Chef Lee Anne Wong emerged as a prominent semifinalist in the sixth season of Tournament of Champions. At 46 years old, she operates from Maui, where she serves as the owner and head chef of Koko Head Café, as well as executive chef for Hawaiian Airlines and Papa’aina at the Pioneer Inn, according to her profile on BravoTV.
Wong actively shares her culinary journey and travel experiences on Instagram under the handle @leeannewong, amassing over 40,500 followers. This online presence highlights her continued engagement in televised cooking contests and the culinary world.
In-Depth Look at Chef Lee Anne Wong from Tournament of Champions
Semifinal Showdown Recap
Wong distinguished herself as one of the final four contenders in season 6 of Tournament of Champions. During her intense semifinal round against Sara Bradley, both chefs were challenged with blue silkie chicken, sorrel, and turmeric leaves while also employing the ‘en papillote’ cooking technique, with black as the wild card color. The judges ultimately favored Bradley, who scored 85, compared to Wong’s 83.
The other semifinal matchup featured Antonia Lofaso and Britt Rescigno, who worked with whole pompano, figs, lava rocks, in the escabeche cooking style and the color purple. They both received a score of 82, but Lofaso secured a spot in the finals by edging out Rescigno in the taste component, scoring 41 to Rescigno’s 40.
For the thrilling finale, Lofaso and Bradley faced off with wagyu beef, huitlacoche, and a sausage stuffer, under the theme of “hot and cold.” The wild card designations were “spicy” for Lofaso and “sticky” for Bradley. Ultimately, Lofaso came out on top, winning the competition with a score of 88 to 82.
Who is Chef Lee Anne Wong?
Originally from Troy, New York, Wong has established herself as a culinary authority in Maui. She graduated from the International Culinary Center, formerly known as the French Culinary Institute, and launched her career at Aquavit under Marcus Samuelsson. Following that, she played a significant role in opening Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Restaurant 66.
Wong was first introduced to audiences on the inaugural season of Top Chef and later returned for Season 15’s Last Chance Kitchen. However, her journey was cut short due to altitude sickness during pregnancy.
In 2014, she opened the Koko Head Café, which garnered attention when she was featured on the cover of Honolulu Magazine. Her culinary expertise has also been showcased in reputed publications like Bon Appétit, FOOD & WINE, and The New York Times. Notably, she published her cookbook, Dumplings All Day Wong, in 2014, before taking the role of executive chef for Hawaiian Airlines in 2017.
Engagement on Instagram
Wong utilizes her Instagram platform to provide a blend of personal and professional updates, displaying key moments from Tournament of Champions alongside highlights from her culinary explorations.
On April 8, 2025, Wong took to Instagram to share her excitement about being in the competition, exclaiming:
“Holy smokes!!!! I’m here. In the #great8… To be here with her [Tiffani Faison] on @foodnetwork, as I take my turn to push harder and go further than I have before in @guyfieri ‘s greatest cooking competition #tournamentofchampions6, is pretty freaking awesome.”
Reflecting on her long-standing passion for Japanese cuisine, Wong also posted on April 5, emphasizing her extensive travel experiences in Japan:
“I have been traveling to Japan for over 15 years and have only scratched the surface of all that there is to eat in this food lover’s paradise. Check out hashtag #japanalldaywong for proof of love.”
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, Wong celebrated the inspiring women in her life, captioning her post:
“Happy International Women’s Day!!! So blessed to have so many powerful and amazing sisters in my life, all goddesses, bosses, and endless fountains of inspiration. #happywomensday.”
You can catch the episodes of Tournament of Champions available for streaming anytime on Hulu.