The Hawai’i Food &Wine Festival was hosted a couple of Saturdays ago at the Hilton Waikoloa Resort, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine, as well as Roy and Denise Yamaguchi’s fifth wedding anniversary. ADVERTISING The Hawai’i
The Hawai’i Food &Wine Festival was hosted a couple of Saturdays ago at the Hilton Waikoloa Resort, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine, as well as Roy and Denise Yamaguchi’s fifth wedding anniversary.
Showcasing Hawaii regional cuisine and the impact our island has on the culinary world with our diverse agricultural products was the goal of the seven chefs at the Hot Lava Hotter Cuisine event.
Chef Hans Lentz of the Hilton Waikoloa Village was the first presenter at the VIP Reception. A seasoned executive chef with global culinary management experience in locations such as Hawaii, Africa and Chicago, Lentz’s dishes were the following appetizers:
• White sturgeon caviar on ulu chip with yuzu crème fraiche and micro cilantro.
• Pork sising toast on house brioche spread with chicken liver mousse, crispy shallots, negi, egg yolk gel and chili threads.
• Spicy tuna with Hawaiian chili, uni, ikura, micro wasabi and squid ink chicharron.
• Hamakua tomato bruschetta with hirabara kale pesto, buratta, micro basil and extra-virgin olive oil dust.
Master sommelier Roberto Viernes did an excellent job of selecting the wines for each course. With the appetizers, N.V. Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier from Champagne, France was served.
Chef Tae-Hwan Rye of Ryunique in Seoul, South Korea, started his culinary career at 22 years old, went to various culinary schools, then went to work at Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo, Sydney and London before returning to South Korea to open his first restaurant in 2011. His award-winning restaurant has placed 27th in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Chef Rye was given Big Island abalone for the first course and cooked it in the sous vide method with Big Island hearts of palm and Hawaiian seaweed puree. The slow-cooking of sous vide made the abalone very soft and tender. There certainly was Korean influence in Rye’s cooking as a red hot sauce was painted on the plate.
Master sommelier Roberto chose a 2014 Punta Crena Vermentino Riviera Ligure di Ponente Vigneto Isasco from Liguria, Italy. The wine matched perfectly with the spiciness of the sauce on the sous vide abalone.
Chefs Bruce and Eric Bromberg own Blue Ribbon Restaurants in New York. At a young age, they traveled to Provence, France. Eric then went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and graduated first in his class with the distinction to become the first American to teach classes at Le Cordon Bleu. Both brothers worked at restaurants in France and New York City then decided to open the original Blue Ribbon Brasserie in 1992 on Sullivan Street in Manhattan. Today, they oversee 19 properties from New York City to London.
Chef Bruce worked with Kona kampachi smoked with kiawe wood and served with roasted Maui onion and calamansi cream, spicy keiki cucumber, Waimea radish salad and guava sea salt.
A 2014 Weingut Gunderloch Estate Reisling Dry from Rheinhessen, Germany, was served and matched very well with the smokiness of the kampachi.
For the third course, chef Michelle Bernstein from Seagrape in Miami, Fla., served slow-cooked lobster with taro gnocchi and lobster nage. The lobster was cooked perfectly and not chewy, and the taro gnocchi was absolutely delectable.
Chef Michelle is a regular on TV shows such as “Top Chef” and “Good Morning America” and recently signed to be a host for a new weekly TV series call “SoFlo Taste,” which celebrates the food of South Florida.
Master sommelier Roberto chose a 2013 Camino Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands from California for the lobster course, of which there is only seven cases available in the entire state. That night, we consumed five cases, leaving only two cases somewhere in Hawaii.
Chef Nancy Silverton — creator of the wonderful bread at La Brea Bakery, currently owns Mozza Restaurant with partners Mario Batali and Joe Bastinich, as well as co-owner of Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, Newport Beach and Singapore, and also Mozza2Go and Chi Spacca in Los Angeles — was in charge of course four. She was given Big Island Berkshire pork “segeto” topped with lemon, capers and anchovies.
The wine served with the kurobuta was an excellent Pinot Noir, 2014 Kosta Browne from Russian River Valley, Calif.
Course 5 featured braised wagyu beef cheek and petite Big Island tenderloin with a mace-infused red wine reduction, heirloom baby carrot and roasted heart of palm by chef Hubert Keller of Fleur in Las Vegas. The beef was flavorful and tender, and the sauce was so wonderful I wanted to lick the plate.
Master sommelier Roberto chose a 2009 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany, Italy. A 100 percent Sangiovese grape, this wine was luscious and a perfect fit for the beef.
Chef Hubert (the “H” is silent) opened Burger Bar restaurants in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Beijing. He won James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: California,” has cooked for several United States presidents and was the first guest chef invited to the White House for the Clintons. Keller also has been a judge on “Top Chef” and a resident judge on “Top Chef: Just Desserts.”
The grand finale, dessert, featured chef Jayson Kanekoa of Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. A local boy, born in Kukuihaele, who attended Honokaa High School and worked his way up to become the executive chef at the Waikoloa Marriott, it made me feel very proud, especially when the dessert was presented. Gorgeous, delicious and innovative was all I could think as I ate the Waimea strawberries and cream cake with white chocolate ulu mousse.
A N.V Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Demi-Sec from Champagne, France, was picked to accompany dessert. It was slightly sweet but it matched perfectly.
Students from both campuses of the Hawaii Community College’s Culinary department assisted in plating the dishes. It was such a great experience for them to be working with such notable chefs.
Speaking of Hawaii Community College Culinary students, visit The Cafeteria through Friday and support the students. Thursday, Nov. 3, is Italian Day. Call 934-2559 for take-out orders.
Email me at audrey wilson808@gmail.com.
