Do you love sweet Maui Kula Onions? If so, then the Ka'anapali Beach Resort's restaurants will be the place to dine Friday to May 6.
Nine chefs in the resort area competed with their best Maui Kula Onion dishes last week in Tropica at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali in front of a panel of local and Mainland food judges.
They were judged on the use of Maui Kula Onion as the main ingredient, the use of other locally grown produce, taste, originality and presentation. The top-rated dishes will be announced next week and the chefs who created them will be invited to the 23rd annual Maui Onion Festival May 5 at the Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants in Kaanapali. There, they will gather at 10:30 a.m. for the Maui Onion Challenge cook-off and the second round of judging. Enjoy free admission and parking.
Article Photos
Cane & Taro’s Chef Ivan Pahk will pan roast fresh opakapaka and serve it over Malfada pasta with Maui onion jus and local farm vegetables.
The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo
In the meantime, check out the participating restaurants in Kaanapali and enjoy the Maui Kula Onion appetizers and entrees.
For starters, Umalu Chef Kevin Boyle of Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa will serve spicy Maui onion and ahi poke lettuce wraps. Hula Grill Chef Chris Schobel will do Thai-scented salad gazpacho with Maui onion soup and pickled onion.
Royal Lahaina Resort's Chef Bernardo Salazar will caramelize Maui onions in a sweet potato cake at his Royal Ocean Terrace. Chef Conrad Aquino of Black Rock Steak & Seafood at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa will do Keahole lobster with Maui onion and taro gnocchi. Pulehu, Italian Grill's Wesley Holder of Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas will prepare Maui Onion tortelloni en brodo.
Tropica Chef Jennifer Evetushick of the Westin Maui Resort & Spa will sear hamachi and serve it on Maui onion Pad Thai. Leilani's on the Beach Chef James Domingo will caramelize Maui onions on flatbread. Tiki Terrace chef Christopher Napoleon will pan sear opakapaka with Maui onion gnocchi; and Chef Ivan Pahk (pictured) wants you to check out his onion specials, too!
