FLAVORS
ISLAND
Secrets
Chefs in Hawaii have a
secret to share when you
visit the islands.
By Ken Love
FAMILY, genus, species, varieties
and cultivars, consisting of the most
unusual exotic tropical fruit in the world,
categorize this secret. We’re not talking
papaya, pineapple and bananas, which
we tend to take for granted (although
we do have 50 types of banana and
200 varieties of avocado). And although
much of Hawaii’s “ultra exotic” fruit
can be found elsewhere in the world—
Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia and India—to
find them all in one place, you will have
to visit Hawaii.
The “ultra exotics” in Hawaii present a
number of opportunities for the culinary
community. Thanks to the wisdom of the
chef-instructors on the Big Island, the
use of locally grown fruit is mandatory
in the lunches that culinary programs
serve to the public. As a guest lecturer
at the University of Hawaii Community
Colleges—Kona, I present a number of
talks throughout the year on the unusual
choices of fruit and how they are used
in their native locations, with options for
student presentations.
As students move into the workplace at
some of the world’s top resorts in Hawaii,
they bring this knowledge with them, which
has added considerably to Hawaii’s farmer/
chef symbiotic relationship. Since the advent
of Hawaiian regional cuisine, the knowledge
that locally grown produce is simply the best
has been a staple for the industry.
Many of our chefs realize that the unusual
varieties of exotic fruit add to the mix, and
give customers an experience beyond
expectations. Many of these fruits have
