Maui Food And Dining

Maui Chef McKenna Shea of Pacificʻo on the Beach was crowned the champion of Food Network’s Chopped Tuesday night.  She won the episode entitled “A Bunch of Abalone!” and took home the $10,000 top prize. 

Maui’s own McKenna Shea, executive sous chef of Pacific’o on the Beach, is competing for a chance to become a Chopped champion on the Food Network.

The recent passing of Maui restaurateur, Mark Ellman, has left a void in the culinary community and a legacy of life and love that he poured into his creations.

Dippin’ Dots, known for its flash-frozen beaded ice cream, debuts the brand’s new location in Kahului, Maui. The 700-square-foot store located at 312 Alamaha Street in Kahului officially opened its doors in December 2022.

The leader of Maui’s new manapua shop — Happy Opu — takes the snack very seriously. After all, the savory or sweet treat is one of the main comfort foods to come from Hawai’i’s ethnic and cultural melting pot.

The signature oceanfront restaurant, Huihui, at the Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel was designed from the ground up to pay homage to the longstanding tradition of Hawaiian navigation or wayfinding.

Hawaiʻi’s very first SONIC Drive-In opens on Maui, Monday Feb. 20, 2023. The opening will feature the debut of the new SONIC Teriyaki Burger, developed exclusively for the Maui drive-in in partnership with the Aloha Shoyu Company.

Consumers purchasing products with packaging that may imply the products are made with Hawai‘i-grown macadamia nuts will soon be able to tell if what they are buying is actually the real deal.

World Plate and Paniolo Grill are both open this semester, doubling the number of lunch options from last semester at UHMC’s Pā‘ina Market. Both of these outlets are run by students in the college’s award-winning culinary arts program.

Of the total, $59,040 and 1,092 pounds of food were collected for Maui Food Bank at TS Restaurants’ four Maui locations – Duke’s Beach House Maui, Hula Grill Kāʻanapali, Kimo’s Maui and Leilani’s on the Beach.

When seven new fast-food companies opened in Kahului and Wailuku this summer, local chefs took notice.  Local chefs banded together, forming #MauiEatLocal, a movement that encourages dining out at local restaurants.

The honorees are the Maui Food Bank, Maui Hub and Grow Some Good for their work towards food liberation on Maui.

Leilani’s on the Beach presented its inaugural Kūmakua award to Hōkūlani Holt Padilla in recognition of her cultural contributions to the local community. The restaurant established the annual award to honor excellence and commitment to the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture on the island of Maui.

Executive Chef Alvin Savella, known in the culinary world as “The Kitchen Assassin,” has opened a new restaurant on Maui, Duckine.

On Maui, the participating restaurants in the food drive are: Duke’s Maui, Hula Grill Kaʻanapali, Kimo’s Maui and Leilani’s on the Beach.

The iconic Kula Lodge & Restaurant and Kula Marketplace are now under new ownership and management by Simon Vojdani. Vojdani is the owner of 5 Palms Restaurant, which was previously situated on Keawakapu Beach in South Maui for 27 years.

Fleetwood’s on Front St. will reopen for lunch on Nov. 16, 2022 for the first time since the pandemic onset. Lunch on the famous Fleetwood’s Rooftop will feature a new menu with Fleetwood’s favorites, just in time for whale watching.

After 10 years of business on Oʻahu, Uncle’s Ice Cream is expanding, bringing its artisanal ice cream sandwiches to the neighbor islands and mainland states.

The first in-person Maui County Senior Fair since 2019 on Saturday, Oct. 29, drew about 1,600 people to the War Memorial Gym, where they ate local food, met candidates for office, listened to George Kahumoku Jr. and got their flu and COVID-19 boosters.

Reservations are now available for Fairmont Kea Lani’s upcoming dinner series, an evening exploring the history of Hawaiian-style cuisine featuring Lanai Tabura, host of Cooking Hawaiian Style, alongside the chefs of Kō & Kea Lani.