Mt. Kilauea keeps erupting but that doesn’t deter the tourists. While Maui and Oahu get the most visitors per year, it’s the Big Island of Hawaii that captures the true spirit of the land. With 11 of the world’s 13 climates, the Big Island has something for everyone, from rainforests to hiking trails to sandy beaches. The Kohala Coast, stretching along more than 20 miles of the Pacific Ocean, is home to the chicest resorts on the island.

Driving from Kona Airport to the Kohala Coast, one is surprised to see large heaps of lava rock rather than the usual greenery associated with Hawaii. The remains of violent eruptions centuries before, the dark fragments give the island its incongruous lunar-like landscape. Even stranger is the graffiti on said rocks. Enterprising locals have used leftover coral, imported into the area in the 1970s to build the two-lane highway, to state their allegiance to sports teams and loved ones.

On the northwest side of the Kohala Coast lies the award-winning Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Nestled among 865 acres of lush foliage, the resort includes multi-million-dollar private residences, a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, three restaurants, eight tennis courts, and a spa and sports club. Winding pathways lead guests to a choice of accommodations, from golf-view rooms to premium two-bedroom suites with ocean vistas to private villas. Deluxe suites, which start at $2,500 a night, incorporate much of the natural beauty of the island. Lava rock encapsulates the outdoor, canopy-covered shower. Traditional wicker furniture and native koa wood blend in seamlessly in the expansive living room with its view of the ocean and one of the resort’s many natural fishponds. Airy bathrooms feature full tubs, marble sinks, and large showers. At the other end of the suite sits another water closet complete with a private steam room. Drop a few ounces of eucalyptus oil into the steam capsule and let your worries disappear. A king-sized bed dominates a bedroom complete with a chaise longue and flat-screen television. Breakfast can be enjoyed al fresco on one of the suite’s two lanais or patios.

At the top of the resort sit privately owned residences. Each resident has access to hotel amenities , entrée to an exclusive Tom Wyscoff golf course, golf club, and private excursions such as whale watching and sailing. Residences range in size from two to seven bedrooms and require a one-time fee of $225,000. One five-bedroom home for sale combines Hawaiian, Japanese, and Balinese influences to lovely effect. An open-air plan from entryway to the infinity pool only enhances the feeling of serenity. The resort is almost two-thirds complete, with 200 residences in all. Developers can construct new homes from scratch according to their specifications.

Six miles from Hualalai sits the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows. The resort’s renovated five bungalows, which start at $6,100 a night, appeal to guests who want privacy and luxury but with hotel amenities. Butlers greet guests at the airport with champagne and transport them to the resort via limousine. Each 4,000-square-foot bungalow has open beam roofs; rich, brown koa wood floors; green brocade couches; curly koa tables; and marble baths with hydrotherapy tubs, steam rooms, and outdoor showers. A private pool encompasses the patio area. Separate entrances to the pool, hot tub, and hammock allow two couples to share a villa. A salt-water pond weaves through the bungalows, and the hotel will place special fish into the pond at a guest’s request. Entertain your friends at the well-stocked bar at which the butler serves up cocktails and hors d’oeuvres nightly. Butlers also prepare meals, and one of the hotel’s chefs can create culinary delights, complete with resort-grown herbs, for an extra fee. Relax on the lanai at which you can view whales and the sunset, and don’t forget that the butler is there to serve your every need.

A visit to the Kohala Coast wouldn’t be complete without a stay at the fabled Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Built by Laurance Rockefeller in 1965, the Mauna Kea was recently renovated after an earthquake devastated the property in 2006. The deluxe rooms, starting at $850 a night, were once kitschy but are now examples of modern elegance with sliding doors and panels throughout. Beds are large and airy and decorated in neutral tones with pops of orange or turquoise and the always-present plumeria. Flat-screen televisions are hidden in teak entertainment centers, and half of the rooms look out onto famous Mauna Kea beach. Entire rooms have been eliminated to make space for larger bathrooms. Kohler sinks and Frette linens line the washing area, while a large, two-person tub dominates the stark white bathing area that also includes a rainforest shower and private lanai for sunbathing.

