Bryan Nagao

Manta at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Kohala Coast, HI

Growing up on the island of Oahu, Michelin award-winning Chef de Cuisine Bryan Nagao is a proud alumnus of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at the University of Hawai’i’s Kapiolani Community College.

Shortly after graduating in the early 1990s, Nagao began his culinary career by working with one of the original pioneers of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, Chef Roy Yamaguchi. He then briefly worked at the Mauna Lani Resort’s CanoeHouse restaurant. From there, he traveled abroad and spent nearly three decades honing his culinary skills in Hong Kong, Seoul, Taiwan, and Bangkok. He began his journey in Hong Kong at The Peninsula Hotel’s Felix restaurant, where he became the driving force behind the restaurant’s consistent recognition as one of the Top 10 Restaurants in Hong Kong. During his illustrious career abroad, Nagao earned the coveted Michelin Plate Award in 2018 at his restaurant TOWN in Hong Kong.

After returning home to Hawaii, Bryan Nagao joined Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s signature restaurant, Manta, as the Chef de Cuisine. Here, he continues to impress visitors from all over the world with a unique menu that showcases inventive flavors and a distinct culinary style. His modern Asian-American Pacific Rim culinary approach is enhanced by his passion for using locally sourced produce and ingredients, adding to Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s tradition of culinary excellence.