Kahala Food and Wine Classic

The "Food and Wine Festival" craze has been an ever-growing phenomenon. Countless chefs and wine makers descend on a given place at a given time and serve a ridiculous number of people a crouton and a thimble of vino in hopes to win over their loyalty and prove to the guests that they are the real deal.

I'm kind of over it. Or at least I was...

June 13 and 14 was the first "Kahala Food and Wine Classic" at the Kahala Hotel and Resort (kahalaresort.com) in Honolulu. How many chefs? Three. How many wine makers? One. And maximum number of guests? 150. Let me break down for you this incredible weekend.

The Master of Ceremonies for the entire weekend was the Great Fred Schrader. Co-founder of Colgin-Schrader Cellars, Fred was responsible for bringing together the key masters of food and wine for this event. He is a consultant and winemaker and frankly makes some of the greatest wines I’ve ever had the privilege of drinking (Schrader "CCS" Schrader "RBS", and Schrader "Old Sparky" are particularly delicious, and go GREAT with a cigar!)

The event kicked off on Friday, June 13 in a beachside tent. The evening was called "Rhythms of the Night". After guests were greeted with Mai-Tai's and a breathtaking ocean view, they were treated to a 5 course meal created by chef Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile in Coral Gables, Florida along with Hawaii culinary icon, chef Amy E. Ferguson and the Kahala’s Executive chef Wayne Hirabayashi. Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat Wines and Clendenen Family Vineyards paired each course with a different wine. From a Peking Duck Stack with the Au Bon Climat 'La Bauge au Dessus Pinot Noir ('06)' to the Seared Kona Kampachi matched with the Au Bon Climat ‘XXVth Anniversary Nuits-Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay ('05)', the pairings were challenging yet accessible. My favorite pairing of the night was the Mojo Roasted Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin with Jim's 'Knox Alexander Pinot Noir ('05)'. Throughout the night, Cindy, Amy, Wayne and Jim spoke to the engaged (and hungry) audience keeping them posted on their preparations as well as their thought process in creating the dishes and the pairings. Strategically positioned cameramen and flat screen monitors allowed the seated guests to watch every move of the chefs. After dinner and dessert we retreated out of the tent for cigars and after dinner drinks. In the spirit of 'challenging one's palate' and 'new experiences' nearly every guest enjoyed a cigar at the conclusion of the evening.

Saturday, June 14 was filled with different events for guests. The morning began with "In Cindy's Kitchen", an intimate cooking class with Chef Cindy on the rooftop of the Kahala garage. That afternoon Jim Clendenen hosted "Wine-ology". It was an afternoon of fine wine paired with tapas as Jim took guests on a wine tasting journey through the vineyards of Au Bon Climat and Clendenen Vineyards.

Saturday evening was entitled "Epicuria, a Journey of the Senses" held at the Kahala's acclaimed "Hoku's" Restaurant. After cocktails were served in the Kahala's grand lobby, guests moved into Hoku's and took their seats to begin the 5-course tasting of pairing creations. From Hawaiin Tuna Tartare and Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc from '06 we moved to a Mojo Brined Pork Roast and Au Bon Climat Le Bon Climat Pinot Noir from '05. Then the Florida Sun Salad and 2002 Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay arrived followed by Achiote Roasted Onaga and Au Bon Climat 'Knox Alexander' Pinot Noir from 2005. Finally the Clendenen Family Vineyards 2001 Nebbiolo was poured (which was incredible, by the way) and the final course of Citrus Braised Short Ribs were served.

But the evening was not over. The final event of the evening was 'Toes in the Sand' hosted by Your's Truly. The beach was set up with circles of comfortable lounge chairs surrounding two fire pits. Tiki torches led the way from Hotel, down a stone path to the beachside cigar bar where guests were invited to take off their shoes, select a drink, pick a cigar and celebrate "The Good Life"...Kahala style! The overwhelming interest in the cigar evening was actually way more than originally expected however the first class service of the Kahala staff kept everyone with full glasses and clean ashtrays. Finally at midnight, the fire pits had burned out, and people rinsed their feet in the nearby pools and called it a night.

What really stood out about this weekend-long event was the intimacy. Each guest could have face time with the visiting pro’s. If they had a question, they could just ask. It truly was a festival, a real celebration, and I applaud the Kahala for providing such a unique experience. Food, wine, and cigars need to be enjoyed appropriately. They take time and attention, and sometimes explanation… and all of that was available at the "Kahala Food and Wine Classic".

And brace yourself -- this isn't just an annual event. The Kahala is planning on hosting an event four times a year; each event with different visiting hosts and different themes and cuisines, so be sure to visit their website and make an excuse to get down to Hawaii! Aloha!

Michael Herklots

7/7/08

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