Hawaii 24/7 Staff

A record 2,500 people packed the Fourth Annual Don the Beachcomber’s Mai Tai Festival on Aug. 18 at the Royal Kona Resort.

Justin Park from Manifest Hawaii took home the $10,000 first place award and title for making “The World’s Best Mai Tai.”

Chef Robin Ganir of Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering won the People’s Choice and Judge’s prizes for the best barbecue dish.

The fundraiser benefits The Food Basket campaign. Event title sponsor, rocker Sammy Hagar (Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum), contributed $5,000 via the Hagar Family Foundation to kick things off and the on-site efforts raised additional funds.

Event coordinator and Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts marketing director Liz Bell said she was thrilled by the record turn-out.

“The event couldn’t help but be a huge success with amazing BBQ prepared by top Hawaii chefs, outstanding performance by Henry Kapono and his band, the Mai Tai Marketplace that showcased local arts, crafts, and foods, and, of course, the wonderfully creative and delicious mai tai concoctions made by some of the world’s best mixologists,” Bell said.

“Top all of this off with funds raised for the Hawaii Food Bank and we couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate the Islands and the mai tai,” she said.

The Festival’s top 30 bartenders were selected from the original 100 mai tai mixology applicants to compete for the title as the “World’s Best Mai Tai” and $10,000 grand prize.

Park’s “Hele Ao Mai Tai” offered a unique blend of several rums, including the newly released Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, and other ingredients that complimented one another in a unique manner.

The Battle of the BBQ winne Ganir, who opened his own restaurant in June of this year, cooked up his tantalizing “Beauty and the Beast,” which saw a rich combination of grilled short ribs and garlic shrimp.

For winning the competition’s Judge’s and People’s Choice awards he earned 10 nights at the Royal Lahaina Resort on Maui, luau for two, and $1,000 food and beverage credit at the property.

The Mix-Off emcee and mixologist Joey Gottesman entertained the large, enthusiastic crowd of mai tai fans throughout the afternoon of the competition.

Judges were Chris Teves, publisher of Hawaii Beverage Guide; Mark Nigbur, master distiller of Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum; Philip “Ippy” Aiona, executive chef and Food Network star contestant; Paul Bergemen, brewery manager for Kona Brewing Company; and Michael Prasad, co-founder MXLGY and Kickstarter and launched Hawaii Bitters Company.

Event sponsors included Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts, Don the Beachcomber’s Restaurant at the Royal Kona Resort, Young’s Market Company, Expedia Activities, Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, Coruba Rum, and Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum.

— Find out more:
www.royalkona.com