Let’s Get Cooking
Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo
Each year, the Hawaiʻi Hotel and Restaurant Show brings together the tourism and food service industries for two days in Honolulu, where networking and collaboration happen, and where innovative ideas, new products and the latest in sustainable business practices can be shared and appreciated.
And each year, this in-demand event — a partnership between Hawaiʻi Lodging and Tourism Association and Honolulu Star-Advertiser — keeps outdoing itself.
“For nearly a decade, we have unquestionably been the premier hospitality trade show in Hawaiʻi,” says HLTA president and CEO Mufi Hannemann, “and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.”
Scheduled for June 17 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) and 18 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, the 2026 edition will cast the spotlight on apprentice chefs from Kapiʻolani Community College’s renowned culinary program. It will also feature first-time international exhibitor Yamamoto North America, a heavy-duty industrial laundry equipment manufacturer with headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan, and with U.S. operations based in Bloomington, Illinois, and Plymouth, Michigan.
“The KCC connection is very important to us because that is where the next Roy Yamaguchi, the next Sam Choy, the next Alan Wong is going to come from,” says Hannemann, who announced his retirement from HLTA last month and plans to step down once a successor is found. “The school has its chefs in training, and we’ll give them an opportunity to showcase their talents during our stage presentations each day of the show.
“But we’re also excited about having Yamamoto North America demonstrate the latest technology with washing machines and dryers,” he adds.
Of course, there’s even more happening at the upcoming expo as a number of new faces will be joining the usual throng of 300-plus vendors. (See related story on page 15.) According to Hannemann, “at least two dozen new businesses” have signed up for the trade show — a good indication that the hospitality and food sectors remain committed to this annual spectacle.
“When we started the Hawaiʻi Hotel and Restaurant Show years ago, we wanted to make this not only the premier trade show in Hawaiʻi, but the best hospitality trade show in the Indo-Pacific, too. I think we’ve done that,” notes Hannemann, adding that many big-name vendors, including event sponsors such as Sysco Hawaiʻi, Avendra, Domino’s Hawaiʻi and Coca-Cola Hawaiʻi, are once again a part of the show.
“It’s all about locally made products, locally made businesses and being more supportive of tourism. We have to practice a resilience type of tourism that depends on what I call destination management to make sure that local people are at the table benefiting from tourism,” he continues. “That’s where (in-person) pop-up mākeke come up, and that’s where shows like ours come up, where we’re showcasing local businesses that have products that are very marketable here, and also for people to take as omiyage when they go back to the mainland or to Asia.”
One of the expo’s defining characteristics is the forum it provides for both seasoned and novice chefs. Last year, well-known vegan chef Lillian Cumic was asked to perform live cooking demonstrations and this year, that responsibility falls on several of KCC’s chefs in training.
The school’s culinary program is acclaimed for its internationally recognized curriculum guided by famous chefs. It’s also celebrated for its award-winning competition teams that have captured top honors at the American Culinary Federation’s national and regional championships. But most importantly, it’s appreciated for its high job-placement success.
KCC offers two-year degrees in pastry arts, culinary arts and institutional food service, as well as certificates of competence and certificates of achievement, and campus officials are particularly proud of the hands-on experience students receive thanks to the school’s modern innovation labs, travel abroad opportunities and on-site food service.
To its credit, the college has a big-picture outlook for graduates, encouraging them “to go and explore outside of Hawaiʻi,” says Grant Itomitsu, chairperson for the Culinary Arts Department.
“A lot of people in Hawaiʻi talk about brain drain,” he adds, “but for us it’s more like our graduates get to go away and develop additional skills.”
Itomitsu points to examples such as Robynne Maii, chef-owner of Fête in Chinatown and the 2022 James Beard Award winner who obtained her culinary and pastry degrees at KCC.
“She went to New York at first, but now she’s back,” he says. “So, I think it’s good for our students’ growth and that’s why we do a lot of travel abroad programs to give them time to explore and, if nothing else, get them excited about the world of cooking.”
Part of the culinary program’s success can be attributed to the many scholarships offered to incoming students in all fields. This includes the Lunalilo Scholar Program, a project developed to guide and assist at-risk students in their first year at the school. Aside from providing financial help, it offers services such as peer-mentor support and a summer bridge program to better prepare students for college-level academics.
Since its launch in 2012, LSP scholarships have been awarded to more than 900 students with particular preference given to those of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
“While you don’t have to be Native Hawaiian to be accepted, we try to actively recruit those of Native Hawaiian ancestry because they’re underrepresented in higher education,” says program director LaVache Scanlan.
But beyond offering a pivotal bridge to marginalized communities, LSP is valuable because it presents non-college-bound students with a viable path forward.
“It’s an opportunity for those who may have once thought they weren’t college material,” Scanlan explains. “(With the scholarship), they can just focus on the college experience and see if it’s a good fit for them.”
