Five acclaimed chefs will showcase inaugural harvest at the Fifteenth Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, deepening the connection between chefs and agriculture in Hawaii
KAMUELA, HAWAII (Sep. 2, 2025) – The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival® (HFWF) and Ouli Farms marked the beginning of a new chapter for Hawaii’s food future yesterday with the blessing and launch of the HFWF & Ouli Farms Chefs’ Garden on Hawaii Island. This landmark seed-to-table initiative redefines farm-to-table on the Island of Hawaii—bringing together five of the state’s top chefs and Ouli Farms’ commitment to responsible land stewardship, local sourcing, and community investment. The blessing ceremony featured remarks from project partners, a traditional Hawaiian blessing and symbolic planting, followed by a farm-fresh lunch reception prepared by Ouli Farms Vice President of Culinary Operations and Food Crop Distribution, Patrick Heymann, highlighting ingredients grown on-site.
That lunch was just a taste of what’s to come from the Chefs’ Garden itself. On a dedicated half-acre at Ouli Farms, five of Hawaii’s most celebrated chefs will cultivate a curated selection of crops destined for their restaurants and for preview at this year’s Fifteenth Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. The participating chefs include:
- Peter Abarcar, Jr., Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
- Allen Hess, FORC
- Brian Hirata, Naau Hilo
- Jayson Kanekoa, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
- Roy Yamaguchi, Roy’s Waikoloa
Each will bring the garden’s harvest directly to the table, debuting ingredients October 17-18 at the Fifteenth Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival events at Mauna Kea Golf Course and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel—the First Annual Cuisines of the Sun Golf Classic Hosted by Alan Wong and Cucina: From Mauka to Makai grand tasting. Festival guests will be the first to experience dishes crafted with produce grown in the Chefs’ Garden—a powerful showcase of Hawaii’s agricultural bounty and the creativity of its culinary leaders—before the ingredients appear on their respective restaurant menus across the island. From hakurei turnips, peppers, purple lemongrass, poha berries, and sweet onions featured in Chef Jayson Kanekoa’s inventive bento, to beets, tomatoes, Asian greens, and microgreens incorporated into Chef Allen Hess’ dishes at the Golf Classic’s 19th Hole Awards Dinner, the Chefs’ Garden will bring the farm-to-table story vividly to life.
For HFWF, this initiative is a natural extension of its mission. “For 15 years, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival has celebrated the bond between Hawaii’s chefs and farmers—a bond that transformed our islands first through the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement, and today through the Festival’s commitment to support local farmers and highlight locally sourced ingredients on every plate” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. “The Chefs’ Garden brings that story full circle, offering our HFWF chefs the chance to grow what they serve while connecting our guests directly to the land and its bounty.”
That legacy is deeply rooted in the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement—a movement the Chefs’ Garden continues today. The Chefs’ Garden is more than acres of farmland—it’s a living continuation of the vision launched more than 30 years ago, when visionary chefs and farmers partnered to diversify agriculture and put Hawaii-grown ingredients at the center of the plate. By planting and harvesting side-by-side with Ouli Farms, these five featured chefs carry that legacy forward, ensuring Hawaii’s cuisine remains rooted in place, sustainability, and seasonality.
“The Chefs’ Garden speaks to the values that guide Ouli Farms,” said Joe Root, Founding Partner of Ouli Farms. “It’s about creating a place where our local chefs, our farmers, and our community come together to grow, not just food, but relationships that sustain Hawaii’s future. Our partnership with HFWF reflects that same commitment—because of the Festival’s long history of supporting nonprofits and aina-based organizations, including agricultural education for keiki and programs that connect our youth to the land. By working together, we can expand opportunities for learning, inspire the next generation, and strengthen Hawaii’s food systems for years to come.”
The Chefs’ Garden is part of Ouli Farms’ broader vision for sustainable living on Hawaii Island, which includes agricultural initiatives alongside plans for housing and community spaces. This vision includes a commitment to grow 200+ acres of food-producing crops to Hawai‘i Island, including a three-acre community garden dedicated to local restaurants and a 30-acre community farm with advanced greenhouses for water conservation and year-round growing. Such crops include avocado, mango, citrus, dragon fruit, papaya, Hawaiian staples such as ulu, kalo, and uala, and greenhouse-grown greens and tomatoes. To date, more than 1,000 organic plants and 325 trees for reforestation have been planted, with more than 6,000 pounds of produce donated. Together, these efforts will strengthen Hawai‘i’s food security while building pathways for distribution across the island chain, making Ouli Farms a vital partner in advancing the state’s agricultural and sustainability goals.
Guests who wish to experience the farm-fresh ingredients can purchase tickets for the Fifteenth Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. While the inaugural First Annual Cuisines of the Sun® Golf Classic Hosted by Alan Wong is sold out, limited tickets remain for Cucina: From Mauka to Makai on October 18 at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, where guests will experience Ouli Farms-grown produce in Italian culinary creations. For the full festival schedule, participating talent, and to purchase tickets, visit hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.
For Press & Media inquiries, please contact:
Kristen Lau-Grover, Sr. Director of Marketing & PR | [email protected] or 808-721-1849
ABOUT HAWAII FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival® (HFWF) is a program of the Hawaii Ag & Culinary Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and is committed to spotlighting Hawaii as a world-class culinary destination while uplifting the farmers, chefs, students, and people who call Hawaii home. HFWF is the premier epicurean destination event of the Pacific, bringing together more than 150 internationally renowned chefs, culinary personalities, master sommeliers, wine professionals, mixologists and spirit producers. As the largest food and wine festival in the state, HFWF showcases the best of Hawaii’s culinary talent and agricultural bounty through world-class dining experiences you won’t find anywhere else. To date, HFWF has contributed over $5 million to advance culinary education, agriculture and sustainability initiatives, as well as providing relief for restaurant and hospitality workers during times of need.
ABOUT OULI FARMS
Ouli Farms is a visionary community on the Kohala Coast above Mauna Kea Resort dedicated to sustainable living and intentional agricultural practices. Over the next 12 years, the project will cultivate more than 200 acres of farmland, restore native dry-land forest, and create housing and recreational spaces—all while preserving Hawaii’s agricultural heritage and natural beauty. With a commitment to Hawaii-raised and Native Hawaiian talent, Ouli Farms will generate over 150 local jobs, provide opportunities for 30 farmers to cultivate half-acre plots, and partner with organizations to expand agricultural education. Guided by the principle I Kulia Ke Kaiaulu – so that the community is thriving – Ouli Farms is building a future where people and the aina flourish together.