Hilo Hawaiian Hotel where my family and I have gone for decades to eat at their buffet has recently hired a new chef. Chef Khamtan Tanhchaleun was recently hired to fill the shoes of Chef Piet Wigmans who recently retired.
This article says:
Tanhchaleun will lead the food and beverage team at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, including the hotel’s award-winning Queen’s Court Restaurant, known for its inventive approach to traditional Hawaiian cuisine and its focus on fresh, local ingredients.
Tanhchaleun, a long-time Hawaii resident, is a native of Laos with extensive culinary experience. He began his career at Waikiki’s notable Michel’s at the Colony Surf in 1972 where he quickly worked his way up to sous chef and sommelier.
Tanhchaleun followed his training at Michel’s with extensive world travel and further training. In 1990, he returned to Hawaii to open the food and beverage facilities at the Hawaii Prince Hotel and Golf Club, where he remained employed until joining the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.
So it appears that my taste buds will be in good hands. Aside from the food, what I like about the Hilo Hawaiian is the excellent views it has of Hilo Bay. The only bad thing about the dinner buffet is that since Hilo Bay is located on the East Side of our island we don’t get to see spectacular sunsets during dinner. But our sunrises are quite nice. Unfortunately, I’m not the biggest fan of big breakfasts, I prefer dinner buffets. So there…