Being the owner-chef of Chef Mavro, one of Hawaii's top restaurants is plenty of work, but George Mavrothalassitis finds time and energy to do more. He recently returned from the prestigious James Beard House in the Big Apple. George and eight other top chefs in the U.S. were invited to cook a course to mark Beard House pillar Mildred Amico's 22 years as program director “;maestro.”; Each chef cooked a course. George whipped up Big Island Abalone Ceviche which inspired the other chefs to ask for ordering details. George and three of the eight others are James Beard award winners. Here at home, George is in partnership with the culinary non-profit Hale 'Aina 'Ohana, and has launched “;Restaurant Reality”; to bring students into the day-to-day restaurant experience. Braden Hiraoka and Charles Devaney were the first students who took part in the program March 24-25. They were selected from the Kauai Community College culinary program. Their instructor, Chef Mark Oyama, was invited to come with them. Their experience covered four Restaurant Reality segments: “;The Kitchen,”; “;Sourcing,”; “;Service,”; and “;The Guest Experience.”; “;I want to show Hawaii culinary students that they can be part of world-class restaurants right here in the Islands,”; George said. “;Anything is possible! Inviting students into our kitchen is natural. We have a culinary laboratory going on in our kitchen every day anyways as we're always experimenting with new techniques and flavors.”; The students and Oyama received a dinner at Chef Mavro to cap their two days. Beside everything George does, he finds time to cook breakfast daily for his wife and “;right arm”; Donna Jung. What a guy ...

Percussionist Pancho Sanchez and his band will bring Latin rhythms to Blaisdell Concert Hall 8 p.m. April 24-25, for Honolulu Symphony Toyota Pops concerts. Sanchez broke into the limelight at 23 when he joined vibraphonist Cal Tjader's famed Latin jazz ensemble in 1975. He performed with Tjader until his death in 1982. Conductor Matt Catingub has landed trumpet man DeShannon Higa for the Sanchez concerts ... Two slack-key masters will be on stage 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kani Ka Pila Grille. Cyril Pahinui is celebrating his birthday and has invited musician friends, including Ledward Kaapana, to join him at his regular Wednesday gig at Outrigger Reef on the Beach ...

Emme Tomimbang's encore production of “;John A. Burns: The Man and His Times”; will be repeated tomorrow, 4 p.m., on KHON2. It's an excellent program. During this 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood and, coincidentally, the 100th year of Burns' birth, Emme has updated this encore presentation with an introduction by Burns' son, retired Judge Jim Burns. Emme had no trouble landing Jim as he's her husband ...

Artists Hiroshi Tagami and Michael Powell are having an art show today and tomorrow at their Kahaluu spread, 47-754 Laumaula Road, 11 a.m to 4 p.m. ... Margaret Murchie marked her birthday Tuesday at the Outrigger Canoe Club with fellow real estaters and friends. Her parents, Don and Helen Murchie, came here from Canada. Don was a Canadian Air Force WWII fighter pilot ...