Chef Ronnie Nasuti of Tiki's Grill gives is a sneak peak Mealani's Taste of Hawaiian Range KITV

Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range is coming to Waikoloa on the Big Island, and as you can imagine this event involves lots of food! Chef Ronnie Nasuti of Tiki's Grill gives is a sneak peak of what will be served.

There’s something for everyone at the 18th annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village:

  • Enjoy fresh food using local ingredients—starring forage-fed meats—by 35 chefs
  • Taste local ag and value-added products and meet the folks who produce them
  • Browse among ag-related educational displays

Culinary Newbies

Chef Ronnie Nasuti

Chef Ronnie Nasuti

Five of the 35 participating restaurants are Taste first timers. Like the rest of the Taste chefs, they are assigned to prepare 100 pounds of a certain cut of grass-fed beef—or lamb, mutton, goat or commercial and feral pork.

Pork is on the menu for two new participants. The Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa is partnering to use commercial pork with Kamehameha Schools. Chef Cory Nazara of Mahina Café in Captain Cook is serving her version of kalua pork.

Debuting from O’ahu is Chef Ronnie Nasuti of Tiki’s Grill & Barin Waikiki, who is preparing mutton; and Chef Mark Noguchi of Pili Hawai’i and TASTE Table in Honolulu, who is assigned to prepare beef skirt.

Newly opened Pueo’s Osteria in Waikoloa Village is also making a first appearance at this year’s event and preparing lamb. Chef Jim Babian, a staunch supporter of local ranchers and farmers, owns the new Waikoloa Village Restaurant. Chef Babian, who recently served as executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, is no stranger to Taste and last year presented Grass-Fed Beef Cooking 101 to a sell-out crowd.

Join us for Hawai'i's premier food-grazing event—the 18th Annual Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival.

Hilton Waikoloa Village, Big Island of Hawai'i

Sprawling again inside and out of Hilton Waikoloa Village, the annual event showcases the isle’s grass-fed beef industry while bringing together local ranchers, farmers, restaurateurs and eager eaters to celebrate a bounty of locally produced food.

Over 30 of the state’s top chefs dazzle diners 6-8 p.m. with delectable dishes using grass-fed beef, pork, lamb, goat, mutton and wild boar—plus a cornucopia of fresh island fruit, veggies, honey, spices and beverages.

Culinary adventure seekers can taste and enjoy all the cuts of grass-fed beef—everything from tongue to tail—prepared expertly by Hawai‘i chefs. Enjoy familiar cuts like sirloin tip and ribs, plus beef cheek and the infamous “rocky mountain oysters” or bull testicles.

While “tasting,” festival goers can meet Hawai‘i’s food producers at gaily decorated vendor booths and talk story with the ranchers and farmers who make a living growing our food. Taste also affords local food producers the opportunity to hookup with isle chefs, wholesale buyers and consumers.



Soft Shell Crab Po’ Boy Demo on Sunrise Hawaii News Now KGMB - Restaurant Week

Tiki’s Three Course Pre Fixe Menu for Restaurant Week


CHOICE OF ONE APPETIZER:

Prime Rib Poke - A special poke for meat lovers – flash seared prime rib cubes topped with our housemade pipikaula aioli on a bed of locally grown baby greens from Nalo Farms.

Homemade Pancetta & Warm Kula Onion Salad - Sweet Island grown Kula onions & Hawaii’s best vine ripened Hau’ula tomatoes on a bed of fresh baby Nalo Tatsoi.  Smothered in our own house made pancetta bacon & sherry vinaigrette with bleu cheese shower. 

Soft Shell Crab Po’ Boy -Furikake crusted and crisped soft-shell crab, spicy chili mayonnaise, Kula lettuce, Hau’ula tomato on an Island made taro bun with house made kim chee.  

CHOICE OF ONE ENTREE:
Cajun Seared Ahi Tuna - Ahi tuna steak dusted with cajun spices and seared medium rare served over our famous kalua pig mashed potatoes.  Topped off with soy wasabi white wine butter sauce and roasted asparagus. 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts - Chicken breasts coated with parmesan cheese and fried to a crispy tenderness and drizzled with rosemary sundried tomato chardonnay sauce.  Served with broccoli linguine aglio olio.

Local Style Japanese Curry Spiced Beef Short Ribs - Slow cooked tender boneless beef short ribs on buttery wasabi potato puree, soy braised island farm root  vegetables including taro, dasheen, lotus root, Molokai  potatoes, curry beef reduction sauce.   

CHOICE OF ONE DESSERT:
Peanut Butter & Jelly Taro Bread Pudding Monte Cristo  
Island Sorbet with Fresh Kula Strawberries
Okinawan Sweet Potato Macadamia Nut Tart

$30 per person (tax and tip not included)

Restaurant Week Hawaii is a seven day celebration of the cuisine scene in Hawaii. Participating restaurants will feature special menu items, promotions and discounts.

Restaurant Week is a reminder that Hawaii is a culinary destination with top chefs, farm to table dining, wonderful wine and a lot more to discover and explore.

The goal of Restaurant Week Hawai`i is to realize a vision of an advanced culinary campus—the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head. Graduates of Hawai`i's first four-year culinary program will go on to serve Hawai`i's restaurant and hospitality industry and ultimately the greater community.

A portion of the proceeds from Restaurant Week Hawaii will support the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head.