I know how you feel, its late monday. Heck, I am still chained to my desk, and sadly missing happy hour. Here is some foodie news to perk you up. Book your seat now for the Peju Wine Dinner happening next week at Merriman’s, it will instantly cheer you up.

Merriman’s Restaurant 1 Bay Club Place Lahaina, HI 96761 P: 808-669-6400 F: 808-669-1989

Peju Winemaker Dinner

May 15th at 6:00pm Merriman’s welcomes Peju Winery & Sara Fowler for an incredible winemaker dinner

First Maytag blue broiled Kauai prawns, fennel, arugula, raddichio, compressed pineapple-mustard vinaigrette 2010 Peju Sauvignon Blanc Second Cinnamon smoked quail, red quinoa-sweet corn “risotto,” baby beet pickles, grilled lemon 2008 Peju Cabernet Franc Third 70-hour root beer braised pork belly, heart of palm puree, brown butter, swiss chard, roasted cherry 2007 Peju Merlot Fourth Tapenade crusted beef tenderloin, sautéed maui cattle beef heart, jalapeno onion rings, pesto green beans, piperade 2006 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon

$115 per person plus tax and gratuity

Please call ahead as reservations are required for the event.

Jurg Munch invites you to Lahaina Grill

It’s time for kama’aina to treat themselves to an exquisite evening of food. The incomparable Lahaina Grill is offering 50 percent off all entrees on the menu every Monday in May. The restaurant is celebrating 22 years of impeccable service, magnificent food and wondrous pairings and they want to share it with you. In fact, we think there might just be a Kona Coffee Mountain Meadows roasted rack of lamb with your name on it. Just call to make reservations first (valid Hawaii ID required). Every Monday in May. 6pm-close. Lahaina Grill (127 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina); 808-667-5117; lahainagrill.com

Want more? Here is the rest from the folks at Lahaina Grill:

May 2012 Kama‘aina Mondays at Lahaina Grill!

Residents Enjoy 50% Off All Entrees from 6PM Until Close on 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28

Please Bring Valid Hawaii Identification, Call 667-5117 for Reservations

In celebration of their 22nd year as part of the Maui community, Lahaina Grill is offering a KAMA’AINA SPECIAL every Monday in the month of May. Receive 50% off all entrees on the menu; all they ask is that you show valid Hawaii State ID.

“It is our pleasure to offer this kama‘aina special to the community,” shares chef/owner Jurg Munch, “because we love living here and have enjoyed running a business that is well supported by our local community. We especially appreciate the support and referrals to our Maui visitors.”

Come share in a restaurant experience that has been awarded “Best Maui Restaurant” by Honolulu Magazine readers (Hale Aina Awards) for the 19th year in a row, from 1994-2012.

To make a reservation, please call (808) 667-5117 or visit www.lahainagrill.com. Lahaina Grill is located at 127 Lahainaluna Road in the historic Lahaina Inn, and dinner is served nightly from 6pm.

ABOUT LAHAINA GRILL

Visit Lahaina Grill for innovative New American cuisine using techniques and flavors from around the world, all perfectly blended with the freshest ingredients cultivated by Maui’s local farms, dairies, and surrounding waters. Lahaina Grill has been voted “Best Maui Restaurant” for NINETEEN consecutive years by Honolulu Magazine readers’ poll (1994-2012).

LahainaGrill_DinnerMenu

Maui’s triumphant reign over the best damn onion in the world is celebrated at the 23rd Annual Maui Onion Festival in Kaanapali this Saturday, May 5. Of course, we began celebrating our revered sweet white globe way before agri-tourism turned into big business. Now the festival, in its 23rd year, boasts an elite chef competition for best onion recipe, a Kaanapali chef cook-off, a keiki and adult onion eating contest and food booths. You can bet the most ono onion rings will be there, too. There’s also live music by the Air Force Band of the Pacific, Benoit JazzWorks and the Barefoot Minded. Festivities begin with an early-morning Polynesian Hula Dance at 10am. Kaanapali bartenders will also compete at the Cinco de Mayo Mix Drink Contest at 2:30pm. Free. 10am. Whalers Village (Ka‘anapali)

Friday May 4, Hula Grill Kāʻanapali hosts the annual Maui Onion Pairing Dinner with a splendid three-course meal. Of course, Maui Kula Onions are key. Dishes are paired with handcrafted beer of Maui Brewing Co. Tickets available at Hula Grill.

