By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)-– The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival (HFWF), the state’s premier culinary event now in its third year, presented checks to five local nonprofit beneficiaries totaling $210,000 on Monday, February 4, in a special presentation at Kapi‘olani Community College’s Ka ‘Ikena dining room.
The net proceeds raised during the 2012 festival went to the Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation ($80,000), Culinary Institute of the Pacific ($80,000), Leeward Community College Culinary Arts Program ($30,000), Paepae o He‘eia ($10,000), and Papahana Kuaola ($10,000). Since its inception in 2011, HFWF has raised nearly $500,000 for these organizations.
“In partnership with the tourism industry, we created this festival in 2011 to give travelers to Hawai‘i and residents alike a world-class food festival featuring top chefs and wine makers from around the globe, while showcasing the bounty of incredible ingredients the islands have to offer,” said Roy Yamaguchi, HFWF co-chair and owner of Roy’s Restaurants. “As a result of the festival’s success the past two years, we’ve been able to fulfill the festival’s equally important mission of providing our beneficiaries funding to support their important food sustainability, cultural, and educational efforts.“
HFWF co-chairs and chefs Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, owner of Alan Wong’s Restaurants, presented the checks during a Mahalo Reception thanking the festival’s partners and participants for making last year’s festival a sold out success.
“The support from the visitor industry and local community has been tremendous and instrumental in our ability to offer unique events that sets our festival apart from others across the country,” Wong said. “The guest chefs love coming to Hawai‘i to cook, attendees really enjoy the opportunity to learn about where the food comes from and meet the chefs, and everyone leaves inspired by the experience. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Through the industry’s efforts in 2012, more than 4,000 visitors and residents from around the world attended 15 events at six venues on O‘ahu featuring 61 chefs, four master sommeliers, 25 top-tier winemakers and 31 local farmers, artisan food producers and innovators. These chefs and participants shared their expertise and skills with more than 200 culinary students from Kapi‘olani Community College, Leeward Community College, Maui College, and Kaua‘i Community College who were able to work side-by-side with some of the most respected names in the industry for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We are very grateful to receive this donation which will help finance the construction of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Diamond Head, an advance culinary/pastry facility that will offer students new opportunities currently unavailable in Hawai‘i,” said Conrad Nonaka, CIP director. “The University of Hawai‘i community colleges offer a two-year associate degree for culinary students through its six culinary training programs on the four major islands. However, the CIP will provide students the opportunity to gain their third year professional certificate, as well as the ability to earn a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree through UH West O‘ahu.”
“The ‘Bounty of He‘eia’ event allows us to showcase our premise and education programs to a much broader audience that we would not otherwise reach and this generous donation will go towards our ‘äina based education programs increasing our capacity to serve the community,” said Rick Barboza, hanaola director of Papahana Kuaola. “As a member of Papahana Kuaola, I would like to extend my sincerest aloha and mahalo to all the people from the festival, in particular Roy and Denise Yamaguchi and Alan Wong for including our organization in this spectacular event.”
The 2013 Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival is set for Sept. 1-8, 2013, and will kick off with an event on Maui (Sept. 1) before returning to O‘ahu (Sept. 5-8) for the main events. For more information, please visit HawaiiFoodandWineFestival.com or follow the festival via social media on Twitter/Instagram (@HIFoodWineFest) and Facebook (facebook.com/hawaiifoodandwinefestival) for updates.