Heads up, Hawaiian foodies! Hawaii’s longest-running wine and food event returns June 9-12 for its 30th year of food, wine, and Hawaiian Cuisine at the Kapalua Resort.
Host (and master sommelier) Fred Dame will bring several popular winemakers, sommeliers and chefs for wine tastings, a gourmet cooking demonstration and festive gala functions held throughout the weekend at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Geoff Kruth, Rob Bigelow, Jay Fletcher, Michael Jordan, Andrew McNamara and Larry Stone are confirmed to attend as the 2011 festival master sommeliers.
The four-day event, themed “A Toast to 30,” will emphasize Hawaii’s Regional Cuisine through its continued partnership with the Maui County Farm Bureau. Chef and Restaurateur Peter Merriman, one of the founding members of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement and owner of Merriman’s Restaurants and Maui's new Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman, will be the featured Festival Chef during Sunday’s Farm Fresh luncheon.
Throughout the weekend, participants can also select from an impressive list of interactive wine seminars including three decades of Reserve Cabernet (wines from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s), Pinots meet Cheese, A Drive up Hwy 101 and You Say Shiraz, I say Syrah. Some of the featured wineries/winemakers are as follows: Beringer, Cardinale, Jordan, Silver Oak, Lachini, Pisoni, Patz & Hall, Ramey, Littorai, Justin, Pepper Bridge, Waters, Wind Gap, Scherrer, Williams-Selyem and Ehlers Estate.
This year’s Grand Tasting – Maui Grown Gala, held on Friday night, June 10, will feature wines from around the world and showcase Maui’s agriculture. On June 12, the Maui Seafood Festival will feature the island’s top chefs and restaurants competing for the “Best of the Fest” prize, and a Bombay Sapphire mixology station. Both evening gala functions will showcase live entertainment, a selection of fine wines and a draft beer bar sponsored by Maui Brewing Company.
Tickets to the 30th Annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival can be purchased by calling 888-665-9160.