Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2014 - (Page 21)

Hawaii's Food and Beverage Beverage SUPERSTA SUPERSTARS BY LEE SCHALLER This is part three in a series highlighting Hawaii's food and beverage superstars who are bringing home national and international awards while increasing awareness of what the Islands have to offer. Winning Big and Giving Back From a home-grown bakery and an "aloha-style" food truck to the legendary members of Hawaii's elite dining scene and rising young stars of the food and beverage domain, there are unique new ambassadors of aloha out there. They are being recognized on prestigious national television cooking shows, and they are competing and winning in the international arena. But they never forget where they come from. They teach, mentor and raise funds as well as awareness for local farming and culinary programs. They help create and host food and wine festivals and other stellar events that bring the world's leading chefs, mixologists and cookbook authors to Hawaii, which also attract international attention, as well as visitors. We offer a sampling of the latest local superstars to be featured on national TV, plus those who have been awarded international recognition, and those who are doing rock-star work right here at home. Our International Iron Chef The youngest chef ever to be featured on The Next Food Network Star, Philip "Ippy" Aiona, a hands-down favorite with both fans and judges, was a finalist after a grueling eighth season of the popular TV show. The Big Island chef also was selected to represent the U. S. in the International Iron Chef Competition at the "Hot & Spicy Food Festival" at Harbourfront Centre Toronto, Canada. And he won! Judges for the competition, which was hosted by Iron Chef America's Kevin Brauch, agreed that, "Chef Ippy's creativity deserves recognition, which is what earned him the prestigious International Iron Chef title." Chef Ippy, who owns The Three Fat Pigs Restaurant and Gastropub and the Thirsty Wolf Lounge in Waikoloa, also has been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the "Best 30 Under 30 in Food and Wine." Not bad for a 25 year old. Chef Philip "Ippy" Aiona www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com 21 http://www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2014

News Briefs
Are You Inspection Ready?
Lanai: Small Island, Big Aloha
Great Restaurants: W Bistro
Talk Story with George Szigeti
Small-scale Sustainability
Out of Sight, Not out of Mind
Food & Beverage SuperStars
Taking the Lead: Sales & Marketing
Jaclyn Loo of Google Inc.
Clean Talk
Association News

Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2014