Chef demonstration schedule:

10 a.m. Russell Siu, 3660 on the Rise

Demo: Braised Kurobuta pork belly, caramelized Maui Onions, natural jus

Recipe Contest: Maui onion horseradish crusted Kurobuta pork belly, carmelized

10:45 a.m. James McDonald, Pacific’O and iʻO Restaurants

Demo:  Smoked pork and Maui onion jam panini

Recipe Contest: Maui onion tart tatin with Irish whiskey onion anglaise

11:30 a.m. Kevin Hanney, 12th Ave Grill, Salt

Demo: Pan roasted Maui Cattle Co. mock tenderloin with caramelized onion soubise and smoked onion jam

Recipe Contest: Savory Maui onion French toast with a warm Waimanalo Crimini mushroom and frisee salad, local fried egg and a Maui onion – housemade pancetta syrup

12:15 p.m. Dave (DK) Kodama, Cane & Taro, Sansei

Demo Dish:  Pan roasted Opakapaka

House made fresh linguine, Hamakua mushrooms, Kahuku corn, red radish, pickled red chili, with a Maui onion demi

Recipe Contest: Forthcoming

1 p.m. David Paul Johnson, David Paul’s Island Grill

Demo:  Sweet Maui onion fritters with caramelized Maui onion aioli

Recipe Contest: Grilled island beef and Maui onion sliders

1:45 p.m. Jojo Vasquez, Banyan Tree Restaurant

Demo: Oyakodon, Maui onion, pea shoots

Recipe Contest: Forthcoming

The well-established, educationally mesmerizing Maui Onion Recipe Contest asks celebrity chefs from around Maui and O‘ahu to demonstrate their creative culinary skills step by step. Judges subsequently rate each dish. But with the winners of the past three years returning to reclaim their spot, the bar has been raised. Welcome back to Dave (DK) Kodama, who in 2011 came up with a Maui Onion, Kekaha shrimp and lobster cake, James McDonald, celebrated for his upcountry ravioli in 2010, and David Paul Johnson, our winner for 2009. (Winner announcement at 4:30 p.m. Center Stage.)

Lauri Tondreault, Chef de Cuisine with Eric Larsen, all Photos Courtesy of Sean Hower Http://howerphoto.com

The Hard Rock Cafe Maui is at it again, adding new re-imagined American food to their menu. Complacency is not their style, says General Manager Brent Rumph, who has been a mover and a shaker at their new location since arriving last year. While last year’s menu changes went in the healthy category, this year’s dishes offer more sumptuous comfort.

“We are a big global company,” says Rumph. “Yet we are community based throughout our kitchen’s process of executing this menu. We have a lot of local taste coming out of the kitchen in our Lahaina Hard Rock. You can’t get this fresh Maui caught fish in our Madrid location. Our roots are good American comfort food, and we are making more items from scratch and getting it to you with that homemade love.”

Who needs cobb salad when you can have Smokehouse chicken salad by Sean Hower

Rumph says they took a chance dumping the Cobb salad, a favorite item for folks who love cafe food. But with the new Smokehouse Chicken Salad’s tender smoked and diced chicken, pecans, bacon, cheddar, pico de gallo and sliced avo, it’s no wonder customers hardly seem to miss the Cobb. Then there’s the Texan, a pulled pork sandwich with Chipotle and hickory bbq sauce. The pork is piled high, and topped with crispy fried onions and Jalapenos. In fact, they have five different versions of this smokehouse sandwich.

Fish Tacos by Sean Hower

The fish tacos are a great fish option, served in flour tortillas and filled with the fresh catch of the day. The seasoning they grill on the fish is divine, and then they drizzle on a bit of their guacamole Chipotle ranch and add the works. In fact, there’s a plate full of add-ons for your taco: guacamole, cheese, Jalapeno peppers, cilantro, beans and chips.

