Q&A: Richard Rosendale
It’s not in Richard Rosendale‘s DNA to give up. He learned that from his mom, who raised him and his sister by herself. When a fire on Christmas Day destroyed everything they had, his valiant mother stayed strong and pushed through. And that’s been the motivation behind this certified master chef and 2013 U.S.A. candidate for the Bocuse d’Or, who has already amassed more than 45 national and international medals.
Keiki Spotlight: Kamahao Ocean
Meet the winner of the 2019 Localicious Recipe Contest: Kamahao Ocean Kanekoa! Since winning last year’s contest, this 9th grade culinary superstar has founded a company called Paina by Ocean — an online farmer’s market that sells fresh, Island of Hawaii produce grown and distributed to the island community.
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.
Q&A: Josiah Citrin
Josiah Citrin was 13 when he went on his first surf trip — to Oahu. Now, the passionate chef/owner of the highly acclaimed Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif. visits the Islands often, and usually with his surfboard. Just this year Citrin recently opened Sure Thing Burger in Lahaina with partner Scott Picard. Looks Iike he’ll be coming here even more often.
Q&A: Roy Choi
Think Korean tacos from a food truck, and you’ll think of Roy Choi. Though he’s best known the social media food phenomena that is Kogi BBQ, Choi, who operates three other restaurants in the L.A. area, is a bad ass in the culinary world, with strong opinions about food and no fear of sharing them.
Q&A: Alan Wong
Alan Wong owes his life to the movie “PT 109.” This 1963 biographical film about President John F. Kennedy’s war time experiences of captaining a PT boat that was sunk by a Japanese destroyer during World War II was the first thing that came to his mind when the fishing boat he was on capsized in the waters off the Waianae Coast. Here’s more you didn’t know about this James Beard Award-winning chef.
Q&A: Michel Richard
Born in Brittany and raised in Champagne, Michel Richard knew he wanted to be a chef when he first saw a restaurant kitchen — at age eight. He started as a pastry chef, working in Gaston Lenorm’s esteemed pastry shop and running his own bakery in Los Angeles. Ten years later, he opened Michel Richard, then Citrus, to immediate acclaim. He’s won awards, written books and won’t buy unsustainable fish, period.
Behind the Bottle: Grace Family Vineyards
If you think Grace Family Vineyards is all about the wine, you’d be only half right. Founders Dick and Ann Grace set up the Grace Family Foundation almost 20 years ago and spend at least three months a year working in underserved parts of the world, improving the lives of young people and assisting in meeting the educational and medical needs in countries such as Tibet, India, Nepal and Mexico.
Behind the Bottle: Richard Betts
Back in 1996, after a long day in a lab in graduate school at Northern Arizona University, Betts bought a bottle of wine from a liquor store with his last $10. As soon as he poured it, he says, he recalled a specific memory for the year he spent in Italy right before he graduated from college.
Q&A: Kent Torrey
For the 2017 Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, Kent Torrey of the Cheese Shop in Carmel, Calif., will be bringing more than a thousand pounds of cheese to the Sept. 12 Corks & Forks event at Hawaii Convention Center. Once again, Torrey and his team will amaze attendees with his famed 1,000-pound display — about 70 full wheels, then a whole bunch of smaller soft ones, wedges and more, including some made in his home state of Hawaii.