HILUXURY – Hawaii Luxury Magazine

WHERE MIGHT WE FIND YOU AFTER HOURS?
Enjoying wine and cheese at Formaggio or Vino. I love cheese. My favorite is Reblochon, a creamy, distinctively flavored cheese that goes well with a glass of Pinot Noir.

ANY OTHER PASSIONS?
Nature, Asian and Hawaiian culture. I have a good friend from Nanakuli who taught me all about outrigger canoes. Paddling taught me teamwork– principles I’ve been able to take to work. It also taught me a lot about myself. You don’t have to be Hawaiian to be Hawaiian in the heart

WHAT’S YOUR LATEST LUXURY?
An atlas-gray Porsche Cayman. It’s an amazing car. I took a test drive and was hooked. After a hard day at work, it’s a pleasure to get into that car.

GOT A VALENTINE’S DAY MENU FOR ROMANTICS?
The celebration of love and friendship requires food with an aphrodisiacal flair. And guys, don’t forget the roses. • Pacific Northwest Oysters with Grey Goose Ginger Lime Granité •Broiled Herb-Marinated Veal T-Bone •Wild Mushroom Sauce •Roasted Fingerling Potatoes •Valentine’s Chocolates

WHO ARE YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE DINNER GUESTS?
French President Franco Mitterand, for whom I prepared a special raspberry compote dessert at a European summit conference. And the 1994 wedding reception and luau for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Lanai.

Private clubs are home to some of Hawaii’s most experienced and talented chefs. They work in a cache of exclusiveness and elegance, reserved for an elite clique of members.

Executive Chef Eric Leterc, 45, of The Pacific Club found himself in this change of pace from public restaurants six years ago.

“It’s all about trust and the ability to provide exactly what the members want,” Leterc says. “In a public restaurant, a dissatisfied patron will simply never come back. In a club, there’s a partnership to please.”

Leterc’s culinary pedigree is impressive. A native of France, he earned his apprenticeship in culinary arts and classic cooking from Hotel du Commerce in Thones, France. His culinary experience began as chef of Sauce Station at Hotel Royal Club Evian, one of the most luxurious hotels in France. He went on to work at the Hotel du Cap in Eden Roc, France, a hotel famous among celebrities. He moved to Hawaii in 1990 to become the executive chef of Ko’Olina Resort’s Niblick Restaurant. He continued his career as executive chef at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Maui Prince, Alan Wong’s and Pacific Beach Hotel.