Kevin Lee was the sous-chef at Dovetail restaurant in New York when it was awarded its first Michelin star. He opens his own Honolulu restaurant at Harbor Court in a little more than a month.
Pai Honolulu takes its name from the Hawaiian word “hoopai,” to uplift, inspire or raise up, “and I wanted to be able to do that with food service and the whole dining aspect of it,” Lee told TheBuzz.
His concept is to present familiar flavors in new ways. For example, a dish on his first tasting menu will be similar to a dim sum turnip cake, but Lee’s will incorporate his own XO sauce and be presented like agedashi tofu, but served with a roasted ti leaf consomme instead of a soy-based sauce.
The full open kitchen will be like a stage, the focal point. “The kitchen’s going to be the brightest area in the restaurant. Our goal is to put our chefs onstage.”
Fish, other seafood and vegetables will be the stars of the chefs’ show.
In front of the open kitchen will be a 10-seat chef’s counter that will serve a multicourse tasting menu. The remaining seating will be at the bar, tables and in a covered, outdoor area, for a seating capacity of about 60 total. The space used to be Umami Cafe.
Lee’s national and international chef experience includes a stint at the former Tabla restaurant in New York serving upscale Indian food and in Hong Kong at Bo Innovation, which gave a molecular gastronomy spin to Chinese dishes. He also was opening chef de cuisine for the acclaimed Prima restaurant in Kailua, which received recognition from Food & Wine magazine as well as ‘Ilima awards, Lee said.
Originally from Southern California, Lee graduated with a food-science degree, then went to the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, N.Y., where he stayed and worked following graduation. When visiting a CIA classmate from Hawaii, he was persuaded to move here for the opening of Prima. Since he left Prima a few years ago, he has been catering, teaching private cooking classes and offering professional knife-sharpening services, all while looking for a restaurant space of his own.
Work-study in Japan
For the second year, chefs around the world are being invited to apply for the opportunity to study washoku, or Japanese cuisine and its techniques, for eight months.
The Japanese Cuisine Bursary Programme — under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries — provides air travel, accommodations, per diem and opportunities to learn at top Japanese restaurants.
“You would never be able to work in these kitchens without a program like this,” said Cathy Jorin, director of the Executive & Graduate Education program at the Culinary Institute of America’s Food Business School.
Any chef can apply, and it has to be done quickly as the application deadline is May 12, Jorin said.
The program includes a month of Japanese-language instruction, a month of basic Japanese culinary training and six months working in a restaurant. Jorin acknowledged that it is a big time commitment, and that applicants should already have a passport, but said the experience would be invaluable.
Japan’s consul general in Honolulu, Yasushi Misawa, encourages all chefs to apply.
“Although Japanese cuisine and culture may already be familiar to the people of Hawaii, there are still many aspects that have not yet been introduced,” he said. He hopes that participants will share their new skills by introducing innovative Japanese dishes and different ingredients in Hawaii.
Download application forms here or call Jorin, toll-free, at 866-242-9876.
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