Stepping onto the stunning grounds of Kualoa Ranch feels like going back in time, or into the world of Jurassic Park (probably because the movie was filmed there). Between the grassy hillsides where cattle graze, tropical fruit orchards bursting with guava, papaya and dragonfruit and ancient Hawaiian fishponds, we may never tire of the views from this expansive seaside ranch. The Morgan family have been stewarding this land for six generations, making it a nature preserve for all to enjoy. We’ll enjoy colorful Kualoa Grown produce and the farm’s seed-to-market oysters (some of the only ones in Hawaii) during a Mediterranean feast by mother-daughter duo Ahu Hettema and Nili Yildirim from Istanbul Hawaii. They’ve spent the last few years working to build the best Turkish restaurant in Hawaii, and have gained a reputation for crafting warm Mediterranean flavors from the freshest island ingredients.
A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to support Maui wildfire relief efforts.
We’re beginning our Winter Tour with spectacular sunset views. The Kona Sea Salt Farm is set on the westernmost point of the Big Island’s volcanic coastline, at Keāhole Point. The unique combination of underwater topography and ocean currents that made this an especially fertile fishing ground prized by ancient Hawaiians also creates perfect conditions to harvest sea salt from 2,200 feet below the surface. Sample their salt during reception with a cold water foot soak while you sip a welcome cocktail and take in the ocean views. After we learn a bit about the salt harvesting process, we’ll head to the beach for a collaborative meal by Justine Ma and Vitaly Paley. These two renowned chefs have trained in some of the world’s best kitchens, and now use their talents to celebrate Hawaiian ingredients. Chef Justine is excited to show off the goods from the farmers, hunters and fishermen on the Big Island, including ingredients from her own one-acre homestead. Chef Vitaly will surely bring some Hawaiian Kanpachi sustainably sourced from the waters around Keāhole Point by Blue Ocean Mariculture. Together, they will create an artful celebration of the unique and expansive Hawaiian pantry.
A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to support Maui wildfire relief efforts.
Wow. We pinch ourselves every time we get the chance to return to Kualoa Ranch. This spectacular slice of land on the windward coast of O’ahu was once a place of refuge for Hawaiian kings. Now it’s home to a 4,000-acre nature reserve and working farm that occasionally doubles as a Hollywood film set (an impressive list of movies and TV series were filmed here, including Jurassic Park). When it comes to table views, this is just about as beautiful as it gets. Majestic mountains and verdant valleys are surrounded by secret beaches, tropical fruit orchards and ancient aquaculture ponds brimming with oysters and shrimp. Not to mention herds of happy grazing cows, heritage pigs and a plethora of fresh vegetable beds—all part of Kualoa’s diversified agricultural program, which offers responsibly raised food to the local O’ahu community. We’ll get a taste of all that goodness with our meal from guest chef Ed Kenney. Ed’s helmed the field kitchen quite a few times since we first started coming to O’ahu back in 2012. He’s also a regular James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: West. Born on the island and hugely passionate about his local food and farming community, Ed runs each of his celebrated O’ahu restaurants on the premise of “local first, organic whenever possible, with aloha always.” That’s our kind of chef.
