Girl’s Got Game
The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival puts a spotlight on the women who are revolutionizing the culinary and agriculture industries. Discover the unique stories of farmer Shin Ho, pastry chefs Christina Tosi and Joanne Chang, and chef Lee Anne Wong.
The Revitalization of Ulu
or centuries, ulu, or breadfruit, has been cultivated in the Pacific Islands, first introduced to the Hawaiian archipelago as a canoe plant brought by Polynesian settlers. Ulu is touted as a sustainable starch for its low maintenance requirements to produce high yield in diversified cropping systems.
From Southwest to South Pacific
In the early 1980s, Dean Fearing was part of group of revolutionary Texas chefs who were blending the culture and ingredients of the Southwest into a new category of cuisine. Along with two other Hawaii Food & Wine Festival veterans, Stephan Pyles and Robert Del Grande, plus Anne Greer McCann and Avner Samuel, these bold chefs with different backgrounds created the flavors of Southwestern Cuisine — the flavors now recognized all around the globe.
A Jewel Above Vegas
The new cocktail-centric concept by world renowned mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, MR. COCO characterizes its founder’s affinity for impeccably-refined cocktails and chic decor. In a brainstorming session, the distinguished lounge was named for the Lafranconi family pet, Coco the Scottish Westie. Lafranconi’s daughter agreed, noting the exempliary work ethic and style of the late Coco Channel.
Ko Hana Rum Distillery: Work of the Cane
The next time you find yourself on the west side of the island of Oahu, do yourself a favor and go get lost in the cane fields of Kunia for an hour or so. The greenery is lush, the air is crisp and clean, and you find yourself taking the time to breathe deep and pause for a moment. After about a mile drive, take a left to reach KoHana Distillery, the home of KoHana Rum.
Sugar Cane Past Keeps on Chugging
While The Mill House is a modern, open-air, architectural wonder of a restaurant that was built in 1982, it pays homage to that era with sugar-mill objects of art such as two, museum-quality antique steam locomotives that transported sugarcane to be processed along with other massive industry implements displayed both inside and on the grounds.
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.
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™.
Mexico Meets Hawaii
Chef Rick Bayless discovers the intersection of Hawaiian and Mexican cuisines at the Papahana Kuaola ahupuaa.
Bayless, who was named Hawaii Food & Wine Festival’s second Culinary Hero in April 2019, made history in Hawaii at Papahana Kuaola and created his traditional Mexican dish, using Hawaiian cooking traditions. He had planned to prepare locally-raised pork for his dish, but rather than cook his pig in an oven, he cooked it in a Hawaiian imu (or pit) which is similar, yet different, from the Mexican method of cooking a pig in the ground.