Holoholo at Home: East Coast Pau Hana

This event was for alumni on the east coast! It was a special pau hana with University of Hawai‘i President, David Lassner, featuring alumni-owned Tiki’s Grill & Bar!

All three of Tiki's are partners are UH Mānoa alumni, Both Kelly McGill, Partner, and Michael Miller, Director of Operations and Partner spoke about how the University of Hawai‘i shaped them and the company.

We then watched renowned Chef Ronnie’s demonstration on how to create Prime Rib Poke and then Bartender Marcos Laramix taught how to may your own signature Strawberry Squeeze during this virtual event.

The $25 ticket included a special package that shipped ahead of the April 22 event. Making sure guests got their commemorative Tiki’s glass and drink umbrella ready for mixing your Strawberry Squeeze!

Recipe cards for the dish and drink demo were included along with other fun items. Enjoy a taste of aloha spirit, guests showed off their UH pride and recreate featured recipes from our pau hana. To be invited to the next event please contact the UH Office of Alumni Relations at contact@uhalumni.org.

About the speakers:

Kelly McGill, partner of Tiki’s Grill & Bar at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, graduated from the School of Travel Industry Management at UH Mānoa with his Bachelor of Science degree.

Originally from San Jose, California, Kelly chose to stay in Hawai‘i post-grad to surround himself with what he refers to as “the greatest people on earth”. While at UH, he was an offensive lineman on the 1991 and 1994 football teams. He started at right tackle on the 1992 co-WAC championship and Holiday Bowl championship team and received honorable mention All-WAC performer in his senior year as well.

Kelly credits his experiences studying and playing at the university with shaping his current attitude toward quality of life. In addition to the greatest people on earth, Kelly stayed in Hawai‘i to grow his family in a safe, loving environment that enjoys food, the outdoors and sharing of culture. Since graduating from UH, Kelly’s had travel opportunities to Asia, Africa, Europe and mainland USA with work. Additionally, his work experiences have afforded him opportunities to live in South Africa, Australia and Vietnam, where he met his wife. Kelly and his wife, Thao McGill, have two children – each very involved in multiple sports like their dad.

Michael Miller has more than 30 years of management, training, sales, operations, marketing, and public relations experience in Hawai‘i hospitality and business.

Michael is a graduate of the UH Mānoa with his degree in communications. He was a member of the UH sailing team and as an ASUH vice president helped launch the UH Mānoa Shuttle Bus, lobbied for what is now the Stan Sheriff Center, and funding for other notable buildings on campus.

He is a past Chairman the Hawaii Restaurant Association (HRA) and is still active on the legislative committee is a board member for the Hawaii Food Bank and KCC’s Hospitality and Tourism advisory board. He’s also been a member MEG - National Restaurant Association's Marketing Executives Group for over 10 years.

Michael holds the call sign of KH6ML as an Amateur Radio extra class operator and is a volunteer Community Emergency Coordinator and a technical specialist, who can be activated to help in disaster by the President, the Red Cross, the Department of Emergency Management and others.

For 17+ years he has been with Tiki’s Grill & Bar, many of those years as the Director of Operations and now as a partner, overseeing the 10,000 sq. ft. restaurant and bar, with many of the best employees in Waikiki. He and his partners also run the popular Christmas Bar Hawaii pop-up restaurant every year.

Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Michael graduated from Maui High and grew up fishing, diving, and hiking. He is proud to have six generations of his family from Hawai‘i.

Following a proven record of successful and distinguished accomplishments, Chef Ronnie has chosen to hang his hat at Tiki’s Grill & Bar, steering this favorite destination for locals and visitors alike to a higher level of dining and excellence.

Chef Ronnie, who believes in the farm-to-table movement by visiting farms and building strong bonds with local farmers, brings in island fresh produce and breads, as well as local grass-fed beef and locally caught or raised fish every week. His delicious signature items and dinner specials that fuse Hawaiian/Pacific Island with American cuisine are the result of his dedication to the craft and cooking with locally grown and raised food. An effective and motivational trainer from both the front and back of the house, Chef Ronnie continues to be inspired by working with the best chefs in the world.

His advice to aspiring chefs: “Be sure you love it wholeheartedly. If you don’t, you won’t make it. If you do, it will be a more than gratifying experience and career choice.”