Hawaiʻi Food Products Recipe Contest Winners Announced

Two Chicks in a Hammock’s Katherine Crosby and Michelle Jones captured second place in for their Hawaiian Chili Pepper Salt.

 By Maui Now Staff

Maui Food Technology Center has announced the winners of its 2015 Hawaiʻi Food Products Recipe Contest that was held on Saturday, April 4, at the Maui County Ag Festival at the Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapū.

Aimee Singer of Lahaina took first place for her Maui Ketchup; Michelle Jones and Katherine Crosby of Two Chicks in a Hammock captured second place with their Hawaiian Chili Pepper Salt; and John Draeger of Pukalani took third place with his Hawaiian Pumpkin Soup.

MFTC consultants will assist winners with nutritional label or food science services to help them take their product to the store shelves.

The first-place winner will receive consultation services valued at $1,500, second-place will receive services valued at $500 and third-place will receive services valued at $250.

Recipes were judged on taste, appearance, commercial viability of recipe and the best use of Hawaiʻi-grown and/or -made ingredients.

The judges were Kuʻulei Teshima, a retired chef; Sharon Hurd, acting administrator of the Agricultural Development Division for the State Department of Agriculture; Paul Gober of Island Trays; and Jeanne Skog, CEO and president of the Maui Economic Development Board.

“We were very impressed with this year’s entries and their creative use of locally made and/or grown products,” said , MFTC President Luana Mahi. “We look forward to working with the winners in helping them bring their products to store shelves for consumers to enjoy.”

MFTC is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to growing Hawaiʻi’s food industry, connecting students, food producers and farmers through the practice of food science.

For more information, go online.