(Photo courtesy of Puna Culinary Festival)

MEDIA RELEASE

Funded by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, this second annual festival celebrates farm-to-fork cuisine.

The district of Puna is preparing to host the second annual Puna Culinary Festival, in partnership with the County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

The festival will feature guest chefs from Puna and beyond, farm-to-fork culinary classes, local sustainable farming tours and special events.

Stewart Blackburn

The opening event, held Saturday, Nov. 3, will be an Iron Chef competition at Kalani, pitting farmer-turned-chef Scott Laaback from Evening Rain Farm versus Barrie Saccomanno, a former New York performance artist who is now a personal chef serving the Red Road.

Taste of Pahoa is featured Friday, Nov. 9. The restaurants and shops of Mainstreet Pahoa will be featuring local farmers, samples, and raffles from 5-9PM.

The festival will close with a Behind the Scenes Luau on Saturday, Nov. 10, hosted by storyteller Leilehua Yuen and musician Manu Josiah. A luau foods cooking class will precede a modern luau dinner, emphasizing local island produce.

Stories of the luau will be shared alongside Josiah’s soothing music. The evening will conclude with a bonfire featuring hula and fire-spinning performances.

The Puna Culinary Festival is stewarded by the non-profit retreat center Kalani, amidst the lush backdrop of the district of Puna.

Cooking classes will be held in a specially outfitted kitchen on Kalani property, and range from dessert secrets from chef and author Mark Ceranski, to gluten-free cooking with Maui-trained Hilary Barsby.

Farm tours include Dragon’s Eye Learning Center on Papaya Farms Road, Laakea Permaculture Community near Pahoa, and Xanadu Farms in Kapoho.

Richard Koob, founder of Kalani, shared his belief that “good food nourishes the mind and soul as well as the body. Since Kalani was established 37 years ago, and certainly before it was fashionable, Kalani’s focus has been on fresh, organic, locally grown ingredients. A culinary festival showcasing Puna’s bounty is a natural way for Kalani to contribute to the community.”

Guests of the festival will increase their understanding of culinary trends, and how food in this special corner of Hawaii is grown and prepared.

“We hope they’ll come to appreciate the delicate balance in our food system,” Koob said. “The needs of future generations depend upon the wisdom of living simply and humbly, and conserving resources. We believe sustainable agriculture and green practices are the ways to build healthy, happy communities not only on our islands, but throughout the world.”

For the full schedule of all 22 events and farm tours throughout Puna held during the festival, visit www.punaculinaryfestival.com

For more information, to reserve tickets or Kalani meals, lend support to programs, or to request an auxiliary aid or modification, call 965-7828 or email Kalani@kalani.com.