Lee Anne Wong and What Happens When It All Burns Down

Tinfoil Swans

When Lee Anne Wong was starting out as a line cook, her nickname in the kitchen was The Little General — and she owns it. For her entire life, she's thrown herself full-force into anything she does, whether it's cooking, competing on TV shows, being a culinary producer on Top Chef, or mentoring young chefs, and it's led to a pretty extraordinary life — complete with running her own restaurants in Hawai'i. But then in August of 2023, suddenly, things were out of her control. Wildfires devastated large sections of Maui. Lee Anne sprang into action, tracking down her staff to make sure they were safe. She coordinated efforts to get her community housed and fed — and she admits, neglected her own wellbeing in the process. In a generous and emotional conversation, Lee Anne opened up about the barriers to rebuilding, the importance of mental healthcare for the industry, and what you can do to help Maui.

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