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| Friday May 09, 2008 |
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Maui! Wowie! It's Aloha… The 9 AM flight out of JFK safely landed us at LAX where Cheri, our FabulousTravel.com and FabulousFoods.com editor/publisher, came over and picked us up to enjoy some "only-in-LA" tasty Mexican food on the waters of Marina del Rey. We talked story. We enjoyed a pitcher of margaritas too. Our assignment was to travel to Maui, attend the Master Chefs series at the Fairmont Kea Lani and report back. This is tough work! Less than five hours later, we touched down at Maui's snazzy (and big) airport, picked up a car and arrived at our destination for the next five days--the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea.
The first morning, I composed this song. Sing along like Dino. When the sun hits your eye… Like a great big Mai Tai… It's…Aloha! This time of year (you can stop singing now--or not) mother whales off your lanai (all suites at the Kea Lani have balconies) can be seen frolicking with their young'ens--teaching them some tricks. As you sip a mug of bracing Hawaiian wowie-coffee your senses go into high gear and it's off you go--to explore! That first day, we were treated to a tour of upcountry farms in and around Kula, part-way up majestic Mt. Haleakala, about 2,500 feet above the sea where the whales frolicked outside our lanai.
This IS history, as far as I'm concerned. Food in Hawaii changed because of these genius foodies. Here they all were, in the '80's, in Hawaii. They were and are, fabulous cooks. They knew Hawaii could and did grow incredible edibles--they wanted them, they got them--or helped develop them. The synergy took off! The twelve of them began forming alliances with local growers to provide them with greens, lamb, seafood, herbs, fruits, beef, nuts, and on and on. HRC was born and lives on today via the restaurants they own and operate (sometimes all over the world), cookbooks, television shows and numerous James Beard Foundation Awards. They have a BIG following, including--me.
Rick and I saw before our very eyes the edibles he was brokering on his cell phone. There were golden pea shoots, corn sprouts, and hydroponic greens we'd savor the next few days at Kea Lani--served up by four of my HRC idols. Pineapples! Pineapples come in many hybrids now and the one most edible for eating out of hand is the Hawaiian Gold. It's been bred to contain less acid, making its natural sweetness seem even more heavenly. I had six chunks. Rick would still be there if it weren't for the next big treat--lunch at the Hali'imaile General Store with chef/owner Beverly Gannon. I've known Bev for several years now and consider her one of the sisters I never had. She and her husband Joe bought the old general store at Hali'imaile in the 1980's and decided to open a catering/take-out business. The day it opened, a multitude showed up and just sat down and began eating. The restaurant was born and in 2002 it's THE dining destination in upcountry Maui--and a destination dining place for multitudes from all over the world that continually throng to this homey, delicious haven part way up Mt. Haleakala.
Nurturing, Bev-Style Other than our morning Kona coffee and the pineapple chunks devoured from the field out front, we really hadn't eaten that day. Bev knows hungry souls when she sees them. The restaurant was full that noon. She would ultimately feed about 300 people, just for lunch. Dinner would be equally well attended.
By the time dessert rolled around I was reduced to monosyllabic moans and Rick had called 911 to reach Weight Watchers. But, desserts did arrive. We dug in--even Bev who said, "I never eat these things". But, who could resist these justifiably famous creations by their daughter Teresa Gannon, the pastry chef supreme at Hali'imaile and Joe's Bar and Grill in Wailea. Her take on pineapple upside-down cake alone is worth the flight to Maui. We kissed goodbye, knowing we'd be savoring more of Bev's treats soon. She was to be one of the four original HRC chefs featured at the Kea Lani's Master Chef Series the next two days along with: The Big Island's chef/owner of the landmark Oodles of Noodles, Amy Ferguson-Ota, the other dazzling female original HRC founder. Mark Ellman of fabled bygone Avalon (the original HRC restaurant) and now--Penne Pasta Cafe in Lahaina and Maui Tacos on the Islands, and even here in NYC. Georges Mavrothalassitis (drink a couple of Mai Tais and say that three times) is the Master Chef who proudly presides over his dream restaurant, Chef Mavro, in Honolulu. And, just so we could keep our weight up for summer, mouthwatering desserts were created for the event by Chef Mark Okumura of Alan Wong's in Honolulu. The two-day event would all be made possible and seemingly easy by Fairmont Kea Lani Executive Chef Tylun Pang. This man is a saint!
