2026 Talent
FILTER TALENT BY:
CHEFS
Peter Abarcar, Jr.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Kamuela, HI
Alfonso Acevedo
Duke's Beach House Maui - Kaanapali, HI
Shaymus Alwin
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki - Honolulu, HI
Francis Ang
ABACÁ - San Francisco, CA
Nyesha Arrington
Native by Nyesha - Los Angeles, CA
James Aung
Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar - Waimea, HI
Junsoo Bae
SSAL - San Francisco, CA
Burt Bakman
Trudy's Underground Barbecue - Studio City, CA
Don Baldosano
Linamnam MNL - Metro Manila, Philippines
Timon Balloo
The Katherine Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Kim Canteenwalla
Honey Salt | Crown Block - Las Vegas, NV
Maneet Chauhan
Chauhan Ale | Masala House - Nashville, TN
Katie Chin
Wok Star Catering - Encino, CA
Harley Chow
The Local General Store - Honolulu, HI
Ki Chung
MĀZE - Honolulu, HI
Josiah Citrin
Citrin Hospitality - Mélisse, Citrin, Charcoal Venice - Santa Monica, CA
Leah Cohen
Pig and Khao - New York, NY
Mitchell Cooper
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa - Kaanapali, HI
Patrizia Cordovani & Angela Curci
Nonna's - Rome, Italy
Chris Cosentino
Koast Maui - Kihei, HI
Lillian Cumic
Author - Hawaii: A Vegan Paradise - Honolulu, HI
Matt Dela Cruz
Ko Restaurant - Wailea, HI
Pyet DeSpain
Pyet's Plate - Los Angeles, CA
Kealoha Domingo
Nui Kealoha - Honolulu, HI
James Domingo
Hula Grill Kaanapali - Kaanapali, HI
Celestino Drago
Drago Centro - Los Angeles, CA
Jennifer Evetushick
The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali - Kaanapali, HI
Josh Feathers
Blackberry Farm - Walland, TN
John Finger
Hog Island Oyster Co. - San Francisco, CA
David Flegel
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa - Kaanapali, HI
Tyler Florence
Miller & Lux - San Francisco, CA
Katsuya Fukushima
Daikaya Group - Washington, D.C.
Vikram Garg
UMI by Vikram Garg - Honolulu, HI
Fany Gerson
Fan-Fan Doughnuts | La Newyorkina - Brooklyn, NY
Duff Goldman
Charm City Cakes - Baltimore, MD
Troy Guard
TAG Restaurant Group - Denver, CO
Daisuke Hamamoto
Arancino Ristorante Italiano - Honolulu, HI
Colin Hazama
C4 Table - Honolulu, HI
Ahu Hettema & Nili Yildirim
Istanbul Hawaii - Honolulu, HI
Patrick Heymann
Ouli Farms - Kamuela, HI
Brady Ishiwata Williams
TOMO - Seattle, WA
Gwang-sik Jeon
Bicena - Seoul, South Korea
Chris Kajioka
MIRO Kaimuki | Crustaceans - Honolulu, HI
Jayson Kanekoa
Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa - Waikoloa, HI
Ravi Kapur
Liholiho Yacht Club - San Francisco, CA
Michelle Karr-Ueoka
MW Restaurant | Artizen by MW - Honolulu, HI
Ed Kenney
Mud Hen Water - Honolulu, HI
Alex Kim
Five Sails Restaurant | Glowbal Restaurant Group - Vancouver, Canada
Stephen Kina
406 BBQ - Kalispell, MT
Lance Kosaka
BASALT - Honolulu, HI
Vijay Kumar
Semma - New York, NY
Andrew Le
The Pig and The Lady - Honolulu, HI
Susur Lee
LEE Restaurant - Ontario, Canada
Keaka Lee
Kapa Hale - Honolulu, HI
Danny Lee
Anju - Washington, D.C.
Eunji Lee
Lysée - New York, NY
David LeFevre
Fishing with Dynamite - Manhattan Beach, CA
Belinda Leong
b. Patisserie - San Francisco, CA
Buddha Lo
Huso - New York, NY
Raphael Lunetta
Lunetta - Santa Monica, CA
Justine Ma
BOUGIE FARMER - Keaau, HI
Joey Macadangdang
Dang Dang Noodle - Lahaina, HI
Gaby Maeda
San Francisco, CA
Robynne Maii
Fête | Mille Fête - Honolulu, HI
Brian Malarkey
The Malarkey - Portland, OR
Spike Mendelsohn
Santa Rosa Taqueria - Washington, D.C.
