At Kaimuki, Gordon Lum was a quiet and shy student. Now, he’s attracted so much attention for his recipes for delicious food and for his contributions to the community that he’s featured on television and interviewed for the local newspaper.
Gordon worked at his family’s business, Lum’s Meat Center, from elementary school through college. The shop was so busy that some days the family didn’t go home until 9 at night. Gordon says, “Some people have nightmares about not being prepared for a test in school. I sometimes get dreams that I’m still working in the store.”
Tasting his ono spareribs with black-bean sauce or delectable lychee-smoked ribs, people won’t believe that there was a day when Gordon couldn’t cook. He says, “When I was working in Colorado, my meals were usually from Stouffers.”
After returning to Hawai‘i, Gordon’s first major cooking experience happened when his father rewarded him for a chore by taking him to Ruby’s Bakery. Gordon remembers, “Ruby’s had the best dry look funn noodles! My parents were both excellent cooks and after my father taught me how simple it was to cook that look funn, I was eager to learn how to cook more dishes.”
Word spread about Gordon’s prowess in the kitchen, and friends asked if he would contribute to their community fundraisers. Over the years, Gordon and wife Gayle (Farrington ’70) have cooked for a staggering number of community organizations. These include Hospice Hawaii where the Lums cooked all meals for a 3-day camp for families who lost a loved one, and hosting and preparing dinner for several years for the Narcissus queen and court, officials and judges of the Hawaii Narcissus Festival. He says, “Gayle and I have also cooked for friends who needed help including catering funeral service meals for friends, dinner for a neighbor’s 80th birthday celebration, and many birthday parties for friends.”
In hindsight, Gordon understands that working at the store provided a good foundation for cooking. He says, “Even now when I cook, I still get flashbacks of the days that I spent working there.” Friends and the Hawai‘i community are the beneficiaries of all those hours that Gordon spent at Lum’s Meat Center!