Back down at Kea Lani I snuck off next door to the Grand Wailea Resort and indulged in a traditional Hawaiian lomi lomi massage at their spa. This place rivals Pompeii in its heyday. Relaxed and somehow hungry again (could be the fresh sea air) we got ready for dinner and went downstairs to Nick's Fishmarket, one of four dining venues at Kea Lani. We were dazzled when we were served baby corn shoots. Maybe we had just seen them that morning up in Kula. But, this is just a prelude. The real "work" began on our second day - the first cooking demonstration - followed by lunch at the food festival.
After strolling through the Lahaina arts and crafts market, under the biggest Banyan tree you'll ever see, we enjoyed another first time treat--a visit to the Maui Ocean Center in Maalaea. Every imaginable critter from the waters around Hawaii is represented in this amazing place. You can dine there, shop and fall in love all over again with Maui--my dream home of homes. Dates for the next Fairmont Kea Lani Food & Wine Masters are October 11 & 12, 2002. This time, Alan Wong will be the featured chef. His restaurant in Honolulu is a destination unto itself and a little bird told me he will soon be opening a spot in West Maui (think Ritz, think Carlton). Other chef(s) to be determined, however, you know they too will be fabulous. For information call 800-441-1414 or 808-875-4100. Website: www.fairmont.com. Recipes from the Masters of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine!Practicalities
More About Hawaii
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Home
is New York City. Maui is also home--in my dreamiest of dreams. You've
read about me raving about Maui before here at Fabuloustravel.com, and
here I go again. The sizzling, laid-back love affair continues… Maui,
Spring break, 2002 
Roy
Okimoto, who partners in his family's booming business, Local Island
Fresh Edibles, took us to the farms that supply his business.
A business encouraged by 12 of my heroes--the original men and women (two
of them) who bonded together in the early 1990's to form what would become
Hawaii Regional Cuisine (HRC). 
Roy's
family's company is one of the many success stories that have blossomed
in the process. What Roy showed us were examples of farms that were developed
on Maui, and also throughout the Hawaiian Islands. His company is based
on Oahu (think, Honolulu). He's a middleman and organizes the produce
into quickly-shipped greens, herbs, and other exotic edibles that arrive
at chic restaurants and hotels all over the Islands. They also show up
at local super market chains and farmers markets to rev up the kitchens
of locals and visiting "condo cooks". All this was unheard-of before HRC.
After
the farm touring, Wes Nohara, Maui Pineapple Company's Plantation
Manager gave us another treat--a tour of the local Upcountry Maui pineapple
fields. I knew what was in store and couldn't wait for Rick to try a freshly
cut Maui pineapple, right from the field--woof, woof! 
Bev is a nurturer and a wonderful hostess and her food and restaurant
reflect this.
On
the way back to Wailea we made a visit to one of my Maui-must-stops, the
visual arts center Hui No'eau headquartered in the original
Baldwin Estate (think Michener's Hawaii). This will be
the place where I paint, learn pottery and explore other visual art forms
when I eventually retire to Maui. It's open to the public and offers wonderful
exhibits of Island artists. There is a great gift shop and views that
will make you cry. 
During
the next few days we drove over to Kapalua to say hello to Clifford Nae'ole,
an old friend, and drove back down to Lahaina and savored a nice Sunday
brunch at Cheeseburgers in Paradise, with an incredible
view of Lanai just across the water. Sometimes after all the great HRC
cuisine it's also good to tuck into a nice burger and some fries.