Connecting Farmers and Chefs
HFWF celebrated Paina on the Pier for three years in support of the Festival’s goal of raising awareness about supporting local farmers, ranchers and fishermen to ensure the food security of the Islands. Nearly 85 percent of food in Hawaii is imported.
“Our goal was to connect local farmers with the different chefs and vendors who are part of the Festival,” says Les Apoliona, land asset manager at Kamehameha Schools, which, as the state’s largest private landowner, sponsors this event. “It’s about local agriculture and buying local and creating an impact.”
Beyond the Kitchen: Chefs share their passions
Originally published in the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival 2014 program.Chef Cat Cora co-founded the charity Chefs for Humanity to fight hungry and obesity. Photo: courtesy of Cat CoraIN THE KITCHENTry Cat Cora's Salmon Skewers with Romesco SauceImagine managing...
Donations Through Chocolate
Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate “exists solely to give back to the nonprofit community,” said CEO Gunars Valkirs, who, in the absence of profit due to COVID-19 shutdowns, found a new way to give back. Many nonprofit organizations have lost funding due to a lack of gatherings where they could ask for donations. Noticing this, Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate created the Chocolate Laulima cooperative program to ensure that “100% of their net profit goes to the Hawaii nonprofit community.”
Watercress: Explained
Sumida Farm, a watercress farm located in Aiea, grows foot-and-a-half long watercress which locals can taste in restaurants — and even in their own kitchen. Watercress is a versatile, nutrient-dense superfood, which can be used in many different dishes to make healthy and delicious food. Sumida Farm wants to encourage people to pick up watercress when they see it, and many people are experimenting with the unique vegetable.
From Loi to the Table
The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival aims to strengthen the connections among the islands’ food, land and people—and to share the culture behind the cuisine.
As Seen On TV
Reality television has transformed the restaurant industry into entertainment, and has launched chefs into stardom. But after the cameras stop rolling, say chefs, it’s still simply all about the food.
COVID Conversations: Michelle Bernstein
Chef Michelle Bernstein is a five-year veteran of the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. A Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent, she has dazzled HFWF attendees with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun. Bernstein and her husband/business partner, David Martinez, own and operate MBC Michelle Bernstein Catering Company, a full-service catering company as well as Café La Trova in Little Havana. These days, Bernstein is busier than ever adjusting to the effects that COVID-10 has had on the restaurant industry and independent restaurants.
Exploring Unknown Activities during COVID-19
Businesses and individuals across the globe are grappling with the impact of COVID-19. As a state so wholly dependent on the visitor industry, Hawaii struggles with the immediate and long-term economic effect. For survival, local businesses rely on Hawaii residents to make ends meet. With visitors nearly nonexistent due to the travel restrictions, locals have the opportunity to explore Hawaii in a way they might not have previously.
The Sunny Side of Pride
Fifty years after the Stonewall Riots in New York City, Honolulu celebrates Pride. Drag shows and brunch go hand in hand like champagne and OJ. This year, EFFEN Vodka Presents Drag Appetit at Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, the event’s first drag brunch and LGBTQ-themed event, all in support of the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation and Honolulu Pride™.
The Iberian Connection to Hawaii’s Cuisine & Culture
Drive around town, listen to Hawaii radio or a stop at the store, and notable Iberian influences on Hawaii’s cuisine and culture can be seen, heard and tasted around the Islands. On any given day, it’s a waiting game for malasadas at Leonard’s Bakery, a modern day version of the hot deep fried Portuguese “donuts” first introduced to Hawaii in the late 19th century by immigrants from Azores and Madeira.