Legendary restaurateur, Russell Druce, died on June 18, 2017. He was 78. Russell was a longtime fixture in Waikiki having owned and managed many well-known restaurants including Russell's Rowboat, Tahitian Lanai, Trattoria, Crouching Lion and Matteo's. He was born in Enfield, England and is survived by his brothers Patrick, Martyn and Marshall. At an early age, he went to Zurich, Switzerland where he trained as a French chef. However, consumed by wanderlust, he and his best friend Alan Foster took off on a long trip around the world in a Range Rover, sponsored by Guiness. His travels eventually brought him to the Hawaiian Islands -- a place he knew he was destined to call home. His charismatic personality and wit, along with his distinctive British accent, succeeded in attracting many fans and friends. He held court at Matteo's, a fine dining Italian restaurant, which was a favorite among celebrities. During the Glory Days at Matteo's, the Pro Bowl players stayed in Waikiki and were frequent diners in the restaurant. His trademark quote "You must be joking" delivered in his crisp British accent was repeated often throughout the night by his employees and customers. At some point, he even began writing his memoirs using that quote as the title for his book. He often joked that his other book would be a cookbook which would be entitled "First You Take a Leek". Russell's final journey will be onboard the NA HOKU II on Saturday, September 9 @ 8:30 am. To reserve a space on the catamaran for the scattering of the ashes please email Peter at finevine@hawaii.rr.com.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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