Tonight: Maui County Farm Bureau Sponsors “Cooking Hawaiian Style” Season 15

The latest episode of the “Cooking Hawaiian Style” series airs tonight, featuring host Lanai Tabura and special guest and big wave surfer, Ian Walsh on Maui.

All 13 episodes of Season 15 were filmed on Maui at Kula Country Farms at Kaono‘ulu Ranch in a partnership with the County of Maui and County of Maui Office of Economic Development, and sponsored by Maui County Farm Bureau.

The season kicked off on July 5 with the premiere featuring Ikaika Blackburn, a fire fighter, entertainer, husband, father and “crazy good cook,” according to producers.

Premiering tonight, Monday, July 12, at 7 p.m. is Maui’s own big wave surfer, community advocate and YouTube cooking sensation Ian Walsh. A new episode will air every Monday for the next 12 weeks at 7 p.m. on Spectrum OC16.

A total of 14 Maui farmers and friends of agriculture join the series. After 13 weeks, all 13 episodes will air for a second run, for a total of 26 weeks. 

“In addition to the broadcasts and promotions throughout the week on television which aired in 250,000+ homes in Hawai‘i, ‘Cooking Hawaiian Style’ reached more than 16,000 people in social media promotions and had nearly 10,000 views on Instagram and Facebook,” said Dawn Kaniaupio, CHS executive producer. “CHS was also featured in Star Advertiser’s MidWeek, delivered to 280,000 homes.” 

For MCFB, sponsorship of CHS was “an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about Maui agriculture while invigorating Maui agriculture,” said Warren K. Watanabe, MCFB executive director. In addition to the sponsorship recognition in every show, several shows feature Maui farmers who share their favorite recipes while sharing information about their work—both farms and products.

With CHS, MCFB launched a 30-second television commercial, which will accompany the fun and entertaining episodes. The commercial takes viewers across the island through a bounty of Grown on Maui produce, flowers and plants, and Raised on Maui livestock.

“We are proud and excited to see our island and our farmers showcased on ‘Cooking Hawaiian Style,’” Watanabe said. “This is a really great way to remind viewers that buying local is important to our island’s future.” 

SEASON 15 LINE-UP

• July 5: Ikaika Blackburn – aired July 5 
• July 12: Ian Walsh, Big Wave surfer, episode airs tonight, July 12, 7 p.m.
• July 19: Sissy Lake-Farm, Maui Historical Society and Hale Hoʻikeʻike at Bailey House Museum sponsored by Maui Visitors Bureau 
• July 26: Tylun Pang, executive chef, The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui 
• August 2: Lois Hiranaga, floral designer, Lois Hiranaga Floral Design
• August 9: Noel Cleary & Peter Pak, chefs, UH Maui College Culinary Arts Program sponsored by UH Maui College
• August 16: Gunars Valkirs, CEO/Founder, Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate
• August 23: Kyle Caires, Maui 4-H Livestock Youth Association, College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, Maui Cattleman’s Association and Maui County Farm Bureau 
• August 30: Ridge Lenny, waterman, born and raised in Pāʻia, Maui
• September 6: Relle Lum, Keeping It Relle
• September 13: James “Kimo” Falconer, MauiGrown™ Kāʻanapali Estate Coffee
• September 20: Sheldon Simeon, executive chef/owner, Tin Roof
• September 27: Alvin Savella, executive chef, Mala Ocean Tavern

“Cooking Hawaiian Style” is produced by Dawn Kaniaupio, Ruben Carrillo and Lanai Tabura of Hawaiʻi Entertainment Group.

Episode sponsors include: the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College and Maui Visitors Bureau, cargo sponsor Aloha Air Cargo, accommodations’ sponsor Haʻikū House and CHS partners StarAdvertiser, MidWeek, HAWAII.COM, Hawaiʻi Self-Storage, Ka‘uhane Inc., and the 14 featured guests who shared their family recipes.

The season will be featured in USA Today distributed to 10,000+ visitors. Many of these episodes will eventually end up on Hawaiian Airlines inflight programming on their national and international routes, as well as broadcast outside of Hawaiʻi through cable partners.