Brian Hirata

Naau - Hilo, HI

Born and raised in Hawaii, Chef Brian Hirata grew up hunting, fishing, farming, and foraging in the islands, and developed a respect for the outdoors. He graduated from the Culinary Arts Program at Hawaii Community College, and gained valuable experience and an expert set of skills as Sous Chef at The Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong and as a Culinary Instructor at Hawaii Community College, where he taught for over a decade.

Hirata launched Naau in 2019, and was recognized as one of ten changemakers in America in 2020 by Departures Magazine. In 2022, Brian Hirata was a semi-finalist in the Emerging Chef Category of the James Beard Foundation Awards.