One year in business and Hawaii chef Alan Wong’s Shanghai location has raked in the accolades, including its newest: outstanding chef for Beth Cosgrove from Time Out Shanghai magazine in its inaugural Shanghai Food Awards.
Cosgrove, chef de cuisine, was among three recognized in the chef category. Kasper Elmholdt Pederson of Pelican was named the overall winner, with Carlos Sotomayor of elEfante voted People’s Choice.
With Cosgrove at the helm, Alan Wong’s Shanghai previously was acclaimed by the Michelin Guide as a recommended restaurant — only six months after opening. Additional publications have ranked it as a top restaurant, best, most luxurious and so on.
Time Out Shanghai’s awards for top new fine-dining restaurant went to other restaurants, but Wong’s Shanghai made the “We also love” list with the note that its “tasty, interesting modern-Hawaiian cuisine delivers a fun and unique eating experience that’s well worth the high price tags.”
The Michelin Guide mention was “humbling to say the least,” Cosgrove said via email. The guide is in its first year in China and is not as established there as it is in Paris or New York, “but whenever you’re listed among establishments with high praises and really quality dining experiences, it’s a great feeling.”
The Time Out award is also special, she said, adding that she sees herself as carrying out standards set by Wong and his team from Hawaii. “Attention to detail is very important to me. Small differences and tweaks to a dining room atmosphere, or a plate of food catered to a particular guest’s liking without them having asked for it, or a personalized ‘touch’ are what set you apart between great and good.”
Cosgrove was part of the opening team at Wheeler’s Restaurant at the Dubai International Finance Center, “but (I) started my overseas culinary journey working in the kitchens of Hong Kong’s renowned private club, the American Club.”
Wong said Cosgrove was recommended to him by a colleague. “She came to Hawaii, and she had to cook for her job after she did the interview,” Wong said. After she was hired, “she spent a good part of a whole month here, working on menu development, along with the pastry chef.”
For the Shanghai menu, he said, “we bring the local flavors of Hawaii with American ideas, and we’re using ingredients from all over the world.”
You can get a loco moco there, for instance, as well as a Spam musubi, except that the house-made luncheon meat is called Spong. “When Spam meets Wong, it becomes Spong,” he explained. “It’s very popular.”
CHEE-HOO
Hauula-raised chef Kaimana Chee was the big winner in the third annual Farm & Table Chefs Taste Challenge in New Orleans.
Chee’s winning dish, Kalua Pig Sundae, featured breadfruit from the Hawaii Ulu Cooperative, donated by the state Department of Agriculture, as well as a whole pig.
Chee is chef at Uncle’s Hawaiian Grindz in Fallston, Md., and a chef-consultant for Hampton Creek, a plant-based food product developer. In addition to being a kumu hula and musician, he has appeared on the Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” and “Cutthroat Kitchen.”
Last year Koko Head Cafe chef Lee Anne Wong won second place for her Thai-style fried quail with heart of palm and mayhaw chili pepper glaze.
The Sept. 8 competition pitted nine chefs from various states against one another using ingredients donated by state ag departments. The top two awards were judged by food and beverage industry figures, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and previous contestants.
Attendees at the event got to sample each chef’s work and vote for the Fan Favorite dish.
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