Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

Waikiki Rooftop Party! I've always wanted to attend the Food and Wine Festival & finally did during the 2023 Hawai'i Food & Wine kickoff event: Far East - Street Ph'East. Alohilani Resort 's sunset rooftop overlooking waikiki, this was a celebration of asian night markets.With my First Hawaiian Bank personal Mastercard I was able to get preferred early access; an hour early before general access.With all inclusive food & drinks ranging from local to world-famous chefs & mixologists all while meeting people in the restaurant, news, & influencer industry, this was for sure foodie paradise! Highly recommend any of these well-known estsblishments!OfferingsChef Morimoto of Morimoto Asia WaikikiKona Cold Lobster BallsChef Robynne Maii of FêteOpah CroquetasChef Keaka Lee of Kapa HaleCold Ginger ChickenChef Francis Ang of AbacáLamb Adobo EmpanadaChef Ray Hayashi of RYLAPork Belly SsamChef Shota Nakajima of Blue Ocean MaricultureHawaiian KanpachiChef Ria Dolly Barbosa ofPeso NeighborhoodLechon Kawali Ginger LugawLeeward CC Culinary Arts serving Alohilani Resort 's Ginger Kauai Shrimp & Scallops Nem RánChef Chung Chow of NoreetuhTako TostadaHelen Nguyen of Saigon SocialGrilled Betel Leaf Hapa Cattle Co. Beef

I love HFWF! I always sign up for one event and participate in the auction, which has wonderful items to bid on - miles, wine, dinners, events, gift cards! This year my daughter and I attended the Fit Brunch with Egan Inoue. Enjoyed the company, and working out before eating fab tapas.

EVENTSHFWF is a month long event that stops at several of the islands before coming to Oahu at the end of octobereach event is different, so make sure you read the descriptions and see who/what will be at each one. my favorites are friday nights at the convention center & saturdays at koolina. 2019's Swirl event featured 20 chefs who took local ingredients and spun them into their own dish. so there was a lot of fish, mac nuts, and a surprising amount of masa this year. my favorite dish was a coconut cream pie with mac nut crust from Chicago chef gale gand. the only other items i got 2nds of was a chocolate sesame tart with coconut almond sorbetto from Dahlia Varvaez, and a sweet bread grilled cheese sandwich from Bert Agor Jr at Kings Hawaiian Bakery. i was too stuffed to eat more of anything else.CHEFScheck out their webpage to see who will be at which event(s) and their background. they bring people in from all over the world/country, so its a great way to experience other flavors and cuisines.MIXOLOGISTSalong with popular chefs there are also a ton of mixologists at each event. not just beer and wine vendors, but actual mixologists with noteworthy drinks. my sister went to some of these events just to see and taste the cocktails more than eat the foods.FOODmost of the food featured at the events ive been to have been main dishes. there were a few items that could have been considered appetizers, and dessert was very sparing (usually only 2-3 chefs out of 20). wish they would do more dessert dishes PRICEwhile it is on the expensive side, it is definitely worth it. all you can eat food and drinks from chefs you probably wont ever get to actually visit. like gale gand for instance. she doesnt even own a restaurant anymore, she does a lot of expos and classes, so you can't really just go to chicago and sit down and eat her food anytime of the year.

Shhhhhh... don't want the lines to get too long for this event!Learning about this over a year ago, I longed to attend the 2017 festival on Oahu. Due to time and monetary limitations, we did not partake on the earlier events on Big Island and Maui. Being our first time attending a food and wine festival, we did not know what to expect. My best advice is to pick and choose the themes and chefs that likely fit your palate. We attended three and enjoyed them tremendously. It is well organized and the vibe is just right. With the lineup of chefs from around the world, you are likely to find at least two or three events that would pique your interest. If you are a devout foodie, this will definitely warrant your attention. We attended three events, Raw & Wild, Steamy Bowls, and the Taste of Seasons, each being unique and perfect in their own way. Hoping to be here again in 2018!

VIP ATTENDANCE 2017!!!Was invited to attend the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival 2017 happening while in 808 during the wedding week. Got VIP tickets ($141.25/pp) for the Steamy Bowls event held Friday evening at The Hyatt Waikiki. Event was held from 9pm - 1am. If you are a foodie, events like this would be of interest. There were some famous people there, food bloggers, chefs, and people who will throw money down for a good taste of ramen chefs from NY, LV, and locally Waikiki. We had VIP treatment. Had our own table reserved for us, right infront of the music stage, Ms. Hawaii 2012 had a table next to us, Man vs Food Adam Richman was there and posed for a photo, etc. 3 open bars 7 food vendors 1 dessert bar We can eat and drink as much as we liked! Portions were small so you can try multiple dishes in one sitting. There were some delicious bowls that I went back for seconds, overly spicy bowls that I threw away immediately, and mediocre bowls that I never thought about again. Was it worth the $141, hmmm maybe $70 but not $141. The only VIP difference was having a table in which half the time we walked around the party but was a nice option to sit when we wanted to. I wish I came early to attend the other events. Maybe next yr :)

