Hawaii Regional Cuisine
Join Slow Food O`ahu, da Shop,
and University of Hawai`i Press to celebrate
Hawai’i Regional Cuisine – Author Talk & Book Signing
On Saturday, July 20, 201
from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
at da Shop: books and curiosities
3565 Harding Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
Hawai’i Regional Cuisine: The Food Movement That Changed the Way Hawai‘i Eats by Samuel Hideo Yamashita
The first in‐depth study on the origins, philosophy, develop‐ment, and legacy of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine (HRC), this book is based on interviews with thirty‐six chefs, farmers, retailers, culinary arts educators, and food writers, as well as on nearly everything written about the HRC chefs in the national and local media. Yamashita follows the history of this important regional movement from its origins in 1991 through the following decades, offering a boldly original analysis of its cuisine and impact on the islands.
The founding group of twelve chefs—Sam Choy, Roger Dikon, Mark Ellman, Amy Ferguson Ota, Beverly Gannon, Jean‐Marie Josselin, George Mavrothalassitis, Peter Merriman, Philippe Padovani, Gary Strehl, Alan Wong, and Roy Yamaguchi— grandly announced in August 1991 the establishment of what they called Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine. At the time, they had no idea how dramatically they would change the food scene in the islands. While they each had their own style, their common commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients of the highest quality at their restaurants quickly attracted the interest of journalists writing for national newspapers and magazines.
The book’s final chapters close with a discussion of the leading chefs of the next generation and an assessment of Hawai’i Regional Cuisine’s impact on farming, fishing, ranching, aquaculture, and culinary education in the islands. Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine will satisfy those who are passionate about food and intrigued by changes in local foodways.
Bio of Author:
Samuel Hideo Yamashita is currently the Henry E. Sheffield Professor of History at Pomona College, where he has taught since 1983. He grew up in Kailua, on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. A Woodrow Wilson Fellowship led to graduate work in history at the University of Michigan and a postdoctoral year at Harvard University. Long fascinated with food as a historical subject, he has been gathering material for a history of Japanese food since 2009 and has given lectures on the origins and evolution of Japanese cuisine and the “Japanese turn” in fine dining in the United States. Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine is his first book‐length foray into food studies and part of a larger exploration of fusion cuisines along the Pacific Rim.
Upcoming Events
NEW!
Cook Book Club Saturday, August 10, 5:00 to 7:00 PM
featuring
Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables
by Joshua McFadden with Martha Holmberg
Join us for the first Cook Book Club at da Shop, a collaboration with Slow Food O’ahu, showcasing Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Josh McFadden. Celebrate this innovative cookbook with a potluck style dinner, featuring dishes from Six Seasons, prepared and shared by participants!
Meeting details TBA soon.
Six Seasons is available for purchase at da Shop: 3565 Harding Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816.
September 21, 2019 is VegFest!
Join VegFest Oahu on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Frank Fasi Grounds near the SkyGate sculpture, 558 South King Street, Honolulu.
Book Club
Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat
by Jonathan Kauffman
Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Meet at da Shop, 3565 Harding Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816
Potluck and BYOB.
Program begins at 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. silent reading, 6:30 – 7 p.m. socializing, 7 – 8 p.m. book discussion.
Laurie Carlson will represent Slow Food O`ahu at the Book Club
The New York times reviewed this book.
Thanks!
On June 23rd, the Slow Food O`ahu Book Club met at da Shop to discuss, Thomas Jefferson’s Créme Brûlée: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America by Thomas J. Craughwell. With a host of delicious treats, a lively discussion ensued. Kristin thanks everyone who participated.
We thank Pat Gee from the Star Advertiser for writing an article on the Slow Food Oahu book club.