Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival Announces the Launch of the Eleventh Annual Festival: Mālama ‘Āina

Today, Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) officially launches its eleventh year at Mariposa at Neiman Marcus. Guided by its overarching theme, “Taste Our Love For The Land,” the Festival renews its commitment to promote local agricultural and fishing industries through world-class culinary experiences. This year, the HFWF platform will also be used to foster a greater appreciation for Hawai‘i's natural resources by educating residents and visitors about our collective responsibility to “Mālama ‘Āina”—to care for the land. 
 
The month-long Festival will be on the Island of Hawai‘i (October 1-2), Kā‘anapali, Maui (October 7-10) and O‘ahu (October 14-24) and feature 17 events with 67 esteemed chefs hailing from across the mainland U.S. and Hawai‘i. With safety continuing to be a top priority, HFWF will host smaller collaboration events at restaurants, resorts, retail centers and new locations such as Bishop Museum. Guests will enjoy the return of iconic experiences like Cuisines of the Sun^®, fan favorites like Roy’s 24^th Annual Golf Classic and HMAA Presents Keiki in the Kitchen^® as well as creative tributes to the renowned cuisines of Italy, Asia, France and of course, Hawai‘i. The Festival will showcase creations from top local and visiting chefs including HFWF co-founders Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi as well as Michelle Bernstein, Josiah Citrin, Celestino Drago, Graham Elliot, Elizabeth Falkner, Chris Kajioka, Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Mourad Lahlou, Niki Nakayama, Mathew Peters, Nancy Silverton, Philip Tessier, Jonathan Waxman, and many others alongside a roster of celebrated winemakers and mixologists. Additional talent to be announced. 
 
“Mālama ‘Āina celebrates Hawai‘i’s agricultural abundance and culinary excellence while underscoring the core values of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival—sustainability, education and responsibility,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO and co-founder of HFWF. “This year we add meaningful volunteer experiences tied to our Festival events to share a true taste of the islands while building stronger connections to Hawai‘i and driving awareness about the importance of preservation and giving back.”
 
In addition to its signature food and beverage events, the 2021 Festival will also offer hands-on experiences that put guests directly in touch with Hawai‘i's lands and essential local industries. Chefs, winemakers, mixologists and hospitality partners join local nonprofit and agricultural organizations—including Kū-A-Kanaka, Paepae o He‘eia, Papahana Kuaola and others—to participate in volunteer activities tied to the Festival’s culinary events. Exclusive to event attendees, groups of volunteers will be invited to lend a hand with farming, harvesting, shoreline cleanups, reef preservation and other efforts that encourage a deeper understanding of our history and culture, building responsible stewards of our islands. These efforts will tie directly to the dishes featured by our chefs, bringing guests closer to a farm-to-table experience. 
 
Unique to HFWF, participating talent are already required to use Hawai‘i-grown products in their dish(es) and beverage(s) each year. They are provided with a list of over 100 locally sourced ingredient items (i.e. produce, fish, beef, poultry, etc.) to select from and use during the Festival. This year’s Mālama ‘Āina pledge further educates talent and attendees about where these ingredients are sourced and sustainability. It supports Mālama Hawai‘i, the Hawaiʻi Visitor and Convention Bureau’s (HVCB) and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s (HTA) initiative to attract more mindful visitors and provide them with the opportunity to work the lands as their ho‘okupu or gift back to Hawai‘i for their time spent enjoying our islands.
 
To celebrate the launch of the eleventh annual Festival, HFWF kicks off its HFWF21 Summer Giveaway with Hawaiian Airlines and ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. One lucky winner receives a trip for two to Hawai‘i with First Class roundtrip airfare, a four-night stay and priority access to the First Hawaiian Bank Presents Kanpai! event on Thursday, October 14, hosted at ‘Alohilani Resort. The grand tasting event will feature culinary masters from across the U.S. and showcase the cuisines of Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam and others. The sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents that are 21 years of age and older. Entry is open now through July 15 and further details and official rules may be found at hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.
 
HFWF21 pre-sale tickets are on sale July 2^nd through July 8^th, exclusively available to First Hawaiian Bank Private Banking customers. Private Banking customers must use their First Hawaiian Bank personal Mastercard^® credit card to purchase. Tickets will be open to the public on July 9^th.First Hawaiian Bank personal Mastercard^® cardholders will be granted Priority Access (early entry at 5:00 P.M.) tickets for the General Admission (entry at 6:00 P.M.) price to select events when they use their First Hawaiian Bank personal Mastercard^® to book. Applicable events are Pele & Poli‘ahu, First Hawaiian Bank Presents Kanpai! and Yo Mama!
 
Stay up-to-date on the latest news from Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival via hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com or follow HFWF on Twitter/Instagram @HIFoodWineFest and Facebook @HawaiiFoodandWineFestival.