Spam No More: The Hawaiian Islands Gets a Taste of James Beard

It’s no secret that Hawaiians love food and the James Beard Foundation seems to have taken notice because the Celebrity Chef Tour, which benefits the James Beard Foundation, is coming to the Hawaiian Islands for the very first time.

The annual tour, which will make it’s first ever pit stop in Kohala Coast on Jan. 21-22, is a nationwide series that is helping to raise money for the James Beard Foundation — a foundation that strives to celebrate and preserve America’s culinary history through scholarships, publications and food and beverage industry awards.

Festivities will kick off on Friday with a relaxed welcome reception and wine tasting where attendees will have the opportunity to rub elbows with culinary elite. Then Saturday, patrons will dig into a multi-course dinner prepared by two of the nation’s most well respected and noteworthy chefs, Chef Michael Symon, star of Iron Chef America, and Chef Jonathan Waxman, author and star of Top Chefs Masters. Both chefs will work alongside Mauna Lani’s executive chef, Sandy Tuason, hand-picking ingredients from the Hawaiian Islands for the dinner, which will be the real deal in showcasing farm to table cuisine.

With a limited number of seats, be sure to snag a ticket fast (tickets to the event are $300 per person and include entrance to both nights). Proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation making it your taste buds’ favorite way to pay it forward. So, foodies, get your forks ready, something tells me this is going to be good.

As mid season of Top Chef All Stars approaches, more and more chef wanna-be’s are coming out of the woodwork inspired to brave the kitchen in an effort to explore their (never before known/unknown talent for cooking). They are thankful that Padma and her crew of judges aren’t there to say “please pack your knives and go.”