Chef Mavro, the stand alone restaurant owned and operated by George Mavrothalassitis at 1969 So. King St., has earned an AAA Five Diamond Award for 2009, becoming Hawaii's first independent, non-hotel restaurant to win the distinction.

”;You know it is not my five diamond ... it totally belongs to all my team,”; he told the Star-Bulletin.

Chef Mavro joins internationally renowned restaurants such as French Laundry in California and Alinea in Chicago and acclaimed restaurateurs including Gary Danko, Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon in the AAA  Five Diamond upper crust.

Mavrothalassitis was executive chef at Halekulani when La Mer restaurant earned its first Five Diamond award 19 years ago. Chef Mavro is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Other Hawaii five diamond restaurants are Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu; The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua; Four Seasons Resort, Maui at Wailea; La Mer (in the Halekulani Hotel, Oahu), Honolulu.