Da Local Burger photo by Sean Hower

With emphasis on your local food community and eating local, the corporate Hard Rock chain has taken notice and played nice. Every Hard Rock location is incorporating and branding their own dishes and each one offers a unique burger. Only the Hawaii locations get to call their burger “The Local Burger” though, and it’s a doozy: 10 ounces of beef basted in their homemade black and gold sauce, which is HRC’s take on teriyaki. Then it’s topped with a grilled pineapple ring, barbecued pork, crispy wontons, grilled sweet onions and lettuce and piled on a potato bun. Oh, and a stack of fries. It’s basically designed to put you into a Polynesian paralysis.

Cajun shrimp and poached pear salad photo by Sean Hower

They also introduced the scrumptious Cajun Shrimp and Poached Pear Salad. Cajun spiced shrimp and sweet poached pears join with the greens to really make an unusual but irresistible combination. The Goat Cheese Chicken Salad was also an innovative dish, with diced chicken, dried cranberry and celery bound by goat cheese and a light citrus mayo dressing. Chef de cuisine Lauri Tondreault is committed to making each dish scrumptious with her scratch recipes.

Goat cheese chicken salad photo by Sean Hower

Hard Rock offers live music most nights of the week and supports a burgeoning nightlife on the Westside. They also now serve breakfast and their regular menu simultaneously on the weekends starting at 10am, its Hard Rock’s take on brunch. On Saturdays, the Reggae Recovery Breakfast features a kick-ass Bloody Mary with toast, bacon, tomato and a pepperoncini. It’s basically a hangover-cure meal in a glass for just $6.50. The free live music on the weekend goes from 11am to 3pm. Kamaaina discount at 15% is always in effect.

Sundays Willie K plays live during brunch from 11 to 3. Plus they offer a bar top happy hour during breakfast with the same specials as the nightly happy hour: $3 domestic drafts, $4 Premium cocktails and domestic bottles and $5 Wines that Rock. There’s no cover unless it’s a special event. In case you weren’t in the know, they can also cater just about anything, from Bruleed Maui Pineapple & Crab Ceviche served on a fried wonton to Mini Beef Tenderloins served in a puff pastry crust with béarnaise sauce. Delicious!

Hard Rock Cafe Maui

900 Front St # B7

Lahaina, HI 96761
(808) 667-7400

Orrin Cross, General Manager, Hula Grill

As though you needed another reason to eat great food while sitting at ocean-front tables: Hula Grill will donate a portion of the proceeds from their new Chef’s Tasting Menu to Maui Cultural Lands, Inc. They’ve been doing this with their chef’s menu for quite a while, raising $3,000 for Feed My Sheep from September 2011 through January 2012.

Maui Cultural Lands, Inc. (MCL) is a Maui-based grassroots land trust organization whose mission is to stabilize, protect and restore Hawaiian cultural resources. Established as a non-profit in February 2002, MCL is one of only a few land trust organizations on Maui targeting Hawaiian cultural lands along the coast and inland areas. MCL currently operates solely on volunteers. For more information, call 808-276-5593 or visit mauiculturallands.org.

“We’re excited about supporting Maui Cultural Lands through our Chef’s Tasting Menu because their organization is doing work that benefits everyone who visits and lives on Maui,” says Hula Grill General Manager Orrin Cross. “Preservation is one of those things that people often overlook until something is depleted or in limited existence – protecting things today ensures that future generations can experience them later.”

The three-course dinner includes a choice of appetizers, such as Hula Caesar Salad with focaccia croutons, Goat Cheese and Tomato Salad with local tomatoes, Big Island goat cheese and roasted garlic dressing, Crunchy Beet & Asian Pear Salad with Maui onions and Yuzu oil, Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with lime-cilantro aioli and tropical fruit salsa, Hand-Wrapped Pot Stickers with Kalua pork, ponzu and lobster-scallop in guava-plum sauce and Fresh Tomato Soup with focaccia croutons and goat cheese.

