Top Chefs plant seeds for innovative culinary collaboration at ʻŌuli Farms

A groundbreaking culinary and agricultural partnership is taking shape, with the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival and ʻŌuli Farms officially launching the Chefs’ Garden.

At a recent blessing ceremony at ʻŌuli Farms in Waimea, five of Hawai‘i’s top chefs gathered to plant the first seeds in a living collaboration that combines regenerative agriculture with culinary innovation.

The collaboration aims to deepen the connection between chefs and the ‘āina, while giving festivalgoers and diners a taste of Hawai‘i-grown produce harvested directly by the chefs themselves.

Chef’s Participating:
• Peter Abarcar, Jr.: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
• Allen Hess: FORC restaurant
• Brian Hirata: Na‘au Hilo
• Jayson Kanekoa: Waikōloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
• Roy Yamaguchi: Roy’s Waikōloa

Each top chef will grow a personalized selection of crops — from hakurei turnips and poha berries to purple lemongrass, sweet onions, and heirloom greens — with harvests making their debut at the 15th Annual Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival on the Big Island on Oct. 17 and 18.

The ingredients will be featured at two signature events: the First Annual Cuisines of the Sun Golf Classic, hosted by Alan Wong, and Cucina: From Mauka to Makai, held at the Mauna Kea Golf Course and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

“The Chefs’ Garden brings that story full circle, offering our HFWF chefs the chance to grow what they serve while connecting our guests directly to the land and its bounty,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival.

ʻŌuli Farms, which envisions a master-planned sustainable living community on Hawai‘i Island, sees the garden as a key part of its larger mission.

With more than 200 acres of food crops planned, the farm is already growing staples such as ‘ulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato), citrus, dragon fruit, papaya, and leafy greens. To date, more than 6,000 pounds of produce has been donated and 325 native trees have been planted for reforestation.

“It’s about creating a place where our local chefs, our farmers, and our community come together to grow, not just food, but relationships that sustain Hawai‘i’s future,” said Joe Root, Founding Partner of ʻŌuli Farms.

Festivalgoers will have the rare opportunity to taste the fruits (and vegetables) of this collaboration before they appear on restaurant menus across the island.

Individuals interested in the farm-fresh ingredients can purchase tickets for the 15th Annual Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival by clicking here.