Kit n Kitchen

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at your favorite restaurant? Well, much credit goes to the many chefs, owners and managers who work diligently day in and day out to make sure Hawaii’s diners have a top-notch dining experience.

This week, Dining Out gets the inside scoop from Kit n Kitchen owner and chef May Liu, who shares just what fuels her culinary drive.

NAME May Liu
TITLE Chef/owner of Kit n Kitchen
TRAINING/EDUCATION Many years cooking in my own restaurant

Who or what inspires you as a chef/owner? What keeps me inspired is my passion for food. Cooking is something I’ve always loved to do, and being able to do what you love for a living is a great blessing.

What is your favorite dish on the menu? Why? My favorite dish is the Grilled Beef Chimichurri or the Pork Chop Chimichurri. I love anything on the menu with our chimichurri sauce because it’s so delicious! It has a special twist of Asian flavor to the traditional sauce recipe that is originally from South America. It represents the delicious blending of world flavors that Kit n Kitchen is all about. Our customers love our signature chimichurri sauce as well!

What is your favorite ingredient to work with? Why? I like to play with spices and herbs. There are so many combinations out there, that you never know when a small dash of something can completely change a favorite dish.

Is there a dish that you create that’s not on your menu, but available upon request? They are plenty! I can customize special dishes for a party of any size. For example, during this past Sunday I made special dishes for a dining party that included Oysters Casino, Foie Gras, Smoked Duck and the list goes on.

What are your culinary goals? What do you hope to improve on? My goal is to create many more dishes that my customers truly enjoy. To do this I want to travel more, eat my way around different countries, understand their cultures, learn the ingredients they use, and the fundamentals of their ways of cooking. Traveling has always inspired me, and I want to continue this so our menu is always changing and growing. I want my customers to open the menu and be offered the world.

Kit n Kitchen

1010 University Ave. B3, Honolulu
942-7622
Open daily, lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner: 5 p.m.-midnight

1029 Makolu St., Pearl City (near Walmart)
294-5888
Open daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.