Entrees include a selection of Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with lemon beurre blanc, Thai Curried Vegetables & Tofu with jasmine rice, Kiawe Grilled Petite Filet of Beef with herb butter and Shitake mushroom risotto, Herb Grilled Ono with tatsoi salad and pineapple salsa or Shrimp and Macadamia Nut Pesto with penne pasta and fire roasted tomatoes.

Dessert options include Hula Grill’s famous Petite Ice Cream Sandwich with two macadamia nut brownies and vanilla ice cream or Coconut Crème Brûlée.

Hula Grill’s beachside bistro is located in Whalers Village in Kaanapali. The open-air dining rooms are open for dinner daily from 4:45 pm to 9:30 pm.  Also, the Barefoot Bar offers an all-day menu from 10:45 am to 11pm and cocktails from 10:45am. to 11pm.  For reservations, call 808-667-6636 or for additional information, visit hulagrillkaanapali.com.

If you haven’t made plans for tonight, then let me do it it for you. There are still reservations available for the ‘Aipono wine dinner tonight to benefit Maui Culinary Academy.

“Last year’s event was truly successful and we are looking forward to similar success this year,” says Sumithra Balraj, Director of Public Relations. “Proceeds of the event will not only benefit Maui Culinary Academy but four culinary students from the college have also been invited this evening to join Sous Chef Wesley Holder in preparation of the course-by-course dinner. It is a great opportunity for the students to train with the finest. For the wine portion, wine sommelier Charles Fredy from Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants will be joining us.”

The Aipono series of wine dinners have been a wonderful program put together by Maui No Ka Oi Magazine.

Pulehu, an Italian Grill, has been the recipient of Maui No Ka Oi’s Silver Aipono award for the past two consecutive years. This evening, resort Executive Chef Francois Milliet and Pulehu Sous Chef Wesley Holder will present a five-course Northern Italian Wine Dinner. Seats are still available! Call to enjoy an exquisite wine dinner and lend support for a worthy cause.

The Amazing Grape – A Journey Through The World’s Best Wine Regions

Venue: Pulehu, an Italian Grill (The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas)

Date: Wednesday, April 4

Time: 5:30pm – Reception / 6:00pm – Dinner

Price: $85.00 per person

Reservations: 808-667-3254

In addition to Charles, fine wine specialist Gil Telles from Chambers & Chambers will also be present to share insight and expertise on the wines that will be presented during dinner. According to Charles, the wine collection showcased this evening was designed to be food driven, complementing each menu course created by Chef Wes. “While the Zardetto Cuvee and Tiefenbrunner are also popular as pre or after dinner wines to be enjoyed at the bar, the other wine selections are more rustic than the usual Californian selection most are used to,” said Charles. “These wines are the perfect introduction into Italy and the level of quality is phenomenal,” he added.  Three regions will be represented at the wine dinner including Tuscany and the region which is in the northeast corner of Italy, close to Germany.

Here is the complete list of wines with vintage:

Zardetto Cuvee, Prosecco, Veneto NV

Tiefenbrunner , Pinot Grigio, Tre Venezie, 2010

Castello di Bosi, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, 2007

Andrea Oberto, Barolo, Piedmont, 2007

Allegrini, Amaroni, Valpolicella, Veneto, 2007

Mauicello, Lemon Liqueur, Maui

REVISED Aipono Wine Dinner 2012.04.04

the glorious team at Aina Gourmet Market-All photos courtesy of Sean Hower http:howerphoto.com

There’s a sweet spot somewhere between four minutes and 210 degrees with a course grind that makes a perfect French press coffee. It’s a spot that Greg Suekoff, the new assistant general manager at Aina Gourmet Market has finessed, since he started working in cafe at age 17. It’s also a mark I rarely hit with my coffee maker. But Suekoff is a champion barista who’s entered regional, national and international competitions in DC, Orlando, New York, Charlotte, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Seoul, so he probably knows something I don’t. He earned the title “Ultimate Barista” from the Ultimate Barista Challenge by winning in Latte Art in New York. Since then he’s placed first in all of their competition categories: Latte Art, Espresso Cocktail, Best of Brew and Espresso Frappe.

all photos courtesy of Sean Hower http:howerphoto.com

With coffee’s huge popularity in the last decade and the resulting growth of cafe culture, most coffee drinkers consider themselves connoisseurs of the cup. But most baristas on Maui are preoccupied; it’s rare that I get to geek out over a brewed bean with one of them. That’s why I’m glad that at Aina Gourmet, Suekoff and the new General Manager Solana Tao are changing this experience.

