Derek’s culinary journey began after he graduated from Farrington High School in 1981. His first jobs were at Little George’s Restaurant and Waialae Country Club. Derek attended Kapiolani Community College for a year before venturing to Colorado Springs in 1983, working in a few restaurants while studying Business Administration at National College. His education didn’t stop there. Derek continued on to study at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.
Upon completion of his formal studies at the CIA, Derek drove across America from New York to Los Angeles. He then flew back to Hawaii to complete an externship at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Derek later joined the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. After staying in L.A. for five years, Derek took an international transfer to be a part of the Pre-Opening team at The Regent Jakarta, Indonesia.
Derek’s international travels took him to The Regent Hong Kong, The Regent Chiang Mai in Thailand, and the Four Seasons Shanghai in China. Derek enjoyed living the day to day life and learning about Asia’s diverse culture, cuisine, and religions, such as the Buddhist and Muslim religions.
After living and working in Asia for 23 years, Derek returned home to learn about cooking the Wong Way. Derek says that he is proud to be a part of the team and ‘Ohana at Alan Wong’s.
