Many people have not heard of Alan Wong, yet he is one of the richest celebrity chefs in the world. Although his career spans five decades, he only became prominent in the culinary world in the 1990s and was not seen on TV screens until the 2000s. Here are some interesting Alan Wong facts that you might not know.
Alan Wong Facts: His Childhood and Personal Life
Where Was Alan Wong Born?
Alan Wong was born on 1st January 1957 in Tokyo. His mother was Japanese, and his father was half Chinese and half Hawaiian. The chef’s family moved to Hawaii during his childhood, and he still lives there today.
Alan Wong Worked on Pineapple Plantations
After leaving school, one of Alan Wong’s first jobs was working on pineapple plantations in Hawaii. However, he was passionate about cooking and knew that he would pursue a career in the culinary field.
Who Is Alan Wong’s Wife?
One of the Alan Wong facts that people want to know is who his wife is? According to Taddlr, Alan Wong is married to Jennifer Wong. His wife is also a chef, and she has a background in accounting and finance. The couple does not have any children.
What Is Alan Wong’s Net Worth?
When thinking of the richest celebrity chefs, names such as Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Wolfgang Puck, and Thomas Keller are likely to come to mind. However, Alan Wong is richer than all these chefs by some distance. Alan Wong’s net worth is $1.1 billion, making him the richest celebrity chef in the world.
Facts About His Culinary Career
He Trained in Hawaii, New York, and Japan
Alan Wong completed his apprenticeship at The Greenbriar Hotel before continuing his training under the mentorship of Chef Andre Soltner. Wong also trained at various restaurants throughout Hawaii and Japan.
Alan Wong Opened His First Restaurant in the 1980s
The first restaurant opened by Wong was The Canoe House in Hawaii, which opened its doors in 1989. He went on to open multiple other restaurants across Hawaii. The chef has previously had a restaurant in China and another in Japan.
He Is Known for Creating a New Style of Hawaiian Cuisine
Wong was sick of the view of Hawaiian food as poor man’s food. He wanted to showcase the beauty of the local ingredients, so he decided to create a new type of Hawaiian cuisine called Hawaiian Regional Cuisine. The chef created this new style of food along with 12 other co-founders, including Bev Gannon, Peter Merriman, Sam Choy, and Roy Ambel Yamaguchi.
Wong Has Written Two Cookbooks
According to alanwongs.com, Alan Wong has authored two cookbooks. His first book, ‘Alan Wong’s New Wave Luau,’ was published in 1999. He then published ‘The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong’ in 2010. Wong also co-wrote the cookbook ‘The New Cuisine of Hawaii’ along with the co-founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Profits from the book were donated to charity.
He Has Appeared in Three Television Series
According to IMDb, Alan Wong appeared in a single episode of ‘Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations’ in 2005. He then appeared on ‘Top Chef’ in 2006 and ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate’ in 2009.
Other Alan Wong Facts
He Has Won Awards and Accolades
Throughout his career, Alan Wong has won multiple awards and accolades. He was awarded the James Beard Award for Best Chef in Pacific Northwest in 1996 and Chef of the Year by Sante Magazine in 2007. Wong and his two Honolulu-based restaurants were inducted into the Hawaii Restaurant Associations Hall of Fame in 2015.
What Is Alan Wong’s Favourite Food?
Due to his career in the culinary world, one of the Alan Wong facts that people want to know is about his favourite foods. He is passionate about Hawaiian cuisine, and his favourite fruit is watermelon. Wong’s drinks of choice are tea and water. Of all the restaurants he has visited in the world, his favourite is Geranium ApS in Denmark.
He Has Visited 31 Countries
Alan Wong has visited 31 countries across five continents, and he has enjoyed every location he has visited, says Johnny Jet. His favourite American City is Honolulu in Hawaii, while his favourite international city is Tokyo in Japan. One country that he does not want to add to the list of places he has visited is North Korea.