Aina Gourmet’s coffee is grown on the mountain behind it, at the Kaanapali Coffee farm run by Kimo Falconer. They grow three distinct beans: mokka, red catuai and yellow catura, with no blends at this time.

Greg Suekoff - all photos courtesy of Sean Hower http:howerphoto.com

“That is the bloom,” says Suekoff as he pours the water into the individual French press carafes, one with the red catuai and the other with the yellow catura. He says the best coffee comes from fresh beans ground right before brewing, and it will rise up when you’ve poured hot water of the grounds, which comes from the release of CO2 in the mix. Suekoff knows firsthand about the freshness of Aina’s coffee, having been up the mountain to the farm to roast it himself. Aina Gourmet’s Maui Grown coffee is roasted in small batches by hand in their 10-gallon roaster.

Suekoff describes the acidity in coffee as a spectrum that goes from soft at the low end to bright at the high end. Their heirloom mokha bean falls into the latter. This heirloom bean is tiny, intact with its original genetic features. I’m on my third cup and by now our mutual love of coffee has put Greg and me on first name basis. He goes into a crazy story of coffee folklore and dancing goats in Africa; of course it’s a dogged and domesticated hoofed creature that has clued in on the benefits of caffeine and shared it with humans.

Aina Gourmet is a bit off the beaten path, but there’s plenty of self parking and the gorgeous environment of Honua Kai make it an appealing stop. Their store and deli is gorgeous; it’s the kind of market you see puffed up 90210′s selecting wine and cheese from in LA (minus the pretentiousness and lack of parking). Instead, visitors stroll idly by, looking for souvenir Maui products and picking up coffee and gelato. I’m impressed with Greg’s genuine switch from geeking out with my coffee to asking some young visitors about their vacation. It’s nearly impossible to tell he just got here a month or so ago.

After almost three years as the third eatery under the Pacific’o and I’o brands, Aina Gourmet has gotten a true a makeover. Executive Chef and owner James McDonald dropped in during lunch and talked about O’o Farms, where they grow produce for the restaurants and how that fits into their 100-mile lifestyle. The philosophy can mean lots of things, but for Aina it means everything is connected. It means following a more sustainable model. It means finding as many quality, locally sourced items as they can for the store.

There are lots of local goods and sustainable items to choose from on their shelves: Molokai tea, biodynamic wine and chocolate. Thebreads for their sandwiches and pastries come from local baker Harold Hardcastle at The Bakery. Gluten-free cupcakes are made by Real Foods Maui. They get their eggs from a farm in Launiupoko. And so on.

“Ten years ago that wasn’t the language people were speaking,” says GM Tao of her 100-mile concept. “Now everyone does. I have revamped the wine program here with sustainable, organic and biodynamic [features]. We offer a selection of alternative medicines, a chocolate wall and lactose and gluten-free foods. People have received these changes very well.”

The lunches show it. Like the Arugula and radish salad with only Parmesan and roasted garlic as its dry dressing, which was superb. Crunchy and bright, these four ingredients were gifted. The Beast, a roast beef sandwich with homemade horseradish cream stacked high with greens and whole grain bread, was a superior take on a meat sandwich. The panini of mozzarella and proscuitto was a beautiful Italian tribute. Tao says they will be changing the menu and revamping some of their items as well as building a new bar seating area outside of their market.

Tao and Suekoff will feature their Aina Gourmet specialties at the upcoming wine club at I’o. You’re invited to join them on Friday, Mar. 23 from 8-10pm on a sampling of their 100-mile lifestyle, with action stations for coffees, wine, martinis and pupus that highlight Aina Gourmet.

Aina Gourmet Market

Aina is open from 7 am to 9:30 pm.

(808) 662-2832

sustAINAbility @ I’o

The best wine’s and food from Aina Gourmet Market

featured at I’o with martini and coffee action station’s.

Champion barista Greg Suekoff in house!