Two former KCC culinary students and LSP beneficiaries are Amanda Tabadero and Reymar Morales.
Tabadero was a part of the KCC culinary program’s fifth cohort a decade ago; Morales was a member of the seventh cohort in 2018-2019. Both were born and raised in the islands — Tabadero in Kāneʻohe, and Morales in Kalihi — and both developed a love for cooking early on.
“I remember cooking alongside my mom at a very young age, and whether it was boxed cake mix or brownie cake mix, I just loved getting that little bit of leftover to eat from the spatula,” Tabadero recalls.
That interest only grew once she entered intermediate and high school, where she found herself taking home economics and culinary classes.
“I always felt like this would be a great skill to have and develop, especially because cooking helps to nourish the body,” Tabadero explains. “But I also felt like it was very necessary because a lot of people in my class really didn’t know how to cook for themselves, and I thought that not only could cooking be sustainable for me, but it could also be very profitable.”
Today, Tabadero is a highly regarded pastry chef who’s probably best known for her tenure at Breadshop in Kaimukī, as well as for her time working with Hana Quon, an award-winning pastry chef.
“That is where I really developed more of my love for baking, especially with artisanal bread as well as croissants,” says Tabadero, adding that she has a particular soft spot for making maritozzo, the traditional Italian sweet bun.
As for Morales, he credits his grandmother for his immense appreciation for food.
“Kudos to her — she’s in heaven right now — but she just made me love cooking,” he says. “Growing up, I’d come home to her and she would be cooking Filipino food and that would inspire me.”
After graduating from KCC, Morales spent a few years in Southern California perfecting his craft at the Michelin-recognized NINE-TEN Restaurant and Bar in La Jolla. These days, he can be found at Tangö Contemporary Café in Honolulu, where he serves as the lead cook. In the coming weeks, though, he says he’ll be promoted to sous chef.
“Food brings people together in a way where it’s a love language,” says Morales, who enjoys making steak frites as much as he loves whipping up a gourmet version of Spam, eggs and rice.
Above all, he’s appreciative of the training he received at KCC and the scholarship that helped turn his dream career into a reality.
“If it wasn’t for the Lunalilo scholarship, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” says Morales. “It gave me a nice hope, and I’ve grown so much from where I started to where I am right now.”
That same hope remains among the next batch of KCC apprentice chefs, and Hannemann is thrilled that the upcoming expo will give them a platform to show off their burgeoning cooking and baking talents.
“The purpose of the Hawaiʻi Hotel and Restaurant Show is to demonstrate that the best talent is right here in our backyard,” Hannemann says. “This talent is never going to stop emerging, and our partnership with KCC is an opportunity for us to demonstrate that time and time again.”
New Vendors Part of ’26 Expo
The upcoming 2026 Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show will feature hundreds of exhibitors, including many first-time vendors who will be showcasing their wares at the annual top-tier hospitality trade event — scheduled for Wednesday, June 17 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Thursday, June 18 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.
MidWeek caught up with four newcomers to get their impressions about this year’s show.
Daguzan – Charcuterie, founder/owner
“Daguzan Charcuterie has been in operation since 2024. We are known for creating handcrafted French-style charcuterie using 100% locally sourced Hawai‘i ingredients. We focus on combining old-world French techniques with Hawai‘i’s unique terroir, while supporting local farmers and turning invasive axis deer into premium gourmet products.
“One of the best features of the Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show is the opportunity to discover innovative local products and connect directly with the people behind them. For us, it is a great platform to introduce our Moloka‘i Venison Pâté and other products to hospitality professionals who value quality, sustainability and locally sourced ingredients.”
Ele Kaua‘i, owner
“Ele Kaua‘i has been in operation since 2009 and is known for creating elevated home and body products inspired by the beauty and lifestyle of Kaua‘i. Our collections include candles, body care, room and linen sprays, perfumes, shampoos, conditioners, and gift sets designed to bring a sense of island luxury and everyday ritual into the home.
“The Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show brings together many of the people and businesses that shape Hawai‘i’s hospitality industry. One of the best features of the show is the opportunity to connect face-to-face with industry professionals in one collaborative space. It creates an environment where local businesses can showcase innovation, build meaningful partnerships and support the continued growth of Hawai‘i’s hospitality industry.”
Aloha Star 100% Kona Coffee Farm, co-founders and managers
“We are an award-winning, family-owned Kona coffee farm in Hawai‘i’s South Kona District, carefully and sustainably producing authentic, estate-grown specialty 100% Kona coffee, since 2013. From seed to cup, we hand-pick, sun-dry, small-batch mill and artisan-roast every bean here on our farm, ensuring unmatched quality, freshness and authentic 100% Kona Coffee flavor.
“This event presents a significant opportunity to engage with prospective wholesale clients within the hospitality sector who are seeking high-quality, Hawai‘i-made products for their establishments. Our participation increases our credibility among the show attendees. It’s a big honor for us.”
