The Grand Tasting Gala returns to this year’s 42nd Annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival. It’s the first year since 2019 that the event will host the popular Grand Tasting, which takes place at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.

The Grand Tasting Gala will highlight the Kapalua Resort’s family of restaurants. Culinary artists will showcase their creativity with tastings of some of their most popular dishes in a walk-around format. 

Participating Kapalua Resort Restaurants include:

• Banyan Tree
• Cane & Canoe
• Honolua Store
• Hua Momona Farms
• Merriman’s 
• The Plantation House
• Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
• Taverna

Also featured will be special guest participants and friends including:

• TV’s famed “Top Chef” Guest Chefs: Edward Lee, Kelsey Barnard Clark and Sheldon Simeon
• Master Sushi Chef Tsukasa Okino from Oʻahu’s Maru Sushi
• University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Culinary Arts Program students and alumni Chefs Gary Johnson and Maui’s Chef of the Year Taylor Ponte

Specialty Food Purveyors:

• Petrossian Caviar and a selection of their world-famous caviars from France’s House of Petrossian
• Oysters Hawaiʻi’s “Shucking Good Time” featuring high quality oysters and an array of locally sourced condiments
• Maui Cookie Lab‘s mobile cookie cart with freshly baked goodies
• Maui Gold Pineapple Company sweetest pineapple samplings

In addition to premium wines from around the globe guests can enjoy:

• Handcrafted cocktails by House of Suntory, Makers Mark and OTR
• A selection of Kona Brewing Company’s favorites
• Non-alcoholic “Mocktails” by Seedlip

Sponsor Wineries Justin Vineyards and Champagne Louis Roederer are showcased along with featured winery partners Bernardus Vineyards, Bonny Doon Vineyards, Far Niente, Hertelendy, S.R. Tonella Cellars and The Vineyard house.

The event is set against the backdrop of The Aloha Garden Pavilion’s ‘Canoe Hale’ ambiance. The evening will be capped off by the entertainment of local favorite Nuff Sedd.

In addition to the Grand Tasting Gala, a series of interactive experiences will be held over Festival weekend June 8–11, including wine tasting seminars, brunches/lunches and intimate and exclusive winemaker dinners at resort restaurants. A full schedule can be found HERE.

Major sponsors for the 2023 event include Maui Visitors Bureau, Southwest Airlines, Kapalua Resort Association, Host Hotel The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, Kapalua Golf, Tonnellerie Ô, Beam/House of Suntory, FIJI and Kona Brewing Company.

Limited tickets are available for this more intimate and exclusive evening. For additional event information or to purchase tickets please visit kapaluawineandfoodfestival.com