Mauna Kea is also host to 10 gated communities with private residences for sale and rent. The Bluffs, a new home designed by Hawaiian architect Sean Roth, is powered entirely by 150 solar panels. Available for rent for $8,500 a night with a five-night minimum, the four bedroom, 12,000-foot manse is fit for a king or a California governor (Arnold Schwarzenegger recently visited the home). Oversized windows open onto a large lanai with an infinity pool-complete with lava rock-and teak tables and chairs. Watch a movie in the media room. Entertain in the large kitchen with its Viking appliances. Each of the four bedrooms is distinctive and has a hand-carved door. The rooms are awash in neutral tones with colorful bedspreads, ceiling fans, and bathrooms with granite counter tops, Duravit bathtubs, and large outdoor showers, some with foliage and others with plastic balls for play. Residents and their guests also have exclusive access to the private three-hole, practice course on the resort grounds.

The nearby Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel has its own private villa for rental at $7,000. The Hapuna suite is a butler-operated, 8,000-square-foot home with private access to one of the finest snorkeling areas on the island. Decorated in traditional Hawaiian colors, each of the four bedrooms has its own private lanai and bath. Butlers prepare fresh breakfast daily and hors d’oveures nightly.

From deluxe hotel rooms to lavish suites to private villas, the Kohala Coast provides luxury at any price. Visit www.kohalacoastresorts.com for more information.

With a promise of gold and a better life amid sunny beaches and temperate weather, more than 300,000 men, women and children made their way across land and sea to California in the mid-19th century. The dream that the Golden State stood with open arms to welcome, indiscriminately, people from all ethnic backgrounds was too tempting to resist. In the early 20th century, the onset of the film industry offered yet another alluring promise-that of fame and fortune under the glittering lights and on a larger-than-life Silver Screen. In this bastion of perpetual hope, three chefs from three corners of the world with three unique stories were able to take their own place in California history. It is at the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel-in its own right a part of California history-that we are privileged to host these three culinary icons.

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, known to the world simply as Nobu, comes from Saitama, a city near Tokyo, Japan, where he apprenticed in a host of local sushi bars. It was his tenure in Lima, Peru, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, that contributed to the formation of his unique fusion cuisine. Soon after arriving in L.A. in the late 1980s, Nobu opened his first restaurant, Matsuhisa. Critics and Hollywood glitterati took fondly to his unique marriage of Western and Eastern flavors. In 1993, Matsuhisa was named one of the top 10 restaurants in the country by The New York Times. A successful partnership with Robert de Niro and Richie Notar followed, with the debut of Nobu, now a New York City dining icon that has expanded as far and wide as Dubai, London, Milan, and, soon, Cape Town. “Once we open in Cape Town this spring, we will be on five continents, ” says Nobu. “I am proud that my food is enjoyed and accepted all over the world.” Through his unmistakable fusion of flavors, Nobu single-handedly changed the way Americans think of once “exotic” Japanese foods, opening palates and minds to a host of flavors, and planting him firmly at the center of pop culture. “I didn’t open a restaurant to become successful, I just wanted customers to enjoy my food and leave satisfied,” he says with an unmistakable humility. “I wasn’t trying to become a part of pop culture. I think it just happened. I’ve never really thought that I’m a part of it; all I do is cook and run a restaurant.”

Another prominent member of modern pop culture, Wolfgang Puck was recently named one of the world’s richest chefs by Forbes magazine. He, too, denies that his aim was ever to be such an icon. “Being on the Forbes list is completely unimportant to me. If money was my motivation to go to work, I would open a bunch of fast food restaurants instead of fine dining restaurants,” he quips.