The place with love of Food, Wine, Coffee and People!

Friday March 23rd 8-10 pm, $35 no reservations needed

BONUS: INFO-VID of how to make a latte with Greg

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’m just no longer satisfied when merely drinking wine. Each drop must eke out a learning experience for my palate. I guess the guys at Pulehu in the Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas are feelin’ me because they’ve set up a four-course dinner and champagne reception with Patrick Okubo, the world’s youngest Master Sommelier. What could be better than learning from him?

Okubo has chosen the wine that’s paired with prawns, veal sweetbreads, duck and steak courses. He’ll also say a word or two about his picks. Think of it as an evening of enlightenment, where wine is concerned.

Okubo is Hawaii’s third certified master Sommelier as well as the Pacific/Hawaii region winner of the Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Sommelier Competition consecutively from 2008 through 2010. He’s now the Enchanson Provencal. He also holds a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) and Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) from the Society of Wine Educators.

WINE DINNER WITH MASTER SOMMELIER

PULEHU, AN ITALIAN GRILL

WEDNESDAY, MAR. 28 2012

5:30pm: Sommelier Champagne Reception

6pm: Wine Education & Dinner

$85 per person. Reservations are required. Please call 667-3254 or visit westinkaanapali.com

 

First Course…

Grilled Molokai Prawns Puttanesca

olowalu tomato prawn bisque, caper berries, artichokes, roasted peppers, garlic chips,

micro parsley

campo al mare, 2010

 

Second Course…

Crispy Veal Sweetbreads

butternut squash puree, dried currants, pine nuts, demi glace, chives

silvio nardi, rosso di montalcino, 2009

 

Third Course…

Duo of Duck

braised duck tortellini, smoked duck breast, big island bees honey, thyme brussels sprouts

jayson, pinot noir, 2008

 

Fourth Course…

Snake River Farms Flat Iron Steak

gorgonzola leek fonduta, pommes dauphine, red wine truffle sauce

jordan, cabernet sauvignon, 2007

 

*All sales subject to 4.166% Hawaii state tax. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to parties of six or more. Coupons, discounts or special offers are not applicable on special events and menus. A la carte menu will not available this evening.

Japengo Sake Pairing Dinner, Photo Courtesy of Sean Hower howerphoto.com

Most people associate sake with being a rice wine, but that is not really very accurate. Sake is more like a beer in its brewing process however that differs too, and the alcohol content in Sake sets it appart from its descriptive mates, coming in at the 18 to 20%  when its undiluted.

Learn all the drunken facts about this rice product at the upcoming Japengo sake pairing dinner, or just sit back and enjoy the sushi and sake. There will be six courses of outstanding sushi paired with premium sakes.

Dinner menu highlights include: sunomono shooter with cucumber, tosa vinaigrette, octopus and conch; sashimi; broiled Alaskan kasu black cod with grilled corn, chukka salad, pomegranate kabayaki; maki sushi; grilled local mahi mahi with young coconut salad, forbidden rice, lemongrass beurre blanc; hot chocolate soufflé cake; and green tea ice cream.

Price is $79 per person (Japengo Ohana card applicable) but space is limited!

For more information or reservations contact 808.667.4727 or visit www.maui.hyatt.com.

Maui Chef Sheldon Simeon is more than a rising star in food. He’s pretty much on a roll right now when it comes to being nominated and recognized in the industry.

He’s responsible for the amazing menus at Star Noodle and Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop but he’s also still a humble local boy from the Big Island. So when he contacted me with his latest nomination for Food and Wine Magazine‘s “People’s Best New Chef 2012,” an award that honors talented innovators who have run their own kitchen for five years or less, I was thrilled.

He’s the only nominee representing Hawaii nei, and he joins nine other chef nominees for the Northwest and Pacific Region. It’s a real peoples choice award, and you can vote at http://foodandwine.com/peoples-bnc . He’s up against 99 other chefs in the US, and the winner will be announced on March 12, 2012.

In the meantime, we got Chef Simeon to answer a few juicy questions about food and beverage on Maui:

MAUITIME: Congratulations on this Food and Wine “People’s Best New Chef” nomination! What are some of your other accolades in Food and Beverage?

