With many of the Hawaiian Islands’ residents being the descendants of immigrants who came to work the islands’ sugarcane and pineapple plantations in the 19th and 20th centuries, the state has an interesting mix of cuisine. You can discover enticing and creative variations on traditional Hawaiian and other Polynesian, American, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese dishes across the Hawaiian Islands.
Long before their arrival, Native Hawaiians were living a sustainable existence. They partitioned segments of each island into ahupua‘a (land divisions), and people were given the responsibility of managing the resources in their portion. The ocean provided a variety of fish, but it was the Hawaiians’ innovative construction of large fishponds that allowed them to manage a constant supply.
Native Hawaiian farming produce
Long before their arrival, Native Hawaiians were living a sustainable existence. They partitioned segments of each island into ahupua‘a (land divisions), and people were given the responsibility of managing the resources in their portion. The ocean provided a variety of fish, but it was the Hawaiians’ innovative construction of large fishponds that allowed them to manage a constant supply.
Who created Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine?
In 1991, a group of 12 chefs, including Roy Yamaguchi, Peter Merriman, Alan Wong and Beverly Gannon, got together to enhance Hawai‘i’s reputation as a culinary destination. They built a network of farmers and ranchers they could source from and created a fusion style of cooking that mixes ethnic cooking techniques found throughout the islands with fresh local produce – think beef from cattle raised on the pastures of island of Hawai‘i and vegetables grown from rich, volcanic soil on Maui.
Restaurants serving Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine
You can experience the concept at acclaimed restaurants throughout the islands, including Roy’s Waikīkī on O‘ahu, Merriman’s Big Island on island of Hawai‘i, Ulu Kitchen by Merriman on Maui and The Plantation House by Gaylords on Kaua‘i.
