LIHUE — Kauai Community College student Angela-Rhey Ventura said all of her fellow culinary arts program students are participating in the Poipu Food and Wine Festival.
“We’re all involved doing something,” Ventura said. “The Culinary Club will be doing the Chef’s Demo Wednesday, and the rest of us are helping at the other events as well as at the Brunch, Poipu Style, at the Poipu (Bay) Golf Course.”
Presented by the Poipu Beach Resort Association, the Poipu Food and Wine Festival runs from Wednesday through Nov. 12, and celebrates the island’s diverse culinary resources and talents while supporting the culinary arts program at KCC.
“The students and culinary arts program are the beneficiaries,” said Chef Martina Hilldorfer of KCC. “They’ll be doing a dish Wednesday which will be available for shoppers to purchase, with the proceeds benefiting the culinary arts students.”
Wednesday’s event celebrates Hawaiian regional cuisine available at the Kauai Culinary Market, a partnership with the Kauai County Farm Bureau and The Shops at Kukuiula.
Amid the live entertainment and wide variety of locally grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and coffee, as well as spices, jams and more, the KCC students will create braised Makaweli beef with tequila lime grilled Kauai Shrimp on creamy polenta.
The dish utilizing Kauai-grown
ingredients and showcasing the students’ skills will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the college’s program.
More student talent, this time from the Waimea High School culinary class with teacher Kui Souza, will be in the spotlight Friday when the Flavors of Poipu opens from 5:30 p.m. at The Shops at Kukuiula.
Souza’s Waimea culinary team will partner with Chef Mavro of Oahu and Chef Ben Takahashi of The Club at Kukuiula to present local delicacies served street-food style along with outdoor beer and wine gardens at the pau hana party. Other participating in this popular Flavors event include Eating House 1849, and Kauai’s best bartender highlighting Koloa Rum creations.
Food aficionados are invited to participate in hands-on cooking classes with some of the region’s top chefs in their kitchens. Admission to the classes, led by The Club at Kukuiula, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the Lanai, Eating House 1849, and Tortilla Republic, is limited, and those interested are encouraged to register early.
The Poipu Food and Wine Festival comes to a head next Sunday during Brunch, Poipu Style, at the Poipu Bay Golf Course at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &Spa from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
KCC culinary arts students will join with participating Grand Hyatt Ilima Terrace, Keoki’s Paradise, Koa Kea Resort, Lappert’s Hawaii, Living Foods Gourmet Market, Cafe and Juice Bar, The Wine Shop and others in presenting an outdoor brunch with some of the island’s finest chefs. Each participant will receive signature recipe cards from the participating chefs in the Poipu Food and Wine Festival.
Info: 742-7444, info@poipubeach.org