SHELDON SIMEON:

• Food & Wine magazine 2012, Best New Chef, Peoples Choice, nominee
• James Beard Foundation: 2011 Rising Star Chef of the Year, semifinalist
• James Beard Foundation: 2011 Best New Restaurant, semifinalist
• Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce: 2011 Master Pinoy Chef
• Maui No Ka Oi magazine Aipono Award: 2011 Chef of the Year
• Maui No Ka Oi magazine Aipono Awaard: 2011 Best New Restaurant
• Maui Time Weekly 2010 Best of Maui: Best Chef
• Maui Time Weekly 2011 Best of Maui: Best Chef
• Maui Time Weekly 2010 Best of Maui: Best New Restaurant
• Maui Time Weekly 2011 Best of Maui: Best Restaurant
• Maui News 2010 Best of Maui: Maui’s Best Chef
• Maui News 2011 Best of Maui: Maui’s Best Chef
• Maui News 2010 Best of Maui: Best New Restaurant

MT: Wow! No shame, Chef! I’m sure winning Best of Maui best chef and best new restaurant back to back is one of your proudest moments, but how do you define success as a chef on Maui?

SIMEON: The ability to showcase local ingredients and incorporate local culture into your food. The food scene here on Maui is constantly growing. Just as important as the sightseeing and activities, visitors are planning their stay here around, “where are we gonna eat?” As a chef, if I am able to have someone maybe taste a super sweet Olowalu tomato or eat raw ahi or experience local flavor combinations that they otherwise wouldn’t have anywhere else, I would feel that I’ve contributed as a chef here on Maui.

MT: What dishes are you most proud of on your menus at Star Noodle and Leoda’s?

SIMEON: The Pohole Salad. This dish reflects my homegrown roots of Hilo.

MT: Ok, Star Noodle’s Pohole Salad is truly amazing. Any other dishes that stand out?

SIMEON: I’m also proud of the fresh made noodles that we make in house. Just the process of making our noodles, from carefully mixing in the water to the flour, to rolling it out on our 75-year-old noodle machine, to drying it overnight, cooking it all fresh in the morning, to hand drying it, makes it very special.

MT: What Maui ingredients are you fired up about utilizing in the kitchen?

SIMEON: The taro from our very own Hoaloha Farms. Bobby Pahia is doing any amazing job of cultivating some of the best looking crop I’ve ever seen up in Waikapu and Wailuku. We make our own poi at Old Lahaina Luau and Aloha Mixed Plate. I have taro chips and taro vinaigrettes, and you will see taro dishes as a special of the day at Star Noodle and Leoda’s.

MT: What makes cooking a pleasure more than a job for you?

SIMEON: Cooking to me is very intimate. You touch it, smell it, taste it. I love that I get to share that moment when someone tastes your food. Food always conjures up memories. I’d like to hope it’s mostly positive when tasting my food, but nothing is more satisfying to me than someone having the reaction of “this reminds me of my childhood” or “that’s like mom’s cooking”–something along those lines.

MT: Do you still work in the kitchen a lot?

SIMEON: I do still get in the kitchen and cook a bit. It’s what like I to call, “rubbing elbows with the crew.” It’s still important to me to be able to constantly mentor by example. However, with the popularity of Star Noodle and Leoda’s, there has been a rise of responsibilities outside of the kitchen.

MT: Do you cook at home? 

SIMEON: I don’t get to cook at home as much as I’d like too. My wife Janice does most of the cooking for the family. But when we do have the chance to have company over at the house I love to throw down. I enjoy nothing more than cooking over the hibachi… of course, with a nice, cold beverage in hand.

MT: What’s your favorite thing to eat if you are not cooking? Who makes it?

SIMEON: Raw Crab and Opihi. Usually I will be eating these at some kind of local party like a first baby luau or graduation party. But I will go to town on Raw Crab and Opihi!

Once again, you can vote for Chef Sheldon Simeon at http://foodandwine.com/peoples-bnc or follow the hashtag #peoplesbnc to keep up with Twitter chatter. Voting starts March 5 and goes through March 11.