ABOUT

Christopher Okuhara, a self-proclaimed culinary samurai from the Kapahulu prefecture, began his culinary career at the ripe age of 14 working as a dishwasher at his family’s restaurant, Likelike Drive Inn. Not too long after assuming the position of dishwasher, he was told that he wasted too much water in his attempts to rid all the saute pans of oil. Consequently, he was moved to line cook where he found his calling.

In his time spent away from the dish pit and line, Chris obtained his A.S. in Culinary Arts from Kapiolani Community College. His resume includes many well known dining establishments around Honolulu such as the Okuhara house, also known as his house, Hoku’s at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel, and Waialae Country Club. He has also held the position of opening Sous Chef at the YWCA in downtown Honolulu and Sous Chef at Beach House at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki.

Chris’s zodiac sign is Cancer (crab), and is born in the year of the boar (pig). He enjoys surfing, (he’s not that good, but don’t tell him), singing karaoke (anything by Celine Dion), and spending time with his daughter, Jordan, the general manager of MISO & ALE. He can also recite any Linkin Park song in its entirety upon request.

Christopher Gee, a third generation culinarian, is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California. After graduating, he went on to work at various restaurants in both San Francisco and Honolulu. His resume includes the highly regarded Chez Panisse by Alice Waters, À Côté in Berkeley, California, and Hoku’s at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental in Honolulu.

His most recent accomplishments include being a culinary reporter for the now defunct Imaginasian Network in Shanghai, China and the Executive Chef for the Dining Room at the Laniakea at the YWCA in downtown Honolulu.

He enjoys writing about food culture, running at the crack of dawn, and hanging out drinking Kettle One on the rocks listening to his old vinyl records of Nirvana and John Coltrane.