My first festival event turned out to be Crops and Hops 2018, thanks to a last-minute volunteer gig. I was impressed with the caliber of the chefs who participated - I shouldn't have been, it is HFWF after all - and the quality of the dishes served. Highlights included a Big Island Goat Curry by James Republic (fave of the event); Keahole Lobster by MC Concepts; an amazing and pretty cocktail called Yellow Line featuring Absolut ELYX vodka by Raymundo Delgado of Stripsteak Waikiki; and Stella Artois' Cidre (with a free glass). Sorry, not a big beer fan so the Hops portion of the event was wasted on me - but the Kona Brewing tent did have great giveaways including sunglasses, bottle opener keychains and stick lip balm.It was a gorgeous evening and perfect for this outdoor event at the site of the old Ward Warehouse!

If you live for food, wine, cocktails, in unique, killer settings, then Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is for you! This festival has grown over the past several years and co tiniest to be one of the most anticipated events for foodies here in Hawaii. While it used to be various events over the span of a week, HFWF now has events scattered throughout the year, and includes trips, cruises, a golf tournament and more! Spice Market 2017 has so many incredible visiting and local chefs, sommeliers and mixologists and a popular trend seemed to be tostadas, with an Asian flair. The hottest item of the night was the lobster cake though! I have to admit, I went back several times for this one. Held at The Modern Honolulu, the ambiance and feel of this event is always upbeat and swanky! Taste of the Seasons held on the beach between Four Seasons and Aulani couldn't have been in a more perfect setting. I preferred the food at Spice Market this year, but being right in the beach, with a stage over the water and a fireworks show to cap off the night can't be beat! HFWF speaks for itself and needs no further review. Chances are, you already have heard of it and have already attended an event or want to attend an event. My suggestion is if you haven't, you should definitely experience it at least once! Start saving and plan on 2018!

This is one of the most exciting events on the island besides surf competitions. 2017 Food &Wine Festival comes once a year on almost all the Hawaiian islands. Tickets range from $275-$500 per person on Saturday(3 day event). About $1000 if you want a table so most attendees are standing. Try to take public transportation here or park at the Ala Moana mall to save money on parking. Food and alcohol are really good and more than enough to fill your tummy up. Chefs and wine are mostly from California but there are some locals. About 15 food vendors, about 5 dessert vendors and so many open bars vendors that I lost count. I sampled shrimp, caviar, fresh pasta and custard desserts. Some of the serving sponsors were Kings Hawaiian, Fiji water, Stella Artois, Kauai Shrimp and Roys. I would be certain to return!

I was fortunate that my boss asked a couple of co-workers and I to attend the Sunday event of the 2nd annual 2012 Food & Wine Festival at Ko'olina/Ihilani Spa, JW Marriott Hotel & Resorts/Aulani, A Disney Resort! Yes, boss asked us to go eat, drink and be merry! I couldn't be more estatic. "Yes, boss! It would be my PLEASURE to go and support our client at this food and wine festival!" =)Upon arrival, our general admission ticket (worth $200) got us in at 6pm, an hour after the VIP ticket holders (worth $500) were allowed in at 5pm. We all arrived early in hopes to get in the line early and be admitted in sooner, rather than later. When we finally were admitted in, we were asked if we wanted an Aulani large plastic bag to put our shoes in. "WHAT?" I thought to myself. "Yes, if you would like a bag. You'll be walking on the sand." "HOLY HELL!!!! AWESOME!!!! Yes, I would love a bag so that I can go barefoot pancing around eating and drinking on the beach!!"That was the beginning of the most wonderful evening this year. Approximately 13 booths were present that night with wonderful dishes of exotic and just steller, spectacular and out-of-this world, mind-blowing food!!!!!!!! I had lobster, steak, ahi, pork.... all were so yummmyyyyyyy!! BONUS, BONUS, BONUS - CUPCAKE WARS! I'm not really sure what this means, but I was told that this is something special! So special that there was a cupcake booth that looked like a tree with each angle filled with the best cupcakes I've ever tasted in my life! I don't even like cupcakes! On this night, we had the pleasure of being served dishes created by top executive chefs including:+ Patrick Callarec - Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa+ Celestino Drago - Drago Restaurant, LA+ Patrick Fahy - Sixteen, Trump Hotel & Tower, Chicago+ Dean Fearing - Fearing's, Dallas+ Scott Higa - JW Marriottt Ihilani Resort & Spa+ Mourad Lahlou - Aziza, SF+ Jacqueline Lau - Roy's Restaurants+ Raphael Lunetta - JiRaffe Restaurant, Santa Monica+ George Mavrothalassitis - Chef Mavro Restaurant+ Seamus Mullen - Tertulia, NY+ Perfecto Rocher - Laxy Ox Canteen, LA+ Susan Spicer - Bayona, Mondo, New Orleans+ Andrew Sutton - NAPA ROSE, Disney's Grand CA Hotel & Spa+ Mercel Vigneron - Top Chef Bravo, Marcels Quantum Kitchen TV, LAOf course, the festival was founded by two incredible chefs: Alan Wong's (of Alan Wong's restaurants) and Roy Yamaguchi (of Roy's restaurants), so at the end of the night, they had to make a "thank you speech" on stage. At least for this event, Roy did. But as an added bonus, all the chefs were introduced and presented on stage towards the end of the evening. To top it all off, as if we didn't already have an amazing evening...at approximately 15 minutes before the end of the event, the fireworks start shooting from the adjacent small islands off of the lagoon (about 1/2 mile away). Yes, OUR OWN PRIVATE FIREWORKS SHOW! It was steller, spectacular, awesome, amazing, mind-blowing! This was the last and the most casual of all the festival events, which ran over the course of four days. It was on the beach and sand where most people were barefoot and as a result, most people were just filled with sheer joy and happiness! I was not fortunate enough to attend all the events. But from what I read, each day has a signature event (the main event) with at least one other side event. Also, although all the events were sold out this year, the event that I attended this night did not seem at all too crowded. There was enough in attendance where I knew they were profiting but not so overcrowded where I could not get any food or drinks. I would say that this event was very, very, very well planned and executed. I hope my boss asks me to go again next year. My answer's already, YES! =)

