PO‘IPU — The vog that veiled the island late last week did some good Saturday afternoon.
“People build houses of silk over actors and people being filmed to soften the light,” Michael Harris said to a group of staff members of the Sheraton Kaua‘i who had gathered to watch the event taking place outside the resort’s dining room. “The vog does the same thing, naturally. Vog is good.”
Harris was the videographer who was directing the taping of a “Cooking with Chai” segment Saturday afternoon featuring some dishes prepared by Sheraton Kaua‘i Chef Ed Mizuno.
“Food shows are a big thing with people,” said Hans Stierli, a chef visiting the Po‘ipu property from the Westin Whistler in British Columbia, Canada. “Since the Food Network came on the scene, people love to watch food shows.”
Stierli was on a guest tour of a sister property and the culinary department lost little time utilizing his talents while trying to instill some of the unique Kaua‘i cuisine on the visiting chef.
Ikaika Manaku, another of the Sheraton Kaua‘i chefs, said they had Stierli helping them Saturday morning when the Sheraton culinary department prepared breakfast for some 1,300 walkers at the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
Mizuno utilized some Kaua‘i products in preparing dishes, some of which are currently on the resort’s dining menu, and others on the consideration list for possible inclusion in the future.
The Australian Wagyu Beef Totoki Sushi is currently on the appetizer menu, Mizuno said to the show’s host, Chef Chai Chaowasaree.
Chaowasaree, in addition to being the host to the weekly cooking show, owns two restaurants on O‘ahu: Chai’s Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine.
Mizuno’s second preparation, a combined appetizer, featured Sunrise Papaya, Roasted Moloa‘a Pineapple, Kunana Goat Cheese and Kekaha Shrimp. Both dishes were garnished using micro greens produced by a local organic farmer and Hawaiian salt from Salt Pond.
Tia Graham, the resort’s director of sales and marketing, said the show was arranged by the Starwood Hawai‘i main office and in addition to featuring the cooking of Mizuno, would also highlight some of the resort’s features with Richard Velazquez of AAA.
Her segment included taking Mizuno’s creations and discussing the resort’s Dining Out Under the Stars, the only one of its type on Kaua‘i’s South Shore, Graham said.
“This is all good,” Velazquez said. “But after everything’s done, Chai and I are going to change clothes and head for Hamura’s. This is a good night for noodles.”
Graham said the segment is scheduled to air in two weeks on KHON Channel 2 on Sunday starting at 5 p.m.
Her enthusiasm was only dampened when Harris announced that because of how everything fell into place, there would probably be no need for Graham and her staff to fly to Honolulu to finalize the taping.
Blame it on the vog.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
