Hawaii Hospitality November/December 2014 - (Page 26)

Entering the CHEFZONE Y. Hata unveils its one-stop melting pot for business and culinary concepts BY CATHERINE CRUZ-GEORGE PHOTOS BY GREG YAMAMOTO 26 W alk into any membership warehouse club on Oahu, and there's a good chance that you, food operator, can't find certain ingredients because other shoppers grabbed them before you did. Frustrating, isn't it? Perhaps it's time to visit ChefZone, a cash-and-carry wholesale club scheduled to open in November. The club, located in the airport industrial area, carries more than 6,000 food supplies and Hawaii Hospitality November/December 2014 ■ equipment, and 35,000 specialty items straight from the suppliers. Here's the best part: Membership in ChefZone is free, exclusive to nonprofit groups and food operators. In other words, off-limits to regular shoppers. Business partners Cora Stevens and Harris Sukita plan to use ChefZone for their company, Simply Ono, which operates lunchwagons on Punchbowl Street and University of Hawaii campuses. Sukita is excited about the vast array of offerings. "If the price is right, we'll buy veal or a pallet of mushrooms or whatever, and be creative," he says. "Our menu isn't etched in stone, and that's how we operate to keep our head above the red line." If ChefZone lives up to its expectations, the club will be the go-to place for items ranging from bakery goods and produce, to cleaning supplies and ethnic foods. Health-conscious customers will be happy to find glutenfree and organic foods among the aisles.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality November/December 2014

HRA Hall of Fame
Ilikai Hotel
Timeshares
Pop-Up Restaurants
Diverse Travelers
Mobile Room Service
Guest Services
News Briefs
The ChefZone
Talk Story
At the Table

Hawaii Hospitality November/December 2014