Four Seasons Stettler Wins ‘Aipono Chef of the Year
Executive Chef Roger Stettler, Four Seasons Resort Maui. Courtesy of Four Seasons.
By Sonia Isotov
Four Seasons Resort Maui’s Executive Chef Roger Stettler won Chef of the Year honors at the Maui No Ka ‘Oi Magazine’s 10th Annual ‘Aipono Restaurant Awards earlier this month.
‘Aipono, which translates to “excellence in food” in Hawaiian, annually recognizes the best of Maui’s food, wine and hospitality industries.
Star Noodle won for Restaurant of the Year and Mark Ellman from Mala Ocean Tavern, Mala Wailea, Honu restaurants received the Lifetime Achievement Award
The Fairmont Kea Lani Executive Chef Tylun Pang was also presented with the coveted 2012 Friend of Ag award by Mayor Alan Arakawa. This special ‘Aipono award, provided in part by Maui County Farm Bureau, recognizes one Maui chef per year who goes above and beyond to support local agriculture.
The Fairmont Kea Lani's Executive Chef Tylun Pang. Courtesy of The Fairmont Kea Lani.
“The Friend of Ag Award is determined by the consistency and support of local agriculture, as well as the promotion and involvement in agriculture programs,” said Warren Watanabe, the executive director of the Maui County Farm Bureau, in a written statement.
“Chef Tylun Pang has done this for decades and we wanted to acknowledge his understanding, consistency, generosity and aloha for Maui’s farmers and purveyors.”
Chef Pang sources from over 16 island farmers for Kō restaurant, resulting in over 85% of the produce served at Kō being locally grown. At the Maui County Agriculture Festival on April 7, Chef Pang and his team partnered with Alex Franco of Maui Cattle Company to help communicate the benefits of local, grass-fed, hormone-free beef.
“Buying product from local farmers, ranchers and fishermen is the right thing to do,” said Chef Pang. “It not only allows us to serve the freshest and best tasting ingredients to our guests, we also have the opportunity to support Maui business. Living on an island, it’s important to look out for one another.”
A list of all the awards winners can be found online at http://www.mauimagazine.net/2012-Aipono-Award-Winners/.
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