Hawaiian Cuisine To Be Showcased At The First Mauna Lani Culinary Classic

“The freshness of the ginger, the freshness of the herbs, the weather… It all works together, you know? It’s really fun. Simplicity is also key – that’s the magic of Hawaii’s food.”

Sam Choy, James Beard award winning chef/restauranteur of Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai on the Big Island and Poke to the Max locations in California and Washington state, knows what he’s talking about. Back in 1991, he was one of 12 chefs working in the islands who got together to launch Hawaii Regional Cuisine, a fusion of the ethnic culinary styles and local ingredients that were being served in local homes and were then launched into public consciousness in restaurants and hotels. Fittingly, he’s one of a diverse group of chefs featured in the inaugural edition of the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic set to take place at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection on the Big Island from August 31-September 3^rd.

The multi-cultural origins of Hawaiian home cooking go back to the days when the islands were covered in plantations, according to Choy, so workers from all over Asia were brought in. “Along with their culture, those people – the Chinese, the Filipinos, the Japanese, people from different parts of the world – they brought their food,” he explains. “It became a very interesting time in Hawaii history, when all of these different flavors were coming together.”

By 1991, some up and coming chefs were beginning to serve these composite dishes in restaurants so these 12 got together and began to debate how to take the culinary advance to the next level. “We had a nice mix of European, Asian, and island chefs,” he says, including Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, Bev Gannon, Jean-Marie Josselin and Peter Merriman, the chef who pushed them to get involved with farmers to grow the ingredients they needed. “So we felt that if we gathered our thoughts and really put this whole team together, the impact would be greater.” They got a book deal, individually started opening restaurants and got national attention instantly. “It was just remarkable,” he says.

And it’s still happening. Choy points to the current crop of up and coming chefs continuing the evolution such as Sheldon Simeon, a Top Chef alum and chef/owner of Tin Roof in Maui and Lee Anne Wong, also a Top Chef alum and Executive Chef/owner of Honolulu’s Koko Head Café, both of whom are scheduled to take part in the Mauna Lani event. “It makes us [the movement’s founders] feel good because we helped lay the foundation for them, and they’ve done a great job continuing this growth,” he says. “And that’s what excites me, you know, just the burning desire to really want to keep cooking and enjoy all the great products that are raised here in the islands and sharing it with the world.”

That’s the aim of the Culinary Classic which will take place in conjunction with the resort’s restaurant CanoeHouse, the same setting as the original Hawaii Regional Cuisine festival in 1991. Over three days, guests will be able to experience the creations of and mix with a lineup of Hawaii based chefs including Simeon, Wong, Choy, Allen Hess, chef/restaurateur of FORC on the Big Island, CanoeHouse’s Executive Chef Mark Libunao and two former Portland, Oregon culinary stars Vitaly Paley of Paley’s Place and baker Ken Forkish of Ken’s Artisan Bakery, both of whom closed those operations in recent years and moved to Hawaii, Paley to the Big Island, Forkish to Lanai. Chefs still on the mainland are also taking part, among them a number of James Beard Award winners including Stephanie Izard, Executive Chef/owner of Chicago and Los Angeles’s Girl & The Goat, Jonathan Waxman, Chef/owner of New York City’s Barbuto and Jose Garces, chef/owner of several Spanish/Latin American restaurants starting with Amada in Philadelphia.

The event kicks off with a celebration of another anniversary, the 30th anniversary last November of Blue Ribbon Restaurants, which started as a New York brasserie, followed by sushi and now also encompass a range of cuisines with locations around the U.S.; owners Bruce and Eric Bromberg and their master sushi chef Hongki Lee will present an omakase of the restaurant empire’s iconic dishes. That night, Kauai born Master Sommelier Chris Ramelb also offers a wine tasting on this active volcano island from several of the world’s most volcanic regions. Other events include sushi and mixology master classes, a chef bash on the beach honoring Hawaiian culinary traditions and a seven course dinner with each course prepared by a different chef. It’s not all formal dinners, though; Wong, Vitaly and Forkish are slated to take over the casual, beachside Surf Shack to showcase Hawaiian creations to be enjoyed by the water.

One aspect is bound to be evident in all—a colorful, artful presentation. ”For decades, Hawaii chefs have made dishes with vibrant, colorful presentations,” Sam Choy explains. “Looking at all the [Instagram] reels being posted now, I think we were way ahead of the game! But I’m glad to see that it’s finally catching on.”