Watch: What You Should Eat When Visiting Hawaii
Hawaii Can Sure Teach Us A Thing Or Two About Sustainability.
The Hawaii Food and Wine Festival is not just a festival of food. It’s a celebration of ʻohana and the aloha spirit. It’s bringing family and friends together to enjoy the delicious Hawaiian bounty and learn all about what our great state has to offer.
Last year, when I attended the festival, I got to speak with the festival founders chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi about the origins of the festival and why it’s so important for them to spread the word about Hawaiian Ag tourism. We talk a lot about sustainability and farm-to-table here in California, but for Hawaii, it’s not just a trend, it’s a way of life.
Here’s a staggering fact: Hawaii currently imports over 85-90% of its food supply. This makes the island state incredibly vulnerable to natural disasters. The tsunami that happened a couple of years ago in Japan, could very well happen in Hawaii. That is just one of the many reasons why it’s even that much more important for them to be self-sufficient and create a sustainable food supply.
It all starts with education. Various agricultural foundations and culinary academies serve as beneficiaries of the festival.
If you have ever thought about vacationing in Hawaii, I encourage you to plan your trip in late summer when the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival takes place. Attend one of the many festival events, and allow yourself to enjoy local foods and exotic dishes prepared by both local chefs and chefs from around the world.
Backyard Bite with chef Celestino Drago
I attended various events, over the course of a week. All slightly different, all very fun and all immensely delicious. I got to sample foods I had never tasted before and it truly opened my eyes and palate. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii next year, make sure you consider going in September and attend the festival!
Click the event links below to see pictures of last year’s events and get a taste of what you might expect:
Fish and Poi Lunch at the Lo’i
Also, read about where you can stay when visiting Oahu!
Aulani’s private beach resort
[I was a guest of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau and their partners. Mahalo for having me as your guest. All opinions expressed are my own.]
