The timeline for the Featured Chef Series is as follows: December 2020 – May 2021: Robynne Maii, Fête First Class – Hawaiʻi to U.S. mainland Born and raised in Honolulu, Chef Robynne Maii began her culinary adventure at 3660 on the Rise and Padovani’s Bistro and Wine Bar on Oʻahu. In 1999, she moved to New York City, where she worked at Union Pacific and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in its pastry banquet kitchen. Robynne worked for Gourmet magazine, City University of New York (CUNY), and has been a cookbook judge for the James Beard Foundation Awards since 2004. In 2015, Maii and her husband opened Fête in Honolulu’s bustling Chinatown. In 2018, Maii partnered with Hawaiian to debut LunchBox by Fête, a café-style restaurant at the airline’s Honolulu headquarters. June – November 2021: Dell Valdez, Vein at Kakaʻako First Class – Hawaiʻi to U.S. mainland Chef Dell Valdez is the executive chef at Vein at Kakaʻako, specializing in modern Mediterranean cuisine. Valdez, a Maui native, was raised by immigrant parents who instilled in him a hard work ethic and mantra of “treating everyone as you would want to be treated.” He first learned to cook at home alongside his mother, who he calls his “greatest influence.” In 2000, he graduated from the culinary program at Kapiʻolani Community College. December 2021 – May 2022: Jason Yamaguchi, Mugen Waikiki First Class – Hawaiʻi to U.S. mainland Chef Jason Yamaguchi was born in Los Angeles and raised on Oʻahu. Yamaguchi’s passion for food was sparked in high school when he worked under James Beard Award-winning Chef Roy Yamaguchi of Roy’s Restaurants. Over two decades, Yamaguchi built his portfolio as a tastemaker while working under the watchful eye of respected chefs on the U.S. West Coast, including James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-starred Chef Michael Mina and Hawaiʻi’s own Chris Garnier of Roy’s Restaurants. Now residing in Honolulu, Yamaguchi is the executive chef of Mugen Waikiki, known for its French-Japanese cuisine. June – November 2022: Chris Kajioka, Miro Kaimuki First Class – Hawaiʻi to U.S. mainland Chef Chris Kajioka was born and raised in Honolulu and began his culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He has worked at prominent restaurants across the country, including Ron Siegel’s Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton and Mourad Lahlou’s Aziza in San Francisco, California, and Thomas Keller’s iconic Per Se in New York. In 2012, Kajioka returned to Hawaiʻi to become the executive chef of Vintage Cave, where he received his first James Beard Foundation nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2014. In 2016, he partnered with Chef Anthony Rush to open his first restaurant, Senia, where he received several James Beard nominations. Kajioka is currently chef and co-owner of Miro Kaimuki and Bar Māze in Honolulu. 2016 – 2022: Chang-Wook Chung, Kumsan Restaurant All Cabins – Seoul to Hawai‘i Chef Chung, a featured chef since 2016, will continue his tenure on flights from South Korea. An expert in French and Japanese cuisine, he is the owner and chef of Kumsan Noodle Factory in Seoul. His culinary excellence has been widely recognized, and he has appeared in several Korean television programs. Feeling a strong personal attachment to Hawai’i, Chung has returned to the islands every year since his first visit over a decade ago. Chef Eric Oto of Hoku’s at The Kahala Hotel & Resort recently completed his second menu cycle (June – November 2020) for inbound flights from U.S. mainland since joining the Featured Chef Series in 2018. His passion for the culinary arts began at the age of four when he caught his first fish with a bamboo cane pole. At a young age, Oto learned the philosophies of respecting and appreciating Hawai‘i’s food ecosystem from his father, a lifelong farmer and fisherman. Today, Oto’s reverence for the ocean can be seen — and tasted — in his cooking. Committed to supporting Hawai‘i’s next generation of chefs, Oto serves as a chef-mentor for local high school students with the Hawai‘i Culinary Education Foundation and the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Jeune Chef Competition. Other former participating chefs have included Mark Noguchi of Pili Group, Jon Matsubara of FEAST, Andrew Le of The Pig & The Lady, and Sheldon Simeon of Tin Roof Maui. Chai Chaowasaree of Chef Chai Restaurant was Hawaiian’s first executive chef from 2010 to 2018. More information about the program and Hawaiian’s latest in-flight menus are available at www.hawaiianairlines.com/our-services/in-flight-services/dining-and-drinks/featured-chef-series. |
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