Made in Hawaii Festival

Neal S. Blaisdell Center

August 19-20, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
August 21, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission $4

808-533-1292

MadeInHawaiiFestival.com

Photos: courtesy of the Made in Hawaii Festival

Photo: courtesy of the Made in Hawaii Festival

Chef Demo emcee Derek Kurisu. Photo: courtesy of
DEREK KURISU.

Friday, August 19

Jason Takemura, Hukilau Honolulu and Pagoda Floating Restaurant

Chef Jason Takemura is the executive chef of both Hukilau Honolulu in the Executive Center Downtown and the Pagoda Floating restaurant.

Combining Pacific Rim and California cuisines, chef Jason brings his culinary inventiveness and commitment to quality dishes to the restaurants he leads. Formerly of Chai’s Island Bistro, Takemura, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu-affiliated Western Culinary Institute, brings a decade of experience in the kitchens of several California restaurants, including Roy’s, Monterey’s Montrio Bistro and Pebble Beach’s Inn at Spanish Bay.

“Freshness is what we emphasize on the menu, from seafood specialties, robust and healthy salads, to baked-on-site dessert creations,” says Takemura

Takemura’s wide-ranging culinary experiences, including Italian, Japanese, Pacific Rim and American dishes, has enabled him to create palate-pleasing meals.  

Friday, August 19 at 2 p.m.

Recipe: Fresh Ahi Katsu Salad with Nalo greens, Kamuela Tomatoes, Hasu Chips and Creamy Sesame Wasabi Dressing

Colin Hazama, Kai Market

Earlier this year, Colin Hazama has been named senior executive sous chef at Sheraton Waikiki. Hazama was most recently the chef de cuisine at Kauai Grill Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges Vongerichten at The St. Regis Princeville Resort. His prior experiences include various positions at RumFire at Sheraton Waikiki, Hoku’s at The Kahala Hotel and Resort, Alan Wong’s Restaurant in Honolulu, and Roy’s Restaurant, California Culinary Academy and Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco, California.

Hazama received an Associate of Occupational Studies degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California. In 2010, he was selected as a semi-finalist of the 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards “Rising Star Chef of the Year.” Hazama won the 2006 Young Commis Competition in Hawaii and participated in the Cahine De Rotisseur National Cooking Competition at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Hazama has also participated in the “Food and Wine” consumer guide food event under Chef Alan Wong in San Francisco, California and “The Masters of Food and Wine” under Chef Gary Danko in Carmel, California.

Friday, August 19 at 4 p.m.

Recipe: Oxtail Soup and Poisson Cru

Johan Svensson, BLT Steak

Johan Svensson was born on the small island of Torsö in Sweden and received his culinary degree at the Culinary Institute of Gothenburg. In 2009, Svensson was recruited by acclaimed chef and restaurateur Laurent Tourondel as chef de cuisine at BLT Steak at Trump International Hotel™ Waikiki Beach Walk®. There he artfully adds a global flavor to Tourondel’s successful French-inflected interpretation of the classic American steakhouse. Svensson uses the island’s fresh local ingredients, which invariably turn up on the restaurant’s daily “blackboard menu.”

Friday, August 19 at 6 p.m.

Recipe: Marinated Hanger Steak, Grilled Pineapple Salad

Saturday, August 20

Ronnie Nasuti, Tiki's Grill & Bar

While leaving the Executive Chef position of the reigning Hale-Aina Awards Restaurant of the Year might not seem like an obvious career move for a brilliant chef, it is exactly what Chef Ronnie Nasuti has done. After ten years of guiding the flagship Roy’s in Hawaii Kai to a multitude of awards and praises, Chef Nasuti will now bring his knowledge and culinary passion to Tiki’s Grill and Bar.

Chef Nasuti is making changes such as sourcing local produce and meat, which is something he believes locals place value in. The local-organic and farm-to-table movements are, “something every young chef has been taught over the last twenty years.” Chef Nasuti also explained to us that “buying local is an experience,” that connects people to each other and to the land.

He further delved into his culinary philosophy by detailing the importance of teaching your children “how to make something from scratch…I taught my kid how to make meatballs, like my father taught me. Nowadays, in the current economy when two parents work, Old World values don’t have to be thrown out the window.”