Puck’s beginnings trace back to Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria, where his affinity towards cooking came from his mother, Maria Topfschnig. He began his apprenticeships in France, and quickly ascended up the ranks, first in Monaco and then at the iconic Maxim’s in Paris. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Puck was chef and part owner of Ma Maison before launching Spago on the Sunset Strip, which quickly became a celebrity mainstay. “Days before opening Spago, my biggest fear was that no one would show up,” he recalls. “I was so busy in the kitchen that by 8 o’clock I looked around and I saw the whole restaurant filled with people. I thought, ‘how are we going to serve them all?’” But he was able to feed them all and many more, with the opening of a string of subsequent restaurants as well as a catering business that landed the greatest gig of them all-the Oscars. Each year, Puck outdoes himself by preparing a feast of kings for more than 1,600 of the most famous names in entertainment. “The Academy Awards is the greatest party of the year in America, watched by millions of people worldwide. I always find it a challenge, but it is also very satisfying to do the Governor’s Ball,” he says.

Our third California culinary great hails from Cairo, Egypt, but grew up in Ellensburg, Washington, where he began working in restaurants from the age of 16. After a stint at the Seattle Space Needle, Mina went on to study at the famed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After his first job at the Hotel Bel-Air, Mina moved to San Francisco to help create the concept for Aqua. He then went on to open his namesake restaurant in San Francisco as well as a multitude of other concept restaurants around the country, in partnership with long-time friend Andre Agassi. This year will see Mina open two new restaurants: RN74 in San Francisco and AMERICAN FISH at City Center in Las Vegas. “Both are new concepts that I’ve been working on for some time, and I’m really excited about both,” Mina explains. “After those openings, I’m going to spend some time really focusing on all of the restaurants we’ve opened.” Although he has gained meteoric success in a short span of time, Mina admits that, to him, it is still about the pleasure of the craft. “I still love to cook,” he says. “Creating a dish in your head, working it out on the plate…sometimes it takes many rounds of tweaking to be happy with it, other times the first try is the best. Watching that dish play out every night with the guests is the real reward.”

As the chefs greet one another on a sunny afternoon in Beverly Hills, stories of how they know each other emerge. Nobu begins: “I’ve known Wolfgang Puck for many years. When I met him for the first time at Spago in Hollywood, he seemed very outgoing and walked around the dining room with a certain aura about him.” Mina adds, “I was working at the Hotel Bel-Air when I first met Wolfgang Puck. He was at the hotel for an event, and I’ll never forget how he commanded a room with an aura about him. He can instantaneously change the dynamic of a room just by the way he walks into it. It is a true force to see and experience.” Clearly flattered by their comments, Puck fondly points out the most admirable qualities in his counterparts. “Both Michael and Nobu are very talented and hard-working, and not only are they great chefs, but good businesspeople as well, and fun to be around. They don’t take themselves too seriously. Instead, I feel that what is on the plate is the serious part.”

The conversation progresses with waves of laughter. The topic of discussion is amusing restaurant anecdotes. Mina begins with, “I was expediting at one of my restaurants one night when table 17’s food came back to the kitchen. When I asked what was wrong the server informed me that the couple at that table had gotten into a fight and left the restaurant. Ten minutes later, table 16’s food came back to the kitchen. When I asked the server what was wrong, I was informed that the couple at the table had gotten into a fight and left the restaurant. I argued with the server and said, ‘No, no, that was table 17, not 16.’ I was wrong. Table 16 had also left, getting into a fight about the fight at the table next to them! Another 10 minutes goes by and more food back to the kitchen. Yes, it’s what you’re thinking-table 15 also had left the restaurant, getting into a fight about the other two fights they had just witnessed. I can laugh about it now. Not so funny that night!” Puck is immediately reminded of opening night at his Chinois. “The electricity couldn’t be hooked up. We had to go into the neighbor’s back yard to get power to the restaurant. So we called the neighbor, but he didn’t answer the phone. We had to break in through his fence and hook up the electricity ourselves. At that time, our opening party was already underway with candles, and the customers thought it was funny that all of a sudden the lights came on.”

