Another Reason to Vacation in Hawaii: The Food!

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Years ago in Hawaii, when I was the food editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, “fine dining” meant an elaborate leatherette menu of classic French dishes prepared by European chefs, often made with imported European ingredients. My visiting New York friends used to wonder why food in Hawaii was always a disappointment, given the wealth of fresh produce growing abundantly everywhere (and obviously being ignored).

Today, of course, Hawaii continues its culinary renaissance, which started in the early 1990s with a dozen chefs vowing to use their talents to showcase the best of local ingredients in uniquely local interpretations. Once exclusive to high-end dining, the attitude has infected the next generation of young chefs across a wide spectrum of eateries, spurring them to push the boundaries as they draw on their cultural roots, fostering local pride.

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A Fun Dinner Party Lets Guests Play with their Food

My stack, shot with my Blackberry

By Sandy Hu

Steve and I first met Holly and Carlos as we waited in an endless checkout line at a warehouse sale of beautiful, imported Provencal pottery. As we dragged our prized finds in cartons, inching towards the register, we began a conversation that has lasted over many years.

Holly, a calligrapher, and Carlos a judge, aren’t the kind of people we normally run into, our circle of friends being centered around food professionals, PR people and folks in high-tech startups. It was instant affection – we shared a love of things French, travel, kids and cuisine.

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