The Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival Will Celebrate the Best of Local Cuisine — and Tickets Are on Sale Now

Stacey Leasca
·2 min read

It's time to get hungry because the Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival is almost here.

The 11th annual event, which is set to take place throughout the month of October, is themed "Taste Our Love For The Land." The celebration will "promote local agricultural and fishing industries through world-class culinary experiences" and be used to "foster a greater appreciation for Hawai'i's natural resources by educating residents and visitors about our collective responsibility to "Mālama 'Āina"—to care for the land."

Desserts on a plate
Desserts on a plate

Courtesy of Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, Kris Labang

The Festival kicks off on the Island of Hawai'i from Oct. 1-2, then moves to Kā'anapali, Maui from Oct. 7-10, and O'ahu from Oct. 14-24. In total, it will feature 17 events, 67 chefs from across Hawai'i and the mainland U.S. The star lineup includes; Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Michelle Bernstein, Josiah Citrin, Celestino Drago, Graham Elliot, Elizabeth Falkner, Chris Kajioka, Mourad Lahlou, Niki Nakayama, Nancy Silverton, Michelle Karr-Ueoka, and Jonathan Waxman.

Left to Right Chefs Rick Bayless, Rishi Manoj Kumar, Alan Wong, David Brown, Roy Yamaguchi, George Mavro
Left to Right Chefs Rick Bayless, Rishi Manoj Kumar, Alan Wong, David Brown, Roy Yamaguchi, George Mavro

Courtesy of Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, Reid Shimabukuro

"Mālama 'Āina celebrates Hawai'i's agricultural abundance and culinary excellence while underscoring the core values of the Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival—sustainability, education and responsibility," Denise Yamaguchi, CEO and co-founder of the Festival, shared in a statement. "This year we add meaningful volunteer experiences tied to our Festival events to share a true taste of the islands while building stronger connections to Hawai'i and driving awareness about the importance of preservation and giving back."

Those experiences include learning more about farming and harvesting, taking part in shoreline cleanups and reef preservation, and more.

Red wine being poured into glass
Red wine being poured into glass

Courtesy of Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, Kris Labang

And, unique to the festival, the organizers explain that all participating chefs and talent are "required to use Hawai'i-grown products in their dish(es) and beverage(s) each year," the team added. "They are provided with a list of over 100 locally sourced ingredient items (i.e. produce, fish, beef, poultry, etc.) to select from and use during the Festival. This year's Mālama 'Āina pledge further educates talent and attendees about where these ingredients are sourced and sustainability."

Tickets are currently on sale here.