CHEW ON THIS
Restaurant Report

Marquee-value chefs
to visit the islands

---

Star-Bulletin staff

Several chefs with serious marquee value will be visiting the kitchens of island restaurants over the next few weeks.

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's Sept. 17 dinner at Roy's in Hawaii Kai is nearly one-third sold out, with little advance publicity.

The guru of contemporary Japanese fusion will cook alongside Hawaii chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, as well as Yuuji Wakiya, one of Japan's masters of Chinese cuisine.

Cost of the seven-course meal is $150, which includes wines paired by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat in California's Santa Maria Valley. Reservations are limited to 350; 200 seats are already taken. Call 396-7697.

Also cooking with Yamaguchi will be Ron Siegel of Masa's in San Francisco, the contemporary French restaurant founded by chef Masataka Kobayashi. Siegel will be the guest chef at dinners Oct. 1 in Hawaii Kai and Oct. 3 at Roy's Kihei on Maui. He and Yamaguchi will be joined by Hiroshi Fukui of Honolulu's L'Uraku for both six-course meals, each chef preparing two dishes, paired with wines.

The two Roy's dinners share a connection through the cult TV cooking show "Iron Chef." Both Siegel and Wakiya were challengers on the show, and Siegel holds the distinction of being the only American chef to win his battle (secret ingredient: lobster). Wakiya appeared twice on the show, winning once (papaya) and losing once (sea urchin).

Price details on the Seigel dinners are not yet finalized.

Another culinary all-star, Lee Hefter of Spago Beverly Hills, presents signature dinners Sept. 14 and 15 at the Lodge at Koele as part of the Lanai Visiting Artists Program. Cost is $75.

Winemaker Clendenon will pair wines for the meal (at additional cost) as a prelude to his appearance at the Nobu's dinner at Roy's. He will also host a wine tasting at 4 p.m. on the 14th, and Hefter will host a cooking demonstration at 3:30 p.m. on the 15th. Both events are free. Call 800-321-4666.

'Return to Paradise'

Hilton Waikoloa Village is hosting a monthlong series of culinary events in September. "Kani Ka Pila: A Return to Paradise" showcases Hawaiian food and farms:

Kona Coffee Plantation Tour and Chocolate Demonstration: The Hilton's executive pastry chef, David Brown, and a guide from Hawaii Forest & Trail will lead a tour of modern and historic coffee farms, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 2. The day includes a gourmet picnic lunch and a chocolate demonstration at Kailua Candy Co. Cost is $75.

Classic Desserts Made Simple: Brown will teach the making of crème brûlée, crêpes and soufflés in a hands-on workshop, 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 9, at the Hilton's Water's Edge. Cost is $45, including champagne and port wine tasting.

Upcountry Chef's Tour: Executive chef Wilhelm Pirngruber leads a tour of the ranch lands of Kamuela, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 21. The tour will visit Parker Ranch, Waimea town, local farms and Habein's Livestock Co. Cost is $75, including a paniolo-style lunch featuring Habein's Kamuela Pride beef.

The Chef's Table: Pirngruber leads a back-of-house tour of the kitchens that prepare 5,000 meals daily for Hilton guests, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 23. Cost is $55, including cooking demonstration and four-course lunch.

Reservations are required for all events. Call 808-886-1234 or visit www.rtparadise.com.

Garden of Eatin'

They're planting a Garden of Eatin' at Kaanapali to mark the 10th anniversary of "Maui Chefs Present," the traditional opening event of A Taste of Lahaina.

This dinner and cocktail party takes place at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.

The 14 participating restaurants will set up minigardens from which they'll serve their dishes, accented with live music and wines selected to match the food.

Sushi will be served in a Japanese Zen garden as taiko drums play; antipasti will be served in an Italian herb garden to the accompaniment of a string quartet.

Participating chefs: Pierre Bellon, Manele Bay Hotel; Beverly Gannon, Haliimaile General Store; Jon Benson, Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa; Keith Endo, Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar; Brendan Mahoney, Maui Marriott Resort; James McDonald, Pacific'O; Thomas Muramoto, Kaanapali Beach Resort; Christian Jorgenson, Westin Maui; Michael Gallagher, Seahouse Restaurant; Stephen Marshall and Marshall Ciborowski, Ritz Carlton Kapalua; Konrad Winder, Fish & Game Brewing Co. & Rotisserie; Brandon Shim and Lokelani Nagata, Tommy Bahama's; Alex Stanislaw, Plantation House Restaurant; Bobby Masters, Hula Grill.

Tickets are $95, which includes valet parking, entertainment and silent auction. A portion of the proceeds benefits Maui community groups. Call 808-667-9193.

A Taste of Lahaina, a benefit for Maui youth groups, takes place 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 14 and 15. Call 888-310-1117.

New on the menu

Celebrating 20 years: Auntie Pasto's on Beretania Street is marking its 20th anniversary with a new lunch menu, featuring two hearty Italian sandwiches. Selling for $6.26 are a beef sandwich on a ciabatta bun and a Sicilian sub with proscuitto, salami, provolone and tomatoes. New salads include a fresh peach and proscuitto mix and spinach with fennel. New dinner specials are Italian pot roast (Mondays), lasagna (Tuesdays), gnocchi (Wednesdays), special roast (Thursdays), fresh fish (Fridays), osso bucco (Saturdays) and chicken cacciatore (Sundays). Call 523-8855.

Sunrise special: A continental breakfast buffet has been added to the repertoire at the open-air Moana Terrace in the renovated Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort. Fruits, baked goods, juices, yogurt, hot cereal with dried fruit, dry cereals, milk and hot beverages are offered. Buffet hours are 6:30 to 10 a.m. daily. Cost is $9.95, $5.95 children. Call 922-6611.

Click for online
calendars and events.