When I first saw my itinerary for the Oahu Visitor’s Bureau press trip, one of the events that immediately caught my eye was the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. The four-day festival features more than 50 internationally-renowned master chefs, culinary personalities and wine and spirit producers and members from our press group attended the festival on Saturay night.
Saturday night’s festival featured 22 celebrity chefs, with many promoting “farm to table” sustainable sourcing and cooking practices.
Some notable chefs who were at the event include Todd English, Jonathan Waxman, Susan Feniger and Lee Ann Wong.
Here’s a little snapshot of Todd English doing his thing.
Clearly I’m not above creepy paparazzi-style photography.
There was one chef I was particularly interested in meeting and awkwardly approached him after lots of encouragement from our little group.
Ryan and I love his show Restaurant Impossible and were so excited to chat with him. He could not have been more gracious, kind and personable. He was easy to talk to and didn’t seem to mind talking with any fan who came by and requested a picture or handshake. I asked him about his crazy schedule and he said he’s on the road 330+ days a year. Talk about a busy guy! He seemed excited that his beautiful wife Gail was able to join him on Saturday night.
He’s so hunky. 
Robert Irvine’s dish of the evening was a yummy burger made with wild boar.
The emcee for the night was Adam Richman from Man v. Food and while we didn’t get a chance to chat with him for more than 20 seconds, it was neat to see him in person.
Now that I’m just about done freaking out over celebrity chef sightings, let’s talk about the food and drinks shall we?
I ate so many fantastic dishes, but one of my favorites of the evening featured burrata, the cheese I tried for the first time at Fleming’s last month that knocked my socks off.
This dish was made by Chefs Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina and I couldn’t stop talking about it.
The combination of the creamy cheese with the olive oil and crispy bread was perfection on a plate.
My two other favorite dishes were desserts.
Chef Toshihiko Yoroizuka’s coconut pound cake was topped with the most fantastic Hawaiian salt ice cream and served with fresh pineapple and macadamia nuts.
The different textures and flavors on this plate complemented each other and made this one of the best dishes of the evening.
I also loved Lappert’s ice cream sandwiches.
I forgot to snap a close up, but here’s Ryan with his sample of their ice cream sandwiches:
There was a banana macadamia nut ice cream sandwich that was irresistible. YUM.
The drinks at the event were quite plentiful and fun.
Here’s the recipe for the Nola Mule that I thought was refreshing: 
If you like ginger beer and lime juice, this drink might be a winner for you, too!
Another drink I liked a lot from the evening was a grapefruit cocktail created by Julie Reiner, dubbed one of the world’s best bartenders.
The event felt like so much more than a place to eat fantastic food. While I’ve been to food tasting events before, they’ve always highlighted restaurants and I really liked how the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival highlighted the chefs behind the dishes. The food was creative, fun and obviously mouthwatering!
Question of the Day
- If you could meet one celebrity chef, who would you want to meet?
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I’m not sure what celebrity chef I’d want to meet, I don’t watch a lot of cooking shows bc I get frustrated at how easy they make it look!! But, that festival looks like so much fun and I love that dress!! super cute!!
Oh my gosh! My parents went to Hawaii for their wedding anniversary 25 years ago & are STILL talking about how Lappert’s ice cream was the highlight. Good to know it’s still around 🙂
Just because we love Lappert’s so much, here is the correct link to their website: http://www.lappertshawaii.com/stores.html
Really enjoying your reviews this week!
oooh! thanks! just updated the link.
I would have a hard time saying something to Robert Irvine. I have this thing where I can’t talk to good looking guys. Even if they are old enough to be my parents’ younger sibling. LOL That’s so cool that you guys met him and Gail, though! We watched their wedding when it aired on Food Network last month. Beautiful!
i loved their wedding episode, too!!
That is awesome you got to meet Robert Irvine, but I’m more excited to know where you got the dress. A lady on TV this weekend had a dress just like that but yellow and I have been looking all over the internet for it. I would be a prefect rehearsal dress for my upcoming wedding!! 🙂
Paula Deen!! Despite her recipes calling for ridiculous amounts of butter, I would love to meet her. And meeting Bobby and Jamie wouldn’t be bad either 🙂
Those desserts sound SOO good!
I wish I had a TV so I was better acquainted with celebrity chefs! I think I’d have to go with the chef at my favorite restaurant in Providence (even though he’s not a celebrity) because I’m desperate to know what goes into his beets & frites appetizer that makes french fries and beets taste SO GOOD together.
OMG, Robert Irvine!! what an experience! all the food looks GREAT and so do you guys:) love your site!
I am SO jealous… you are really living the dream aren’t you!?
I’m not sure which celebrity chef I’d most like to meet but I’d be happy to meet ANY of them if I got to do it in Hawaii! 🙂
So jealous that you met Robert Irvine {swoon}! I love his show too! There are a lot of celebrity chefs that I’d love to meet — probably Gordon Ramsay and Curtis Stone would top my list.
Um!!! Sweeeeet!!! Dang, what an awesome trip 🙂
I actually just got to mee Bobby Flay last month while in NY. I would love to meet Giada de Laurentiis or Michael Simon!
I love your dress. Is it the same one I posted about on Nordstroms? What a wonderful trip. I’m a little jealous right now!