I had an amazing opportunity to experience my FIRST Food & Wine Festival!! The event that I attended was Under the Modern Moon, which was held on Thursday, September 5 at the Modern Hotel (which is my FAVORITE hotel in Waikiki!). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=gVxFjilio12rYJC46qRKIg#gVxFjilio12rYJC46qRKIg When we arrived at the hotel, we went up the stairs and then in the ballroom to check-in. Our general admission tickets ($200 value) was then scanned from a cellphone by the QR code. Once that was done we continued on and received a Food & Wine festival wine cup and wooden fork. I honestly had no idea what to expect at this. My honest first thoughts was "Uhhhh, what are we suppose to do?" HA-HA.Basically at this event, you go around to the different food and drink booths and just try everything. Once I realized that's how it works, I was so scared to see how crazy long those lines were going to get. Surprisingly there were hardly any lines. If there was a line, it was super fast or short. The Grub:{{ PORK BELLY }} http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=QkryvYe2vNONAuluwohheg#QkryvYe2vNONAuluwohheg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=QkryvYe2vNONAuluwohheg#9GsPVY_7czgbaOAXtI3ciA Can you say - MIND BLOWN. This dish was created by chef Eric Ziebold, and I have to say - this was by far the best dish of the evening. It was salty, savory, delicious goodness. I mean I never would have thought that pork belly, with fish eggs would actually work so well together. {{ ARUGULA CRUSTED KONA LOBSTER ROULADE }} http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=QkryvYe2vNONAuluwohheg#Lr50Ims0qeUAqwp5ZJGuLw This was super tasty! I could not believe all the amazing chefs that came down for this event, it was just simply amazing! I was also surprised to see that chefs flew down here just to attend the event as well. I saw Hurbert Keller, Adam Richman and Ming Tsai!! :DI didn't want to bother any of them for photos because I know that they are just trying to enjoy the event like the rest of us and probably gets really tired of people always stopping them for photos. Speaking of photos... it's so damn hard to hold a drink, a plate of food and try to take a photo of it -____- Now - TO THE DRINKS :DBecause there was just so much going on at once, I didn't get to try all the different Mixologist drinks, unfortunately... However, I did have the opportunity to try Julie Reiner and Francesco Lafranconi.{{ BLUSH BABY }}: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=0SKq2EiliIFyO_s9gwfaGg#0SKq2EiliIFyO_s9gwfaGg Out of her two cocktails, this one was my favorite :)I didn't get a chance to take a photo of Francesco's Japanese Alibi because the sun went down and it was dark and I kind of got tired of trying to juggle everything in my hands when I took pictures. {{ JAPANESE ALIBI }} This cocktail was, interesting... It honestly tasted like my milk after I eat a bowl of coco puffs and reese's peanut butter cups. No Joke. In the cocktail was TyKu Coconut Nigori, Kai Coconut Pandan Vodka and Peanut Butter Mix. For the wines, I think I hit all of the ones that came to the event. The two winery's that stood out most to me was Justin Vineyard & Winery and Weingut Gunderloch. {{ JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY }} http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival-2013-honolulu?select=GIH_kc8NPnhlAz8yHuSKPA#GIH_kc8NPnhlAz8yHuSKPA I really really enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc and the Isosceles. Very nice wines. {{ WEINGUT GUNDERLOCH }} I really enjoyed the dry Reisling. Very very nice :)So my overall first experience at the Food & Wine Festival was great! I definitely want to come back next year or even attend a different event. This was a great opportunity to taste dishes from chefs all over the world and to taste exquisite wines.