As with any public figure, the need to support and speak out for a cause is very important to each of the culinary greats of California. Puck has a few causes that are particularly close to his heart. He is a strong advocate for the humane treatment of animals. He is also heavily involved in Meals-on-Wheels, cancer research, and juvenile diabetes. “I believe giving brings you more happiness than taking, so I think I was lucky to be fairly successful and able to give back,” Puck says. Mina agrees. “This industry has given me and my family so much, and it is so important to me to give back as much as possible. I am very focused on children’s charities, fighting childhood hunger, mentoring programs, and work with the Agassi Charitable Foundation, which is dedicated to transforming U.S. public education for underserved youth. I am also very involved in cancer research. My family has firsthand experience with cancer, and it’s very difficult to stand by and watch, feeling helpless. Giving back to these charities is one way to help,” he says.

Through their unique gifts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, and Nobuyuki Matsuhisa have proudly shown the world that no matter what background or what corner of the world one may come from, a unique vision and steadfast determination will always be rewarded. While each chef may have had his own recipe and ingredients, the result has always been success that knows no boundaries-geographical or cultural.

In Mexico, tourism and the picturesque resorts that dot every coastline capture most of the headlines in the international press. While it is understandable that these manmade Edens are a good fit for glossy magazine stories, Mexico’s biggest movers and shakers do most of their moving and shaking quietly and behind the scenes.

During the middle of the 20th Century, Mexican industry underwent unprecedented development across the board. It was so impressive, in fact, that the period of economic development and industrialization that coincided with years of political stability is known as El Milagro Mexicano (the Mexican Miracle). The family fortunes of some of the tycoons profiled in this piece began accumulating during this period. Minerals, construction, and transportation were often the bedrock on which today’s companies were built. Today, however, many holding companies have expanded to include a thoroughly modern and global mix including finance, media, and commerce. This evolution, which seems to have gathered momentum during the last 20 years, is responsible to a large degree for the wide-scale progress in Mexico’s business world.

A name that has been on everyone’s lips of late is Carlos Slim Helú. Known to many Americans in recent months as “the man who bailed out the New York Times,” his involvement with the Times shone a light on the growing importance of Mexico’s business force. Slim himself is the second wealthiest man in the world (at certain times he has been considered the richest) and derives much of his wealth from holdings in the communications industry but is also heavily involved with building Mexican infrastructure through transportation, construction, energy, and natural resource projects. Last fall, he bought a 6.4 percent common-stock stake in the troubled American newspaper and, in January 2009, he came forth with a $250 million dollar loan, prompting speculation that he may be interested in buying the beleaguered Times Company outright. While no one knows exactly what his plans are for media expansion, it is likely that we will be hearing more about him in coming years.

Alberto Bailleres, the second wealthiest man in Mexico, is the force behind holding company Grupo Bal, a major mining company and the largest source of silver in the world. He has diversified his holdings into a chain of department stores and the only entirely Mexican insurance company.

Like Bailleres, Germán Larrea Mota-Velasco’s fortune originated in the mining industry. His late father founded the company Grupo Mexico, which mines zinc and silver as well as copper, the ore that accounts for much of the corporation’s vast wealth. Larrea expanded into the transportation and logistics sector, and owns Mexico’s largest railroad.

The proliferation of cities drove the growth of many companies within Mexico. Lorenzo Zambrano is a great example of someone whose industrial fortune has evolved into much more than that. He is the Chairman and CEO of CEMEX, one of the largest cement companies in the world. The company, inherited from his father, has seen phenomenal growth under his savvy guidance. Zambrano is a member of a number of boards including IBM, Citigroup, Grupo Televisa, and others. Fortunately, the mogul does take time to pursue fun now and then: cars are his hobby of choice, specifically fast ones; he owns the world’s largest collection of Ferraris.

