Maui-based chef Lee Anne Wong has cooked her way to a national title, a Golden Knife trophy and a cool $100,000, winning Food Network’s 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. The finale, which aired Sunday, wrapped a nonstop culinary marathon that stuffed 24 high-pressure challenges into a single day. Wong clinched the crown with a meticulous plate of ahi tuna wrapped in nori and feuille de brick, finished with yuzu caviar beurre blanc, braised endive and radishes.
A Brutal 24-Hour Gauntlet
The series is built less like a cozy cooking show and more like a culinary endurance test. Over 24 hours, chefs face back-to-back rounds, shifting rules and no real break, rewarding whoever can keep their speed, technique and creativity intact, according to Food Network. For the season three finale, the remaining contenders had to muscle through an obstacle course and then pull off a polished, restaurant-level dish with almost no room for error.
A Hometown Champion
Wong, who lives on Maui and runs Koko Head Café on Oʻahu, said the show pushed her harder than anything she has faced in her career. She called it “far and away the most difficult competition I have ever participated in,” as reported by Maui News. She relocated to Maui in 2019 and saw her Lahaina restaurant, Papaʻaina at the historic Pioneer Inn, destroyed in the 2023 wildfire. Since then she has concentrated on family and on Koko Head Café, while continuing to cook and teach.
Final Showdown And The Judges' Call
The finale came down to three chefs, all pushed into a last speed challenge followed by a tightly timed final cook. That final round was judged by Alex Guarnaschelli, Jet Tila and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and live coverage reported that the panel named Wong the Last Chef Standing, according to Parade. Fellow finalist Alex Stupak put up a serious threat with an Iberico pork steak, but the judges singled out Wong’s fish course for its precision and balance.
From Loss To Lift
For Maui, Wong’s win resonates far beyond television bragging rights. The 2023 Lahaina wildfire that flattened parts of the town also wiped out Papaʻaina, part of Wong’s livelihood. She told Maui News that rebuilding her life and business helped shape how she handled pressure in the competition. Her victory also spotlights how island chefs, working closely with local farms and regional flavors, can hold their own on a national stage.
What’s Next
There was no victory nap waiting at the finish line. Wong said in an interview with Food Network that she flew straight to a food festival in Houston after filming and did not get a real night’s sleep until she made it back to Maui five days later and finally hugged her family. For now, she is keeping her focus on Koko Head Café, teaching and time at home, and she described the win as a payoff for years spent grinding in kitchens around the world.
