The American Culinary Federation (ACF), founded in 1929, the largest professional, nonprofit organization for chefs and cooks in North America, met April 3-5 at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &Spa.
The Kona-Kohala chapter of ACF started in 1980 with twelve members. Today, the chapter has more than 50. The local chapter consists of food service professionals, purveyors, vendors, farmers, educators and culinary enthusiasts. They meet monthly at various restaurants and hotels, and focus on business highlights, educational topics and fellowship.
Two of the Kona-Kohala Chefs Association fundraising events include Christmas with the Chefs, which assists with scholarships for members and culinary students, and Culinary Arts under the Stars at the Kings’ Shops at Waikoloa, which benefits the culinary program at the Hawaii Community College-Palamanui Campus. Some proceeds from the silent auction benefit the ACF Chef and Child Foundation Program. In addition, the local chapter assists in the Kona Brewer’s Festival, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Recipe Contest, Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and the Big Island Chocolate Festival.
Dean and I were among chefs, cooks and culinary educators all dressed in their clean and starched white chef’s coats. It was obvious these coats were their “dress whites” as there was not a food stain on any of them. The American Culinary Federation emblem was clearly visible as these chefs were very proud of being part of the organization. The networking among these chefs from across the country was amazing. I sat in one class with a chef from Lafayette, La., ate breakfast with a chef from Utah, a former chef from the L.A. Times and sat in another class with a chef from Macon, Ga.
Their magazine, The National Culinary Review, featured Hawaii with articles about chef Mark Noguchi talking about seafood sustainability. During his interview, Mark was asked what gives him hope for a healthy, sustainable seafood environment and he answered, “When I see my keiki, and the keiki of my friends, and I see that they’re eating poi, and fish and veggies, not fast food or convenience foods, I have faith — faith that the next generation might be in a position of leverage to demand more of our government and its people.”
Chef Alan Wong spoke to the group about being a chef in Hawaii and how the waves of immigrants greatly influenced the foods.
He stated, “Hawaii imports 85 percent of its food. If a big tsunami that hit Japan had hit Hawaii harder than it did, we would have only had a week’s worth of food.”
He said the Department of Agriculture did a study and if we reduce the imported food to only 75 percent, it would generate $94 million in farm sales, $6 million in taxes and create 2,300 jobs.
Wong also spoke about sustainability, and because we are an island state, it is even more important for us so our children can enjoy the local products, too.
Wong also talked about the creation of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, formed in 1991, with a bunch of fellow chefs who first got together in Maui to drink beer, cook over a hibachi and talk shop.
This movement, with ethnic roots, turned Chinese cold ginger chicken into ginger-crusted onaga; Korean kalbi into soy braised short ribs with Koochujang sauce.
Chef Lee Ann Wong of Koko Head Café on Oahu was another featured speaker. Her credentials are impressive: Graduate of the French Culinary Institute, worked for Marcus Samuelsson and was on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and later became the show’s culinary producer.
She opened Koko Head Café 2 1/2 years ago and just completed writing a cookbook, “Dumpling All Day Wong.”
She demonstrated how to make various dumpling shapes and steamed and fried them. I found her, with her many accomplishments, so humble and nice.
Fellow Le Dames d Escoffier Whendi Grad, owner of Big Island Bees, spoke about single-blossom honey varietals and beekeeping in Hawaii.
Past-president of the Kona-Kohala chapter of ACF Ken Love packed the room with chefs from throughout the country with a lesson on exotic fruits from all over the world.
Other presenters included Ray L. Duey, CEC, who taught produce carving, from buffet to competition and beyond; Eric Ernest, CEC, CCA, and the executive chef at USC Hospitality, who cut up a pig’s head and made porchetta and prepared foie gras; master baker and chef instructor Jonathan Dendauw of The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago, who taught French pastry techniques; and Steve Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC, corporate executive chef of Unilever Food Solutions, who prepared nine dishes from braised beef.
Chef Clayton Arakawa, CEC, CCA, chapter president of ACF Kona-Kohala Chefs Association, said he was pleased with the event being on the Big Island and thought the conference was a huge success with more than 400 participants.
Small bites
Hawaii Community College’s Culinary program will not serve at the cafeteria or the Bamboo Hale this week as the students prepare for the Hilo Classic Food Show on Friday (April 15).
Support the students by attending this event. It is amazing what these students can do with the training they have received.
Email me at
audreywilson808@gmail.com.
