A group of Hawaiʻi Island chefs is encouraging residents to cook more often with locally produced foods by giving away recipes designed for the home kitchen.
The Kona Kohala Chefs Association is distributing two dozen recipes created by 20 local chefs at grocery stores, restaurants and farmers’ markets across the island.
The recipes are printed on colorful tear-off pads that shoppers can take home for free.
The 46-year-old culinary organization is promoting the use of locally produced proteins, vegetables, fruits and value-added products as part of its Local Foods in Island Recipes project.
“Choosing locally grown food is a powerful act of double-healing as it nourishes our bodies with peak freshness while instantly strengthening the financial roots of our island home,” said Martin Rathbun, president of Kona Kohala Chefs.
“Every time we buy from an island farmer, we skip the shipping containers and invest directly in our health and our neighbors’ livelihoods.”
The recipes include entrees, sauces, salads, side dishes and desserts, with options ranging from relatively simple preparations to recipes requiring more time and effort.
Among the recipes are macadamia nut-crusted ʻono, Jean Hull’s poke, tomato-ʻōgo salad, ume miso relish, moʻo moʻo sweet potatoes, ʻulu vichyssoise, Kona coffee crème brûlée, Kona kabocha chocolate chip cookies and affogato.
The project also includes food preservation instructions from Hawaiʻi Master Food Preservers.
The instructions cover techniques such as drying and dehydrating fruit to make fruit leathers and roll-ups, as well as making pickled kimchi and tropical fruit jellies, such as calamansi marmalade.
The participating chefs and culinary instructors include Hawaiʻi Community College Palamanui instructors Paul Heerlein and Cathy Harlan; Kalani Garcia of Four Seasons Resort Hualalai; Stuart Woodman and Rob Love of The Theatery; Daniel Sampson of The Fairmont Orchid; Peter Merriman of Merriman’s Hawaiʻi; James Babian of Pueo’s Osteria; and Rathbun of Marty Cakes & Company, among others.
Free recipe pads are available at all island locations of KTA Super Stores, as well as the Kona Safeway, Foodland Farms at Mauna Lani Resort and Island Gourmet Market at Queens’ Marketplace.
They are also available at the Hoʻoulu Community Farmers and Artisans Market on Wednesdays and Fridays, the Keauhou Farmers Market on Saturdays, Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Outrigger Kona Resort, The Fairmont Orchid, The Theatery and Chefs and Table.
The recipes will also be available at the Kona Kohala Chefs Association’s annual holiday fundraiser, Christmas with the Chefs, scheduled for Dec. 5, 2026, at Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa.
The Local Foods in Island Recipes project is funded by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.
Stores and other food outlets interested in offering sets of the recipes to customers can contact Ken Love at Ken@mycoffee.net.
