LIHU‘E — Chef Rafael Camarillo of the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach was a double winner Saturday during the Gingerbread Festival hosted by the Easter Seals of Hawai‘i Kaua‘i Branch at Kukui Grove Center. Camarillo, no stranger to celebrity
LIHU‘E — Chef Rafael Camarillo of the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach was a double winner Saturday during the Gingerbread Festival hosted by the Easter Seals of Hawai‘i Kaua‘i Branch at Kukui Grove Center.
Camarillo, no stranger to celebrity cookoffs and bakeoffs, worked his magic on a quaint Christmas scene, where Santa falls asleep amidst candies, a Christmas tree with real working lights and a fireplace (inspired in part by the fire pit at the Courtyard by Marriott?).
Throughout the creation process, spectators commented on the intricate work being done by the chef, one of three in the Celebrity Chef Cookoff.
“I had the wrong time,” Camarillo said, winded after rushing to complete his entry prior to the arrival of the judges. “This is the second time I almost missed it.”
But Camarillo did not miss the event. In fact, he added the Overall Best Team Spirit award to his winnings after garnering top honors in the chefs’ competition.
Chef Mark Sassone of the Kaua‘i Beach Resort, impressive with his Kilauea Lighthouse creation last year, turned to the Kilohana Railroad for inspiration this year and with the aid of two of his top culinary crew, worked his holiday magic with a colorful Christmas train complete with a mountainous landscape drizzled with snow.
Chef Kahau Manzo of the Westin Princeville was not to be outdone, turning to the North Shore Waioli Mission as his inspiration and creating a realistic gingerbread version of the popular visitor destination.
All three chefs drew a steady stream of attention from Kukui Grove shoppers as well as people who had completed their personal gingerbread house projects, aided in part by Happy the Clown and the stream of entertainment, which kept the food court buzzing.
Doreen Bowers, an administrative assistant at Easter Seals, announced St. Theresa Preschool as the winner of the Preschool division of the Keiki Gingerbread competition, which featured a unique “Iniki House” creation submitted by one of the entrants.
Runner up honors in the Preschool division went to the Kaua‘i Economic Opportunity Kalaheo Learning Center with St. Theresa Preschool being named to the third place of that division, making them a double winner.
‘Ele‘ele Elementary School was also a double winner in the A-Plus division, the ‘Ele‘ele students capturing first and third place. Kalaheo Elementary School finished in the runner-up position.
The Kapa‘a High School Interact Club, very visible and supportive through many community projects, soared to the top of the special Kapa‘a High School division followed by the Kapa‘a Public and Human Service Corp A and B teams.
“We would like to thank all of the schools who participated,” Bowers said. “We had entries from the Koloa Early Learning Center, KIDS Independent Daycare Preschool in Kapa‘a and the Aloha School Early Learning Center in Hanalei.”
In addition to the gingerbread houses, patrons could also indulge in the sale of gingerbread house kits, gingerbread cookies, Easter Seals Hawai‘i Christmas ornaments, fun bands, keiki tattoos and face painting.
Visit www.eastersealshawaii.org for more information on the programs offered by the Easter Seals of Hawai‘i.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
