Happy Camper for Sunday, January 28, 2018

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Shalei Shintani and Keoki McKee of the Keoki’s Paradise culinary crew prepare smoked brisket sliders for the 32nd anniversary celebration Friday in Poipu.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Atta Vinhaca, Amanda Rita and Tiorie Daligcon serve up special food Friday during the Keoki’s Paradise 32nd anniversary celebration in Poipu.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Keoki Paradise’s Shay Jim and Tylenn Morita wait to sit guests during the restaurant’s 32nd anniversary celebration Friday in Poipu.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kawai Kaneakua and Callie Racelo greet guests to the Keoki’s Paradise 32nd anniversary celebration Friday in Poipu.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

U‘i Bandman prepares for the oli, left, and Paul and Jasmine Dunlop of Kaiona, back right, take a break as Derek Kessler, manager of Keoki’s Paradise, welcomes guests to the 32nd anniversary celebration Friday afternoon in Poipu.

Congratulations to Derek Kessler, John Poenhelt and the Keoki’s Paradise ohana on a great 32nd anniversary celebration Friday in Poipu! Chantal Zarbaugh, Lexi Jones and Denise Roberts (she was already anticipating the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship swim meet) took the occasion to celebrate Chantal and Lexi’s one-year anniversary with the KQNG Radio Group (Chantal said the Keoki’s Paradise anniversary gig was one of her first assignments).

U‘i Bandman (Edie Bandman got one of the senatorial seats) was busy doing the Happy Camper bit, and Paul (he was one of the judges in the Keoki’s Ukes in Paradise with U‘i) and Jasmine Dunlop of Kaiona did a great job keeping the music flowing. Kudos to chef Keoki McKee, Shalei Shintani (she did a great job with what Atta Vinhaca described as “Sweet Seasonings”) and the culinary crew on the onolicious pupu (how about them Smoked Brisket Sliders?) that were swept up almost as fast as they could crank it out.

Derek said Keoki’s Paradise opened in January 1986, and the anniversary celebration was moved to November for a while because that’s when repairs from Hurricane Iniki were completed, but the afternoon celebration comes back to January because that’s when Keoki’s actually opened.

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