LIHU‘E — Augie T, the creator of the Lucky Owl television commercial and a member of the City &County of Honolulu council, emceed the Battle of the Food Trucks Sunday that welcomed a sold-out audience to Kress Street.
“The big winners are the farmers,” said Dr. Addison Bulosan of the Rice Street Business Association, one of the event presenters along with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau.
“The Battle of the Food Trucks brings together food trucks from all over the island that need to use at least two Kaua‘i-made/grown ingredients to showcase their culinary skills,” he said.
Afternoon diners who enjoyed their tastings from across Kress Street where the food trucks were located were invited to vote for their favorites via a QR code located at each food truck next to the list of participating farmers that included Sakda Farm, Weeraphon’s Farm, Sangkhom Farm, Dang’s Farm, Funing Farm, Hole In the Mountain, and Lin’s Farm. Bone-Wild and Wailua Meat were providers of the meat products.
The Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau was one of the event sponsors.
Duane Miyasato, Chef Steve Nakata and Marty Amaro of Kaua‘i Community College brought along eight of their second-year culinary-arts students to help among the 10 food trucks.
“Be sure to mention the Kaua‘i Community College students,” said Nakayama, who was kept busy distributing his Pina Kalo-da offering. “I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the help of the two students who are in the back preparing (and creating) the dishes.”
The Battle of the Food Trucks was made possible through the sponsorships from HPM Building Supply, HI95 Kaua‘i, the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau, Holoholo Charters, the KQNG Radio Group, the Kekaha Agriculture Association, Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union, Tasting Kaua‘i, Hokuala Ocean Course golf club, Gather Federal Credit Union and Blue Dolphin Charters.