Cant wait to try Lappert’s ice cream when we visit Kauai later this year. I also think you liked to the wrong website for them. Based on the picture of their logo here is their website: http://www.lappertshawaii.com/
You are so lucky!! Robert Irvine would be the first celebrity chef who I’d want to meet! His show is awesome…he’s pretty badass, although he seems like he genuinely cares about helping struggling restaurant owners. I can’t imagine how fun this event was for you and Ryan!
What a cool event! I would LOVE to attend something like that. If I could meet any Chef, it would probably be Rachael Ray (who doesn’t consider herself one anyway because I don’t think she’s professionally trained). BUT she is the person who really got me out of my comfort zone and feeling comfortable cooking in the kitchen and trying new things.
I love Robert Irvine!!! He has a restaurant in Hilton Head and while we only had desserts, they were to DIE for! So good!
I’d love to meet Adam Richman or Alton Brown. Probably my 2 favorite food personalities.
OMG! How fun! My #1 would be Bobby Flay. I love his flavorful, down home style and his way of encouraging healthy options without limiting yourself. And he’s a runner! I would also love to shake hands with Jamie Oliver, Ina Garten, Anthony Bourdain, and Giada DeLaurentis.
Very cool that you got to meet Robert Irvine. He’s a healthy guy: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/whats-your-workout-a-food-stars-fitness-plan/
Wow! Those desserts look amazing!! And Wild Boar? huh…. I have never eaten it before, but I have seen them before and they are scary!! Looks like you all are having such a great time!! =)
OMG you are one lucky lady!! Not only did you get to eat incredible food at a beautiful venue with a handsome date but you got to meet Robert Irvine AND Adam Richman?!? Im monster smoothie green with jealousy!!
Not sure who I would want to meet, but that dress is so cute on you! I am loving red this morning! I even commented about Kaths red shirt in her post this morning… So cute!
I’m so jealous you got to meet Robert! My fiance and I LOVE watching his shows! What an amazing festival!
oh my gosh I am soo jealous you got to meet Robert Irvine and see Adam Richman. I have some what of a crush on Adam Richman and would loveee to meet him!
I’m amazed at the turn out!! So many celebs and all the food looks fab!
I’d like to meet Gordon Ramsay 🙂
Oh WOW! That all looks amazing. That pound cake/ice cream thing sounds divine!
I don’t know who I’d wish to see in person…anyone that can make me a mean turkey burger, probably.
Celebrity Chef: I would probably choose Giada DeLaurentis, Paula Deen or if she counts, Bethenny Frankel!!!
That pound cake looks out of this world, phenomenal!!! What an amazing event you were able to attend!!!
Umm Hawaii Food & Wine Festival?!? Talk about a dream come true!! That must have been a great experience! And I would want to meet Gordon Ramsey!
The Hawaii Food and Wine Festival sounds amazing! I’m glad to hear Robert Ivrine is nice! I bought my husband and I tickets to see his live show next weekend for a wedding gift for my hubby. He absolutely loves him! We are looking forward to meeting him 🙂
He is VERY hunky and HOLY ARMS! J and I love him and his show as well. We also loved him on Worst Cooks in America.
My favorite celebrity chef is Geoffery Zakarian. He is a new Iron Chef and a judge on chopped! Or Michael Symon. He’s delicious.
Curtis Stone! oh yesssss 😉
im not a foodie and surprised i know most of the names you mentioned, guess im just a celeb stalker…
cute dress btw, LOVE the lace.
wow that is so awesome you got to meet Robert Irvine!! How cool 🙂 And needless to say, that food looks DELICIOUS. In fact your whole trip looks freaking awesome.
I would want to meet Giada. My Husbands family are amazing cooks, and they actually inspired me to look beyond spaghetti and tacos as elegant meals, and how many options there are to make amazing food. They also introduced me into Food Network and Giada De Laurentis is definitely my favorite!!!
was chef Mark Segobiano there?! He was my nutrition cooking class teacher here at University of Hawaii Manoa!
Adam Richman! I would have been mad stalking him. That guy is so funny! Hubs and I watch Man vs. Food National all the time.
I would love to meet Ree Drummond or Guy Fieri. Love diners, drive-ins and dives!
Cute dress by the way!
That looks like an AMAZING time!! I went to a food festival in Boston, although not nearly as awesome as yours, with local chefs/restaurant owners. I had a blast trying all the dishes and it gave me tons of ideas for my own meals at home! Looks like you had a blast 🙂
Great post! If I could meet one celebrity chef, it would have to be Julia Child. I remember watching her as a child on Channel 11, and she really sparked my interest for cooking. I love her 🙂
Omg, yum! All of this food looks so good!
Robert Irvine, Giada DeLaurentiis, or Michael Symon! Everything looks delicious!!!
I would like to meet Bobby Flay!
So jealous that you got to meet Chef Rob! I love his show! 🙂 I feel like I would be so intimidated by him in person!
What a super cool event! And so exciting to meet Robert Irvine – he seems super intense on his shows but also seems like a straight forward guy. I would love to meet Curtis Stone or Bobby Flay. 🙂
I bet Adam Richman was a fun MC! I want to meet him and Bobby Flay!
How did you get involved in this?! I would seriously jump at this opportunity too! I can’t believe you passe it up once!
That’s so cool that you met Robert Irvine! He’s definitely the celebrity chef that I would want to meet, too, because I love Restaurant Impossible. I like how he turns around the restaurants and doesn’t sugar-coat his advice to the owners. I’m totally jealous of your trip 🙂
I can not believe you met Robert Irvine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’d love to meet Jamie Oliver. He seems like a really down to earth guy.