Lenny Messina
Hudson Valley Farms - Great Neck, NY
Michael Mina
STRIPSTEAK - Honolulu, HI
Melissa Miranda
Musang - Seattle, WA
Masaharu Morimoto
Morimoto Asia & Momosan Waikiki - Honolulu, HI
Shota Nakajima
Shota Nakajima LLC - Seattle, WA
Nini Nguyen
Author: Đặc Biệt - New Orleans, LA
Keith Pajinag
PATINA - Waikoloa, HI
Alex Peng
AKAME - Wutai Township, Taiwan
Matt Pittman
Meat Church - Waxahachie, TX
Sherry Pocknett
Sly Fox Den - Mashpee, MA
Mark Pomaski
Moon and Turtle - Hilo, HI
Evan Salvador-Stevens
Big Island Smokehouse - Hilo, HI
Steve and Dina Samson
Rossoblu - Los Angeles, CA
Zach Sato
Havens Harborside Fish & Chophouse - Wailuku, HI
Jayse Sato
Umi Sushi - Wailuku, HI
Colin Sato
Mugen | ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki - Honolulu, HI
Sheldon Simeon
Tiffany's Restaurant & Bar - Wailuku, HI
Art Smith
Chef Art Smith Company - Chicago, IL
Miguel Soto
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Kamuela, HI
Jordan Swiler
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach - Honolulu, HI
Jeff Szombaty
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa - Honolulu, HI
Philip Tessier
PRESS Restaurant - St. Helena, CA
Christian Testa
Halekulani - Honolulu, HI
Bao Tran
Giovedì - Honolulu, HI
Ming Tsai
BaBa at the Yellowstone Club - Big Sky, MT
Wade Ueoka
MW Restaurant & Artizen by MW - Honolulu, HI
Dell Valdez
Vein at Kakaako - Honolulu, HI
Marcel Vigneron
Modern California Cuisine - Malibu, CA
Jonathan Waxman
Barbuto - New York, NY
Melba Wilson
Melba's Restaurants - New York, NY
Lee Anne Wong
Koko Head Cafe - Honolulu, HI
Roy Yamaguchi
Roy Yamaguchi Group of Restaurants - Honolulu, HI
Chad Yamamoto
The Walua Social Club - Kailua-Kona, HI
Yuya Yamanaka
PARIS.HAWAII - Honolulu, HI
Sherry Yard
Bakery by the Yard - Manhattan Beach, CA
Jungsik Yim
Jungsik - Seoul, South Korea
MIXOLOGISTS
Kevin Diedrich
Pacific Cocktail Haven - San Francisco, CA
Nicole Giampino
Coyote Ugly | Kabin - New York, NY
Eliza Hoar
The Manor Bar - Santa Barbara, CA
Kate McGraw
Diageo Australia - Sydney, Australia
Sarah Proietti
Merivale - Sydney, Australia
Julie Reiner
Clover Club | Milady's - New York, NY
Andy Seymour
Liquid Productions - New York, NY
SPEAKERS
Stanford Carr
President, Stanford Carr Development - Honolulu, HI
Maneet Chauhan
Chef/Owner, Chauhan Ale | Masala House - Nashville, TN
Katie Chin
Chef/Owner, Wok Star Catering - Encino, CA
Patrizia Cordovani
Nonna Talent, Nonna's - Rome, Italy
Angela Curci
Nonna Talent, Nonna's - Rome, Italy
Senator Donovan Dela Cruz
Hawaii State Senator, District 17 - Honolulu, HI
Kerry Diamond
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Cherry Bombe - New York, NY
Tyler Florence
Chef/Owner, Miller & Lux - San Francisco, CA
Ryan Golpeo
Regional Vice President West Region, Legends Global - Las Vegas, NV
Shep Gordon
Founder, Alive Enterprises - Kihei, HI
Bob Harrison
Chairman, President & CEO, First Hawaiian Bank - Honolulu, HI
Alicia Higa
Chief Community Health Officer/Executive Director, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center | Elepaio Social Services - Waianae, HI
Malaka Hilton
Founder & CEO, Admiral Travel International - Sarasota, FL
Ben Hon
Photographer/Content Creator, @stuffbeneats - Brooklyn, NY
Keawe Kaholokula
Professor & Chair, Native Hawaiian Health - Honolulu, HI
Ian Kitajima
Tech Sherpa, Pacific International Center for High Technology Research - Honolulu, HI
B.J. Kobayashi
Chairman & CEO, BlackSand Capital - Honolulu, HI
Melanie Kosaka
President, First Daughter MediaWorks Inc - Honolulu, HI
Kuhio Lewis
Chief Executive Officer, Hawaiian Council - Kapolei, HI
Robynne Maii
Chef/Owner, Fête & Mille Fête - Honolulu, HI
Brian Malarkey
Co-Founder, The Puffer Malarkey Collective & The Brothers Malarkey - Portland, OR
Kurt Matsumoto
President, Pulama Lanai - Honolulu, HI
Ligaya Mishan
Chief Restaurant Critic, The New York Times - New York, NY
Chiara Nicolanti
CEO & Founder, Nonna's - Miami, FL
Michel Nischan
Founder/CEO, Wholesome Crave - Fairfield, CT
Mark Noguchi
Co-Founder, The Pili Group - Honolulu, HI
Adam Richman
President, County of Kings Productions - Brooklyn, NY
Dr. Terry Shintani
MD, JD, MPH & Chair, Hawaii Health Foundation - Honolulu, HI
Art Smith
Chef/Owner, Chef Art Smith Company - Chicago, IL
Dr. Maya Soetoro
Faculty Specialist, College of Social Sciences-University of Hawaii at Manoa - Honolulu, HI
Vicky Holt Takamine
Executive Director, PAI Foundation - Honolulu, HI
Ming Tsai
Chef, BaBa at the Yellowstone Club - Big Sky, MT
Kenshiro Uki
President, Sun Noodle North America - Carlstadt, NJ
Marcel Vigneron
Co-Founder, Malibu Food & Wine - Malibu, CA
Jeff Wagoner
President & CEO, OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group - Honolulu, HI
Alan Wong
Alan Wong's Restaurant - Honolulu, HI
David Wong
Owner, Mountain View Farms - Waianae, HI
