Hawaii Wine & Food at Ko Olina returns for the fifth year May 17-19 bringing with it fashions, entertainment and, of course, wine and food.<\/p>\n
The festival includes three events throughout the weekend, with a different focus each night.<\/p>\n
The Preview Party kicks things off at 5 p.m. May 17 at Azul Restaurant, which features a meet-and-greet with the festival’s special guests, Italian-inspired cuisine with wine pairings and entertainment by Mike Tulba’s Acoustic Duo.<\/p>\n
May 18 will be the Grand Tasting, Beachside Barbecue & Fashion Fusion, starting at 6 p.m. at Paradise Cove. Guests can chat with winemakers and chefs and enjoy cuisine by a number of the featured chefs. Also planned is a fashion show by local designer Valerie Joseph.<\/p>\n
The festival concludes May 19, Saturday, with the Grand Finale and Fashion Show, opening at 6 p.m. at Paradise Cove. Guests can enjoy food and wine pairings, entertainment and a fashion show by Honey Girl Swimwear and Khush Clothing.<\/p>\n
Hawaii Wine & Food is the brainchild of event chairman Keola Lloyd, who also helped spearhead Taste at Kapolei.<\/p>\n
“We wanted to create sort of a destination food and wine event on the West side of Oahu,” Lloyd explained.<\/p>\n
This year’s impressive list of chefs includes the “Stiletto Chef,” model-turned-foodie Candice Kumai, who is a judge on Iron Chef America <\/I>and a cookbook author. Also in the lineup are Kevin Haney of 12th Ave Grill and SALT, Scott Higa of the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, Darryl Shinogi of Roy’s Ko Olina and the award-winning Chef Paoyuan Huang, who is visiting from Taiwan. Jazz musician Steve Oliver will perform Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
The list of chefs changes each night, but all of the featured wines will be available throughout the festival.<\/p>\n
“These are winemakers from some really premier, well-known wineries,” Lloyd said. “And you have all of these great chefs – both local and outside of Hawaii – and fashion. And you get to experience that right here on the island.”<\/p>\n
A portion of the proceeds from the festivities will go to the Kapolei Foundation, which provides educational and scholarship programs for Leeward Oahu youths. The foundation has awarded nearly $1.2 million in scholarships and other educational grants to more than 300 area students.<\/p>\n
“It’s for kids – public school kids primarily – out on this side of the island who are going to college,” Lloyd said. “I wanted to support (the foundation) because it gives out scholarships to these kids, and I think it’s a good cause.”<\/p>\n
Tickets cost $150 for the Thursday and Saturday events and $100 for the Friday program.<\/p>\n