Category: Celeb chef

Celeb chef, My favorite restaurants

A Town Called Delicious: Farewell to a trailblazer

The mid-2000s were a milestone time in Honolulu’s restaurant history. In June 2004, Kevin Hanney opened 12th Ave Grill in Kaimuki. The banquettes upholstered in black-and-gold bamboo fabric, kim chee-marinated steak and addictive smoked ahi spread, and long oak bar with a classic cake stand on one end were like nothing the city had seen before. I had moved back to Honolulu from Manhattan a … Continue reading A Town Called Delicious: Farewell to a trailblazer

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Celeb chef, Hawai‘i food, My favorite restaurants

Senia team makes it to James Beard Awards final ballot

Every year a healthy handful of Hawai‘i chefs, restaurateurs and wine professionals make it as James Beard Award semifinalists. And every year the final ballot is announced, and we (or those who follow this kind of thing anyway) let out a collective sigh when we see none of our hometown heroes have made it. Not this year—the James Beard Foundation announced the 2020 nominees yesterday … Continue reading Senia team makes it to James Beard Awards final ballot

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Chris Kajioka, Shigeru Kobayashi and Mourad Lahlou at Café Miro, which will retain its name under its new owners.
Celeb chef, New spot

Chris Kajioka teams with Mourad Lahlou to open Honolulu’s only French bistro

While interviewing Senia co-chef Chris Kajioka about his new project Bar Māze last month, I learned even bigger news: “I’m opening a French bistro with Mourad in the Café Miró space.” Mourad is Mourad Lahlou, chef-owner of his eponymous restaurant in San Francisco, and half of the city’s It Couple, with San Francisco Ballet principal dancer Mathilde Froustey. I think I just looked at Kajioka, … Continue reading Chris Kajioka teams with Mourad Lahlou to open Honolulu’s only French bistro

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Celeb chef

James Beard Award Semifinalists include 6 Hawai‘i contenders

Hawai‘i chefs and establishments appear six times on the 2018 James Beard Award list of semifinalists, with a couple of surprises. They are: Best new restaurant: Maru Sushi, Honolulu, O‘ahu Outstanding baker: George Kanemitsu, Kanemitsu Bakery, Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i Outstanding bar program: Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu Outstanding restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Pa‘ia, Maui Best chef, West: Chris Kajioka, Senia, Honolulu, O‘ahu Best chef, West: Ed Kenney, … Continue reading James Beard Award Semifinalists include 6 Hawai‘i contenders

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Celeb chef

Niki Nakayama: In the kitchen we are neither men nor women

Niki Nakayama became an international food name in 2015 when the Netflix series Chef’s Table dedicated a segment to the Los Angeles–based talent and her restaurant n/naka. In the show, her voice is soft, but her words are bold. Although it would seem she had a head start—her family business is the seafood distributor Unified Seafood Co., and relatives in Japan own a ryokan, where … Continue reading Niki Nakayama: In the kitchen we are neither men nor women

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Celeb chef, Event, Uncategorized

Bruce Bromberg: How he fell for Hawai‘i + the origin of his famed bone marrow

For a Modern Luxury Hawai‘i assignment, I was lucky to be able to interview three chefs participating in this year’s Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, happening Oct. 14–30 on three islands and with more kitchen and bar talent than ever before. I figured most media would be mobbing the new names—especially returning local heroes Chung Chow of New York’s Noreetuh and Ravi Kapur of Liho Liho Yacht … Continue reading Bruce Bromberg: How he fell for Hawai‘i + the origin of his famed bone marrow

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Celeb chef, Event, Stand up for your food rights

Cochon Island: Pig night out at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

“The pig is a magical animal,” said Brady Lowe, founder of Cochon555 at Taste in Kaka‘ako last Wednesday. “You sound like Homer Simpson,” chuckled Lee Anne Wong, who is one of five guest chefs who will cook at Cochon Island, the Hawai‘i version of Cochon 555, on Hawai‘i Island this Saturday. When Lowe launched Cochon 555 in 2008, his original concept was five chefs, five … Continue reading Cochon Island: Pig night out at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

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Celeb chef

#HFWF13: Reason to go—Floyd Cardoz

Gosh, seems like yesterday that I was mashed in with hundreds of small-plate-grabbing people in the narrow strip of deck around the Modern (then Edition) pool, for the first Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. And now the third one is fast approaching. As much as I dislike elbow-in-face public feeding frenzies (they really bring out the worst in what I assume are human beings), looks … Continue reading #HFWF13: Reason to go—Floyd Cardoz

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Beyond Hawai‘i, Celeb chef, Wine

Hawai‘i gets three candidates in James Beard Awards semifinals

The Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists for the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards are out—and Hawai‘i has three guys on the list! *Drumroll please* The semifinalists are: Rising Star Chef: Quinten Frye, Salt Bar & Kitchen (pictured above) Best Chef: West: Ed Kenney, Town Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional: Chuck Furuya, DK Restaurants Congratulations to all three men—they have worked hard for the honor. … Continue reading Hawai‘i gets three candidates in James Beard Awards semifinals

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Celeb chef, Event

Plan ahead: Maui Ag Fest, April 6, 2013

Back in April, as a judge at the Maui County Agricultural Festival (aka Ag Fest), I got to play Top Chef with Sheldon Simeon. He was one of 12 Maui chefs paired with a Maui farmer and tasked to create a dish with that farmer’s produce, as part of the festival’s Grand Taste Education Program. Simeon won. And now he actually is on Top Chef—last … Continue reading Plan ahead: Maui Ag Fest, April 6, 2013

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