More recent fortunes have been built on commercial ventures. Jeronimo Arango founded, along with his two brothers, the Aurrerá chain of discount supermarkets. His inspiration came from a 1958 visit to New York, during which he was first introduced to the idea of a discount store. Given his affinity for American ideas, it is little surprise that he joined forces with Sam Walton in 1991 and was responsible for bringing the first Wal-Mart to Mexico, where it was later rechristened Walmex. His company also owns the international restaurant chain VIPs.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego is the head of Grupo Salinas, an important media and banking empire. He weighed in on the future of his company’s expansion, sharing his valuable insider’s point of view with Haute Living. “The future for Grupo Salinas lies in international expansion,” he explains. “We are currently present in eight countries outside of Mexico. Here in the United States our flagship operation is the Azteca America television network, which serves the Latino community. We also have banking and retail operations in Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama, and we expect them to continue to grow nicely in coming years.” Salinas recently and notably purchased a major stake in Circuit City, which began to liquidate in January, 2009. So, will there be a greater focus on international expansion than ever before? “At our retailing and consumer finance business, Grupo Elektra, about one-fifth of our stores are outside of Mexico. However, international operations were our strongest growth area last year, and we expect to continue this trend through the next decade.” Looking inward once again to comment on the growth of business within Mexico, Salinas said his focus was on emerging communities. “Our hope for the development of Latin America is that more companies will begin to see the advantages of serving communities at the bottom of the pyramid. For instance, industries like banking serve only the top 15 percent of the population in Latin America. We’re changing the concept with Banco Azteca.”

The emphasis on Mexico’s lower classes was a widely echoed sentiment. Alfredo Harp Helú devotes much of his attention to aid and development these days. Born in Mexico City, Harp is the ex-owner of the biggest Latin American and Mexican bank, Banamex (now part of Citigroup), and owner of the telecommunication company, Avantel, the second largest telephone company in Mexico. A billion dollar beneficiary of Citigroup’s buyout of Banamex, Harp now spends much of his time tending to his nation’s poor. Through Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca, he oversees development aid to the state of Oaxaca, located in the south part of the country. He continues to act as chairman of the board of Banamex’s holding company.

Physically, too, the face of Mexico is changing, thanks to a number of projects initiated by the government and the private sector and the work of talented Mexicans. Enrique Norten is the country’s most famous architect. He was handpicked to design the Guggenheim in Guadalajara, a testiment to his versatility and excellence. (Though that project is on hold for the time being, it is expected to continue in the near future.) Norten is busy with a number of other projects, including five in New York City and the massive and ongoing construction of a park and UNESCO world heritage sight in Mexico City called Xochimilco. “The mayor of Mexico City and I have been discussing this project since before his election,” Norten explains. “The area was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987. Its history is totally unique; pre-Columbian settlers had built islands within the lake that is located in the south part of the city. These were preserved but over the years the surrounding area had been victim to urban encroachment. The lake had become polluted, and the protected area was shrinking.” The enormous undertaking, which does not have a set end date as of yet, will drastically reconfigure the area to bring public space, entertainment, and business to the poorest section of the city. Business-wise, there are plans to revive a marketplace that used to exist on the site, stimulating the micro-economy of the area via new employment opportunities and industries. Norten, who spends time in both New York and Mexico City-he has an office in each-says Mexico City is going through a very good time in terms of innovation in arts and architecture. “The generation younger than myself is very cutting edge. The New York Architectural Society has an annual lecture series called ‘Emerging Voices’ and, this year, three of their five honorees were from Mexico.” Norten also mentions the growth of the Mexico City international art fair, Zona Maco.

The renowned resorts that line the coast are also keeping up with international standards of luxury. Recently, the amazing Hacienda Tres Rios garnered media attention for its advances in green tourism. Tres Rios is a pristine 326-acre nature park in the Riviera Maya that was designated as such by the Mexican government. The resort’s developers spent two years studying the ecosystem before commencing with the construction. Located less than an hour from Cancun, the property represents the sustainable tourism model that many new resorts are embracing.

From resorts to resources and artistic innovation to international development, Mexico is well represented at the forefront of every major industry.

Nick Haque, born into a family of entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, is the mastermind behind the incredibly successful Koi Restaurant. A staple in Los Angeles’ haute dining scene, Koi was founded with the idea of elevating food and hospitality to an art form. Eight years later, that art form has spread across the country and around the globe, garnering a following of A-listers and spawning a slew of imitators who try to recreate the magic of the incredibly successful restaurant brand. Here, he explains why Koi will always be ahead of the trends.

