Locally grown produce stars in Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

The fifth annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival will hold 21 events on three islands Aug. 29 through Sept. 13, showcasing an impressive collection of international culinary talent.

Festival officials plan to welcome more than 100 internationally renowned chefs, culinary personalities and wine and spirit producers at this year's schedule of events.   

First held in 2010, the festival "really started as way to showcase the culinary talent here in the islands as well as the local produce and products that are grown, raised and caught here," said Denise Yamaguchi, the executive director of the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, noting that 85% of what's eaten in Hawaii today is imported.

"What we wanted to do at the festival was highlight the great agriculture we have here," she explained. "So the focus has really been on getting great chefs from all over the world to partner with our local chefs, many of whom are becoming celebrities in their own right, [and] what we've asked them to do is use locally grown or raised products in each of the dishes they create."

The 21 events will be held at a range of resort venues across the state, including the Modern Honolulu and Halekualani hotels in Waikiki, the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, and the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii. Many of the participating properties are offering special room rates in conjunction with the event, and Hawaiian Airlines is offering festival attendees a 5% discount on airfares from a number of gateways on the U.S. mainland.  

Meanwhile, the festival schedule includes everything from cooking competitions to cocktail workshops and children's culinary. Tickets for some events start around $65 but can be as much as $500 for special VIP access at the more extravagant affairs.

According to Yamaguchi, several of the events are also commissionable to travel agents, and those interested in selling the festival to clients should contact her directly about which events offer agent incentives. Email her at deniseyamaguchi@hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com or call (808) 386-2538.

Yamaguchi also noted that the entire festival is a nonprofit undertaking, aimed at helping a range of Hawaii culinary and agricultural initiatives statewide, including culinary training programs at many of the state's community colleges.

"In 2015, we will be well over $1 million in give back to the community," Yamaguchi said.  

However, culinary students statewide will receive more than just financial support from the event. Many young chefs in training from both community colleges and culinary schools in the Islands take part every year in the event as each celebrity chef is assigned two Hawaii culinary students throughout the festival's two-week schedule.  

"Some of these kids are from the Neighbor Isl ands and have never even traveled to Honolulu before," Yamaguchi said. "So for them to get an experience to work with somebody like Nobu or Ming Tsai, it might be life-changing."

Incredibly popular among Aloha State residents, the Hawaii Food & Wine festival is also a great place for visitors to connect with locals. Yamaguchi is expecting about 25% of the total number of attendees to be travelers this year, and said "our nonresident number has grown every year."

For a complete listing of events; hotel and travel partners; cuisine or wine descriptions; and ticket prices, visit www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

Source: Locally grown produce stars in Hawaii Food & Wine Festival