Several top Hawaii chefs — many with Hawaii Island connections– will be inducted into the Hawaii Restaurant Association Hall of Fame at a dinner on September 19. The twelve honored chefs pioneered Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Before that, Hawaii was never known for its food. But the twelve chefs gained worldwide recognition for their Pacific-inspired dishes made with local, Hawaii-grown ingredients and changed Hawaii’s reputation for food.
In the last few years, Hawaii’s reputation for good food has lagged a bit. But the chefs and the Hawaii Restaurant Association want to reinvigorate their industry. Last March, Hawaii chefs went to the James Beard Foundation house in New York a center for culinary arts, and cooked for restaurant luminaries and the food press. At the September 9 Hawaii Restaurant Association gala, a new Hawaii regional cuisine cookbook will be unveiled. And the Hawaii State Art Museum will stage an exhibit highlighting the uniqueness of Hawaii’s food origins and traditions.
The Hawaii regional cuisine movement also encouraged local farmers on all islands to grow foods for use in local restaurants.
The chefs to be honored include:
Sam Choy, who opened his Kaloko restaurant and one in the Kona Bowling Alley in 1991 (and whose new Kai Lanai Restaurant should open this week above Keauhou Shopping Center)
Peter Merriman, who opened his Merriman’s Restaurant in Waimea in 1991, and now has several restaurants throughout the state, including Merriman’s Market Cafe at King’s Shops in Waikoloa
Alan Wong, who in 1991 was the chef at the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows
Amy Ferguson Ohta, who now runs a catering business in Kona and had a restaurant at Kona’s Crossroads Shopping Center for several years
Roy Yamaguchi, who has one of his self-named Roy’s Restaurant at King’s Shops in Waikoloa.
Other Hawaii chefs being honored include Roger Dikon, Bev Gannon, Mark Ellman, Jean-Marrie Josselin, George Mavrothalassitis, Gary Strehl, Philippe Padovani.