Saturday, August 20 at 12 p.m.

Recipe: Grilled Hawaiian Fish, Luau Leaf Palu Sami, Confit of Saffron Scented Hauula Tomatoes

Michael Moorhouse, Kahala Hotel & Resort

Executive pastry chef Michael Moorhouse trained at the Restaurant School of Philadelphia. Moorhouse’s previous experiences include Alison on Dominick Street, The Plaza Hotel, Tabla, Picholine, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Restaurant Lafayette, The Drake Swiss Hotel – all located in New York – as well as the Mayfair in London’s Greenhouse, and most recently, the Halekulani in Waikiki. Moorhouse believes in using only the best ingredients available, many of which are local produce and agricultural products. “Treat them with respect, handle them minimally, and let them retain their integrity,” he says. He describes his food as “simple, unfussy, and flavorful.”

Chef Moorhouse spearheads the creative development of the Kahala’s pastry products, and oversees the day-to-day operation of the pastry kitchen.

Saturday, August 20 at 2 p.m.

Recipe: Vanilla Pannacotta

John Memering, Cactus

John Memering is the Chef, Owner of Cactus, a Latin American bistro on the windward side of Oahu in Kailua. He directs the kitchen operations, recipe development for the kitchen along with creating many of the signature cocktails and input on the unique wine selections.

Cactus' eclectic menu is a blend of John's love of Latin cuisine and his use of seasonal products from Hawaii's farms and ocean. He promotes sustainable agriculture whenever possible, "you have to give back at some point", he says, "whether it be nature or society".

John also incorporates many artisanal techniques into the Bistro's menu. Such as hand crafted salumi and sausages, house made cheeses and preserved, local seasonal fruits and vegetables are just to name a few. His cuisine also reflects the Bistro's diverse wine list and well as the unique farming seasons here in Hawaii.

Saturday, August 20 at 4 p.m.

Recipe: Slow Roasted Shinsato Farms Pork Shoulder "Pernil" and Maui Pineapple Sofrito

Jose "Pepe" Vega, Maui Tacos

Chef Vega was born and raised in Tepa, Mexico. His mother, a Chef and teacher at a local culinary institute, was a big influence on his career. Chef Vega went to Hawaii in 1985 to work with Compadres, a Mexican restaurant which had him traveling between restaurants in Honolulu, Lahaina, Napa and Australia. Chef Vega returned to Hawaii for good in 1996 to work for Maui Tacos. Together with Chef Sergio Perez and Chef Mark Ellman they opened several Maui Tacos locations and partnered in the successful Penne Pasta Café and MALA Ocean Tavern. Pepe's involvement in community and church along with a little surfing keep him very busy on his little island called Maui.

Saturday, August 20 at 6 p.m

Recipe: Korean Burrito and Kimchee Salsa

Sunday, August 21

Marc McDowell, Makena Beach & Golf Resort

Since his appointment as Makena Beach & Golf Resort’s Executive Chef in October 2010, Chef Marc McDowell has revolutionized the resort’s culinary program, with creative menu development, providing expert direction and training to the resort’s culinary team, and overseeing food production in the resort’s four restaurants and catering department. Trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, Chef McDowell has a background in French cooking, specializing in a fusion of exotic herbs and spices with fresh Hawaiian ingredients to create new flavor profiles for the palette. His professional experience includes senior culinary positions at the Grand Wailea Resort, Maui and most recently as the Executive Sous Chef at the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua, Maui.

Sunday, August 21 at 12 p.m.

Recipe: Makena Cilantra and Lime Shrimp Cocktail

Elmer Guzman, Poke Stop

Elmer Guzman is the Chef/Owner of two Poke Stop restaurants and thriving catering business on the island of Oahu. Chef Guzman, born and raised on the island of Maui, gained real world “hands-on” experience in the kitchens of fellow master chefs Alan Wong, Emeril Lagasse, Sam Choy and at the Greenbrier—one of world’s most difficult and prestigious culinary programs. Chef Guzman is equally comfortable in a fine dining setting as he is prepping local-style comfort food for his growing fan base.

Sunday, August 21 at 2 p.m.

Recipe: Poke Stop Corn Dog