Smoke it Up! festival returns to uplift Hawaiʻi Island’s precarious, yet promising food systems
What began as an effort to address Lower Puna’s feral pig population has grown into a broader movement to strengthen Hawaiʻi Island’s food systems, featuring a fun meaty festival.
The second annual Smoke it Up! is returning to downtown Pāhoa on Saturday with 16 chef stations serving tasting-sized dishes highlighting locally sourced proteins using traditional and modern smoking techniques.
Last year’s event highlighted the possibilities of using wild boar in recipes. This year, the 16 chefs also could use any locally sourced meat processed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified butchery on the island.
Smoked Fish Wonton by Anykine Wontons- Smoked Meat Warabi Salad by Chef Kwai Chang Publico of So Juicy
- Pork and Ulu Pastele by Chef Jasyon Kanekoa from Waikoloa Beach Marriott
- Pork Tamale with Smoked Lūʻau by Chef Mark Noguchi from Pili Group
While Jayson Kanekoa, executive chef at the Waikōloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, will be using a traditional imu (underground oven) to cook his beef brisket sliders, Hawaiʻi Community College’s Agriculture students will showcase a modern farming technique. They will make a smoked marlin salad using lettuce grown through hydroponics that keeps leafy greens off the ground.
Most of the meat used this year was from Kaʻū ranchers, who were impacted by Hurricane Lala in August.
After Hurricane Lala’s high winds, heavy rains and flooding devastated Kaʻū, County Council Member Ashley Kierkiewicz visited farms and agricultural producers to assess the damage and discuss what it would take to rebuild operations.
“Rising grocery costs and recent disasters have shown us how vulnerable our food supply can be,” Kierkiewicz said. “The festival started with the idea of finding productive uses for feral pigs. This year, we’re featuring a wider variety of locally sourced meats to celebrate our farmers and ranchers and show what’s possible when we invest in producing and processing more food right here at home.”
On Saturday, organizers hope that conversations continue when it comes to expanding local harvesting, meat processing and shared facilities that create economic opportunities and strengthen food production.
One of the event’s organizers, Amedeo Markoff, will also be participating as a chef during the and will be representing Pāhoa Lava Zone’s mobile kitchen, Pōhaku Cafe.
Last year, Markoff helped to open the shared-use commercial kitchen for food businesses. Since its conception, a network has begun to grow as food entrepreneurs expand their operations and learn together.
Proceeds from this year’s Smoke it Up! festival will go to developing a community kitchen in Pāhoa and food-processing infrastructure to help local producers turn what they grow, raise and harvest into other products.
Spear-fisherman Kekaulike Kealoha will participate in Smoke it Up! for the first time and will serve a keawe-smoked chili. He is currently processing the meat with the equipment at the Pāhoa Lava Zone Commercial Kitchen and will use the industrial smoker there, too.
The 16 chefs and recipes set to be featured on Saturday include:
- Beef brisket – Ryan Brannigan from Bull Shed
- Imu beef brisket sliders and smoked pork chowder – Jayson Kanekoa from Waikoloa Beach Marriott
- Kalo and beef sliders – Ben Miracle and Cherub Silverstein from Sweet Cane Cafe
- No worries beef curry and waiwī pipikaula crisp – Chris and Becky Schuck from Island Style Birria
- Picadillo – Kwai-Change Publico from So Juicy Hawaiʻi
- Smoked chili – Kekaulike Kealoha
- Smoked fish gazpacho – Mo’s Bayfront Fish and Chips
- Smoked fish tacos – Ernie Grey from Poke Market
- Smoked Hawaiian braised beef and smoked meat luau – Jason Soriano from J’s Local Food and Catering
- Smoked macadamia tiramisu – Casey Halpern from Cafe Pesto
- Smoked marlin hydroponic salad – Hawaiʻi Community College Agriculture students
- Smoked pipikaula hydroponic salad – Hawaiʻi Community College Culinary students
- Thai-style sausage slider – Jeremy Van Kralingen from Ola Brew
- Venison dip, smoked pork, smoke venison mac and cheese – Hauʻoli and Joe Yockeman from 96749-ers
The Waimea Butcher Shop and Red Road Resilience Hub also will serve samples of various meats during the festival.
Craft cocktails by Tyson Takiue and local mead from Big Island Meadery also will be available, as well as live music from Drew Daniels & Friends.
Smoke it Up! will be at Hale Hālāwai o Puna (the former Akebono Theater lot) in downtown Pāhoa from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14. Tickets are on sale for $75 online.
