The Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival is set to return this fall with this theme: traditions and heritage. Last week, the festival announced 11 events, including ones on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, as part of a launch event held at the Prince Waikīkī.
This year, the festival’s theme reflects on the cultural roots of Hawaiʻi’s culinary and agricultural communities and celebrates local farmers, ranchers, fishers and chefs.
Denise Yamaguchi, the chief executive officer of Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival and the Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance, is looking forward to the evolution of the Feast Summit.
"The conversations that began during our inaugural Feast Summit last year were so impactful that they led to the creation of Feast: Dish & Dialogue, our podcast series that extended those discussions far beyond the conference itself," she told ASD via email after the May 22 launch event. "Through conversations with chefs, educators, farmers, hospitality leaders and innovators, the podcast reinforced something we deeply believe — that food and culinary belong at the center of the plate when we talk about Hawai‘i’s future."
Proceeds from tickets support culinary education and workforce development, as well as local agriculture and sustainability initiatives. To date, the festival has raised more than $5.2 million for these causes.
Now in its 16th year, the festival originally started with a three-day culinary event co-founded by James Beard Award-winning chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong in Waikīkī in 2011.
“When Roy and I first started the festival, we wanted to create opportunities for the next generation coming up behind us,” Wong told attendees at the launch event. “One of the most meaningful things we've seen is the impact of the festival on culinary students here in Hawaiʻi. This past year, students had the opportunity to work side-by-side with world-renowned chefs, asking questions, observing technique, helping execute events, and building relationships that can shape the course of their careers. I wish I had that opportunity when I was going to school. What makes the festival special is that students aren't just watching from the sidelines, they're interacting directly with mentors and industry leaders from around the world.”
The festival is a program of the Hawaiʻi Ag & Culinary Alliance, a nonprofit that spotlights Hawaiʻi as a world-class culinary destination and supports the farmers, chefs and students who call Hawaiʻi home.
Here are the upcoming events, listed by island:
Hawai‘i Island
Second Annual Cuisines of the Sun Golf Classic
Hosted by Alan Wong; Presented by HPM Design Centers
Friday, Oct. 16
Mauna Kea Golf Course
Smoked, Shucked & Cured
Saturday, Oct. 17
6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
O‘ahu
Feast Summit
Thursday, Nov. 5
9 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Speakers and session topics will be announced in June
Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort
Culture in AgriCULTURE
Presented by Kamehameha Schools
Friday, Nov. 6
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi
24K Magic
Friday, Nov. 6
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
‘Alohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach
The Greatest Hits
Presented by Hawaiian Airlines
Saturday, Nov. 7
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Kapi‘olani Community College Great Lawn
The Breakfast Club
Sunday, Nov. 8
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort and Spa
BTS: Beyond the Seoul
Sunday, Nov. 8
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Halekulani Hotel
Maui
28th Annual Roy Yamaguchi Golf Classic
Presented by First Hawaiian Bank
Friday, Oct. 23
Kāʻanapali Golf Course
Caviar, Pearls & Aphrodisiacs
Saturday, Oct. 24
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
No EGGScuses, Let’s Brunch!
Sunday, Oct. 25
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
Get tickets to events here.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