Haute Living Koi entered the Los Angeles culinary scene with a bang eight years ago and has remained at the very top of the industry ever since. What is the secret behind your lasting success?

Nick Haque Koi entered the Los Angeles culinary scene unlike any restaurant preceding it. Koi is about an experience. It is the combination of design, comfort, and quality of food. Eight years ago, my vision was to design a restaurant that appealed to all the senses. I was able to capture that with Koi. The secret from there is maintaining consistency and paying close attention to detail.

HL How did your heritage shape the creation of the restaurant?
NH My family has been an incredible inspiration to me. My father’s innovative spirit encouraged me to follow my own path. I watched him build an empire, which compelled me to create my own.

HL Sum up Koi in three words:
NH Iconic, vibrant, and intimate

HL Koi is known not only for its fine cuisine but also for its décor. Who is responsible for the design of the Los Angeles restaurant?
NH Koi Group is responsible for the design of Koi Los Angeles. Our creative team was able to expand on my original vision for Koi and outsource concept designers to complete the restaurant I had envisioned. Many creative geniuses contributed to the design of Koi Restaurant. We continue to garner ideas to constantly improve and refresh the Koi experience.

HL The restaurant appeals to the Hollywood power crowd, superstars and mega-moguls alike. What is it about Koi that brings in the A-list clientele?
NH At Koi we try to develop a relationship with each of our patrons. No matter who they are and where they come from, we invite them into our restaurant, which is an oasis from the outside world. We have developed an atmosphere of comfort and equality where each person, regardless of their stature, is able to relax and feel at home.

HL If someone wants to get reservations at Koi on a busy Friday night, what do you recommend?
NH The best tip that I can give is persistence. Often we have a fully booked restaurant but will have a few last minute cancellations. It is common that we have walk-ins who snag a table by being in the right place at the right time. We try to be very accommodating to everyone who comes through our doors.

HL What’s your favorite dish at Koi?
NH At this time, my favorites are the Spicy Crunchy Yellowtail Tartare and the Peppercorn Kobe Filet with truffle-mashed potatoes.

HL Other than Koi, what is your favorite restaurant in the Los Angeles area? Favorite chef?
NH That is dependent on the mood I am in. For Italian, Il Sole. For steak, STK. Luckily I live in one of the most culinary advanced cities, so I am never short on options.

HL Where will we find you on a Friday night?
NH Almost any given Friday night you will find me at Koi. It is important to me to remain hands-on in each of my restaurants.

HL Koi now operates in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, and Bangkok. Any additional locations in the works? What is one consistent trait clients will find in all of your restaurants?
NH We are currently looking at Washington D.C., Miami, and Dubai. Further down the road I would like to take Koi to London, Moscow, Mexico City, Shanghai, Brazil, and Tokyo. Each Koi is unique and has different qualities but they are all based on the same principle.

HL How have your businesses adapted to the changing economic climate?
NH Although the enconomy has significantly slowed everywhere, my restaurants have remained consistent throughout the change. As we have been affected like everyone else, we continue to maintain our identity and believe that when diners’ restaurant choices are narrowed, we will be considered if not chosen.

HL Now that you’ve created the brand strength in the Koi name, how do you plan on using it?
NH Besides the expansion of Koi across the world I plan to use the Koi name for a better cause. It is my belief that if we all contribute just a small amount to a greater cause, we will make a monumental change in the world. With this inspiration, I have developed a charity called “Just a Little.”
“Just a Little” is a non-profit organization that focuses on improving healthcare and education for those who cannot afford it. We would ultimately like to sponsor men and women who would like to work in medicine yet do not have the means to do so themselves. Although we are in the beginning stages, I am very excited and look forward to the improvements we will be able to make in the lives of others.

HL What else are you working on right now? What does the future of Nick Haque hold?
NH I am working on Koi D.C. and Miami. While remaining hands-on in each of my restaurants, I am really lending a great deal of focus to “Just a Little.” Hopefully, very soon we will be able to make a big difference.