- Da Kine
- Pet Ohana
- Got nutrients?
- Wahine dominate All-WAC honors
- Hawaii starts defense of its WAC tourney title tomorrow
- Crucial homestand for chance at bowl
- Five big plays from Hawaii's 17-10 victory
- Further Review: Streak means nothing with 8-3 Navy heading in
- Garcia advances at Reef Hawaiian Pro
- Hawaii Beat
- Scoreboard
- Television & Radio
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