Page 3 - Dining Out - March 27, 2022

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
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PAST WINNERS
Here are updates on previous winners and where they are now.
2018
Name: Primo Mateo
Dish: Chicken Pastele Stew with Gandule Rice Bento Launch: February 2019
Mateo graduated from Kapiolani Community College in spring of 2018 and now works at La Tour Café.
2019
Name: Kainoa Reloza
Dish: Shrimp and Vegetable Sinigang Noodle Soup Launch: February 2020
Reloza graduated from Kapiolani Community College with an associate’s in pastry and culinary
in 2019. He is currently the pastry chef at Miro Kaimuki.
2020
Name: Eri Abe
Dish: Ulu Beef Stew Bento Launch: August 2021
Abe graduated from Kapiolani Community College in winter of 2020 and is now the product development supervisor at Warabeya USA, 7-Eleven Hawaii’s commissary partner, located in Waipahu, which helps develop and produce the company’s fresh food products.
AL: Debbie, how did this compe- tition start?
DLS: One of our initiatives is to be involved in the community. Kapiola- ni CC culinary arts instructor and Culinary Innovation Center director, Lauren Tamamoto, reached out to us and put together the parameters for this contest. This was a way for the students to be given an opportuni- ty to showcase their talents and be noticed statewide.
AL: One of the toughest challenges that contestants had when making these prepared dishes is the stabil- ity and consistency of the entrée. Tell me more about this.
DLS: Each entry needs to retain its taste and flavor, so we ask that they make it ahead of time, chill it, microwave it — it must hold up in a warmer — and we re-taste it after all of this. For each student this is chal- lenging, and the results of the dishes submitted are very creative.
AL: What do the winners receive?
DLS: The first-place winner’s dish will be introduced and featured in our marketing and advertising ef- forts and also provide opportunity to work with them on future dishes. Their dish will also be available for purchase statewide at all of our Ha- waii locations in addition to a $1,000 cash prize.
AL:Kaleb,whydidyouwanttogo to culinary school?
KM: Food has always been a love
and luxury for me. I found a passion for it back in my senior year of high school when I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I joined a culinary class at Moanalua High School with Lars Mitsuda, which encouraged me to jump right into Leeward CC’s culinary program right out of high school. I was relieved to know that this program was still being offered and open during the pandemic. It was more difficult in the beginning but now with things being more ac- cessible, it’s a relief to culinary stu- dents coming back to campus.
AL: Tell me more about how you came up with this winning dish. KM: Bolognese is a classic sauce with beef that’s cooked down to bring out all of the flavors of each ingredient. In Italy, the ingredients areofthehighestquality,andthe simplicity and flavor make this an amazing sauce.
I replaced the meat with a plant- based substitute. The sauce starts off as a pomodoro sauce, which I cooked down about 3-8 hours, depending on the flavor, and added some ground basil, sweet onion and San Marzano tomatoes, which are known for their sweet flavor.The sauce by itself is a lot of prep work and is the foundation to this dish — everything else just adds to the flavor.
I chose to pair this with a vegan rigatoni pasta. It’s a capsule for flavor, as this dish is usually served with a bucatini or spaghetti pasta. This par- ticular pasta is made with durum flour, and the noodle is very durable, does not contain egg and has a higher pro- tein content, which made it a good choice to be able to have the shelf life to offer at 7-Eleven Hawaii’s statewide.
AL:Whatwordsofwisdomcanyou share with your peers?
KM: I am currently finishing up school
7-Eleven Hawaii
65 locations statewide 808-944-2711 7elevenhawaii.com
and working 40 hours a week at MW Restaurant as a chef. Cooking is a passion and a love that fuels me and when I see someone smile from tast- ing a dish that I created, it’s simply something that I can’t describe. Not every profession allows you to see the fruits of your labor. Cooking is something that you feel and my peers in this industry share the same pas- sion. If you want to do this, just do it, no holding back. What other indus- try can provide you with access to learning from the best in the world?
AL: How did you feel when you found out you won the competition? KM: Joyous! The previous year I entered, and it was fun and an edu- cational experience. I learned how to put my creativity out there, what worked and didn’t work. This year when I entered again, learning that my dish won, the feeling is indescrib- able. This is a tremendous opportu- nity for me to get my name out there in this industry. 7-Eleven Hawaii is a household name statewide and I have family all over Hawaii and am so proud to have my relatives and friends hear about this. I am the first in my family to go to college.
1. Vegan rigatoni pasta ($5.99 on Oahu and $6.59 on the neighbor islands)
AT THE KAHALA
RESERVATIONS
OpenTable 808.739.8811 KahalaResort.com
HOP OVER TO THE ULTIMATE EASTER FEAST
The hunt for the perfect Easter spread is over. Hop on over to The Kahala for an oceanfront brunch or dinner buffet at Plumeria Beach House. Enjoy a wide selection of salads, fresh poke, sashimi, and hot selections like steamed Snow and Dungeness crab, signature Misoyaki Butterfish and an action station with prime rib and other Easter classics.
EASTER BRUNCH BUFFET
Sunday, April 17, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. $105* adult, $50* child (6-12)
EASTER DINNER BUFFET
Sunday, April 17, 2-8 p.m. $105* adult, $50* child (6-12)
LIMITED SEATING
RESERVE NOW
*A service charge of 19% will be added to checks for parties of 6 guests or more
Dining Out
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