PUHI — A flying saucer made with shrimp was just one of the creations by chefs from some of the best eateries on Kaua‘i. The Kaua‘i chefs and their culinary staffs were joined by featured guest chefs Alan Wong and
PUHI — A flying saucer made with shrimp was just one of the creations by chefs from some of the best eateries on Kaua‘i.
The Kaua‘i chefs and their culinary staffs were joined by featured guest chefs Alan Wong and D.K. Kodama at the sold-out Seventh Annual Culinary Institute of the Pacific Spring Gourmet Gala, Friday night at the Kaua‘i Community College dining facility.
“When I first took this job, everyone kept telling me about how exciting this event is,” said KCC Chancellor Helen Cox, adding that her primary function at the Gala was “to mingle.”
She did a fine job of that too, working to greet each of the guests personally as they arrived for the $100 a head event that was sold out a week before it happened.
“We printed out 300 tickets for the event and with the chefs, the volunteers and students, I think each of the chefs are working with serving up about 600 plates,” said Billy Gibson, one of the KCC culinary arts instructors. “This is such a high-demand event, we have no problems getting volunteers.”
The flying saucer, normally a hamburger concoction found at the bon dances and the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair, took on a new twist as Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort Executive Chef Mark Sassone turned it into “Shrimp and Basil Stuffed Flying Saucers with Sweet Sriracha Butter” using authentic flying saucer molds and cooking it over portable gas grills.
“This is the real stuff,” Sassone said of the grills that were being manned by Hilton culinary staff and KCC culinary arts students. “Anything made after the 1950s is not any good.”
Mike Dandurand used a wireless microphone and in his stint as the event emcee, meandered through the crowd, working to describe the dishes being offered by the chefs from The Beach House Restaurant, Contemporary Flavors Catering, Duke’s Canoe Club Barefoot Bar and Restaurant, Gaylord’s Restaurant, the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club, Keoki’s Paradise, the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club, Roy’s Po‘ipu Bar and Grill and the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort.
Each of the dishes was paired with appropriate wine and a liquid refreshment bar served up beer, Red Bull, Kaua‘i Coffee taking the ordinary to a “Classic Kaua‘i Coffee Panna Cotta,” Lappert’s Ice Cream and Coffee offering “Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Strawberry-Balsamic Swirls, Balsamic Reduction Sauce, Whipped Cream and Chocolate Dipped Strawberry,” and the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Hawai‘i offering a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, featuring recently released flavors of Vitamin Water.
Additionally, guests could enter a drawing for a Five Course Menu with Wine Pairings for 10 guests offered by Contemporary Flavors Catering valued at $1,800.
Conrad Nonaka, a Kaua‘i native, said funds generated by the Gala help continually develop the KCC culinary arts program and help with purchasing essential kitchen and dining room equipment, instructional materials and small wares. These items used for training serves students, patrons and the hospitality industry in the community.
Cathy Morishige, advisor for the Kaua‘i High School Academy of Hospitality and Travel had never experienced this event and was awe-struck with the evening along with more than a dozen of her students who helped with various chores at the event.
Similarly, Kui Souza, instructor and advisor for the Waimea High School culinary arts academy had 11 of his students working alongside some of the chefs and KCC culinary arts students.
The mission of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific is to offer to Hawai‘i and the global community, career, technical and cultural culinary education and training.
