Kaua‘i residents were all smiles and appetites-at-the-ready for the 22nd Annual Taste of Hawai‘i, a fundraiser put on by The Rotary Club of Kapa‘a at Smith’s Tropical Paradise. This year’s event boasted 50 chefs from restaurants around Hawai‘i, over a
Kaua‘i residents were all smiles and appetites-at-the-ready for the 22nd Annual Taste of Hawai‘i, a fundraiser put on by The Rotary Club of Kapa‘a at Smith’s Tropical Paradise.
This year’s event boasted 50 chefs from restaurants around Hawai‘i, over a dozen beverage vendors, a boutique auction and music to boot.
This year’s event Chef Chairs were event founder Jean-Marie Josselin and Alan Wong.
The event has become a tradition since its onset in 1988, renowned for the ability to sample an array of the island’s best culinary delights. The $75 ticket included an all-you-can-eat buffet, with memorable highlights presented each year. Guests recalled Taste of Hawai‘i’s from those previous, comparing this year’s gastronomic successes to the classics from years past, including dishes like hurricane cheesecake, and the shrimp wrapped in pancetta from Kaua‘i Pasta.
Over the years the Kapa‘a Rotary’s philanthropic efforts have included donations to the Kapa‘a Middle School band, working with the Boys& Girls Club, culinary-scholarship donations, offerings of Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas presents to Child and Family Services, production of a water-safety video that aired at the Lihu’e Airport, providing clean water worldwide, as well as being part of a global initiative to end polio.
