MEDIA RELEASE

Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival tickets are now available at TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.com. The price is $40 presale and $60 at the door; for information phone Talaite Petrowski at 808-959-2744.

The annual Big Island agricultural showcase marks its 15th year Friday, Sept. 10 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The event brings together ranchers, farmers, restaurateurs, foodies, locavores and eager eaters to celebrate a bounty of locally produced food with a focus on 100 percent grass-fed beef.

More than 30 of the state’s top chefs dazzle diners 6-8 p.m. with delectable dishes using grass-fed-and-finished beef, pork, lamb, goat, mutton and wild boar—plus fresh island fruit and veggies. In addition, attendees can meet Hawaii’s food producers at gaily-decorated vendor booths and talk story with the farmers and ranchers who make a living growing our food.

Also open to the public is a Cooking Grass-Fed Beef 101 seminar by participating Taste Chef George Mavrothalassitis. The recipient of a prestigious James Beard Foundation award, Chev Mavro will demonstrate how to best prepare a cut of grass-fed beef at 12:30 p.m.

Culinary seminar participants will receive a takeaway recipe to use at home. Tickets are $10 for the informative, hour-long cooking demo and also go on sale today online, the link is on the Taste website previously mentioned.

The day-long Big Isle ag extravaganza kicks off 10:30 a.m. with a new educational track for culinary students with the assistance of Hawaii Community College instructor Sandy Barr Rivera.

A 2:30-4:30 p.m. trade show hooks up food producers with isle chefs and wholesale buyers. For info on the expo, contact Nina Tanabe ntanabe@pfthi.com or 808-933-8611.

The Hilton Waikoloa Village has kamaaina room packages available, including for night of the event with two tickets for $209. Phone 808-886-1234 or visit www.h-wv.com/tastepackage

Get the latest updates on this year’s anniversary event by signing up at TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.com and visiting Taste of the Hawaiian Range on Facebook. A weekly blog offers grass-fed beef recipes, cooking and purchasing tips, plus info on sustainability; subscribe at www.TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.com/blog/

Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival provides a venue for sustainable agricultural education, encouragement and support of locally produced ag products.

The premiere ag-tourism event is a partnership between CTAHR, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Kulana Foods and community volunteers. Sponsorship also includes the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Hawaii County Research and Development, Big Island Resource Conservation & Development, Hawaii Community College Food Service & Culinary Program and KTA SuperStores.

The quality and growth of this event are rooted in small business participation, sponsorship and in-kind donations.

— Find out more:
www.TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.com