October 30, 2025
I’ve eaten at Charles Phan’s The Slanted Door in San Francisco a few times — both the original location and the newer one on the waterfront. The food was incredible, and I remember thinking it was unlike anything I’d had before. Then I went to Vietnam and realized Vietnamese cuisine is essentially French technique blended with Southeast Asian flavors. It made me wonder: was The Slanted Door truly that groundbreaking, or was it simply the first time many of us experienced upscale Vietnamese food beyond pho?
Ironically, every time Charles Phan cooked at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, his dishes ended up near the bottom of my list. I hate saying that — I have huge respect for him, the restaurant was fantastic, and he has always been incredibly kind whenever I’ve spoken with him. But festivals are unpredictable. The chefs aren’t in their own kitchens, they’re working under pressure in tiny booths, and somehow we still expect perfection on every plate.
Still, I’m enough of a fan that I wasn’t going to miss a tribute event in his honor — and it delivered. A lineup of talented chefs served dishes inspired by his work, and the food was excellent. We also got to see Roy and his wife Denise, along with Aya. Even though Sophon and I traveled to Japan with Roy and Denise, I still feel a sense of awe knowing them. They are down-to-earth, genuinely good people.
I remember visiting Hawaii decades ago, long before it was considered a “foodie” destination. Roy was one of the people who changed that. And Denise runs the entire Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. I can’t imagine planning one major event, let alone coordinating a series of them across multiple islands.
At first, Denise didn’t recognize me and said, “You lost weight!” I laughed and told her, “Yeah — but tonight I’m gaining it back.”
We saw some big names: Lee Anne Wong, Shota Nakajima, Morimoto, Jonathan Waxman, and Ming Tsai — whose dish ended up being our favorite. The food was fantastic, and even Miss Hawaii made an appearance.
I’m sad to admit it, but the three-hour time difference hit us hard. By 7:30 p.m., we were completely full and completely wiped out. As much as I wanted to stay, exhaustion won.
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