I stood on the lawn of the Royal Lahaina Resort, taking in the breathtaking views of Maui’s Kaanapali Coast, not far from the bustling whaling village. I couldn’t help but think of the fires that tore through Lahaina just over a year ago, leveling homes and businesses, claiming countless lives, and leaving many without anything.
In the weeks following the disaster, the Royal Lahaina and other Kaanapali hotels shifted their focus to the individuals and families displaced and traumatized by the disaster. For months, the resort’s rooms were filled with family, friends, employees, and strangers who had nowhere else to go. It was the spirit of Aloha.
On this late October afternoon, while the spirit of Aloha was in full display, the view before me was something else. To my right, guests lounged by the pool under the Royal Lahaina’s beautiful yellow and white umbrellas and played yard games like cornhole on the lush lawn. To my left, a team of chefs and culinary students bustled around under a giant white pop-up, cooking and assembling sumptuous meals for the food lovers who would line up to sample them. It was a time to come together, share food, and celebrate the return of the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival to Maui after a one-year hiatus due to the fires.
Founded in 2011 by James Beard Award-winning chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, the annual event kicks off on the Big Island of Hawaii before moving to Kaanapali, Maui, and ending on Oahu, drawing some 5,000 guests and more than 100 chefs from across Hawaii, the mainland United States, and places like New Zealand and Singapore. Since its launch, the festival has raised about $5 million to fund programs supported by the Hawaii Agriculture and Culinary Alliance, including culinary and agricultural education and food sustainability efforts. In addition, more than $1.2 million has been raised for restaurant, bar, and hospitality workers affected by the fires.
Chris Cosentino, the San Francisco-based “Top Chef Masters” winner who recently opened Koast in Wailea, Maui, has become a regular at the event. Last year was his tenth time attending the event—the first three were all on Maui. “This event brings so much attention to the island, and much-needed attention,” he said. “It’s really important for people to know what happened here, to respect what happened here, to respect the community, and to give back at the same time. For me, it’s really great because I can give back in a different way. By doing this event and working with the students, I’m helping the next generation of culinary masters.”
The chefs participate in a series of weekend festivities on each island—day and night grazing, wine dinners, cooking classes. There is one important caveat, however: They must use at least one local ingredient in their dishes. At Vita La Vino at the Sheraton Maui Resort, Yamaguchi created a hearty raw bar with shellfish, sashimi and nigiri. Other chefs prepared meatballs, roasted vegetables and desserts to pair with Italian wines. The next morning, festival goers competed in a pickleball tournament, followed by a Backcourt BBQ brunch on the Royal Lahaina Hotel’s oceanfront lawn.
For Charles Andres, chef de cuisine at the Sheraton Maui Resort, the return to the islands sends an important message: “It means a lot because it supports the community. Big events like this… show that Lahaina is open and we are ready.”
Related topics: