Hawaii: Celebrating Cultural Food Traditions

For the first in our newest series, we will visit Hawaii. A series of islands that many California’s say they know well, it’s a place of deep indigenous knowledge, people fiercely connected to the land and a community that has influences from Japan and the US and Philippines and China and yet still maintains an identity all their own.

Our chefs for the evening are Lily Rockholt and Koa Mendes.

Lily is of Okinawan descent, representing generations of movement from Japan to the Hawaiian Islands. She is lead chef at The Cupboard in SF and recently completed her degree in Conservation and Resource Studies with a focus on food and foodways. Her personal pop-up, All Pau Berkeley, is an homage to her fondest culinary experiences in Hawaii.

Koa grew up in his ancestral home of Hilo and moved to the mainland recently, working his way through a variety of kitchens as line cook, pastry cook and sushi chef. The memories of family cookouts and culinary knowledge passed down through generations guides him as he explored his mixed heritage of Filipino, Portuguese, Chinese and Native Hawaiian through food.

More to come on our partner organization and moderator for the evening!

Slow Food East Bay’s Cultural Food Traditions Project series of events celebrates the cultural food traditions of immigrants, refugees and displaced people, learning how food helps people stay connected to homeland and also engage with new communities. Attendees will be inspired by stories from chefs and community organizations, learning how diversity and migration have helped in the development of our food system…. And, frankly, make it delicious!

Speaking of delicious, the propsed menu for the evening will be our chef’s take on a plate lunch:
Pupus – light bites, all vegetarian
BBQ – both pork and vegetarian options
Rice, Mac Salad and Noodles
Pickles & Ferments
Sticky rice with Mango, Butter Mochi and maybe a little Guava too!
And to drink, plentiful fresh juices (with or without alcohol!) and beer

*If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know when you purchase your ticket and/or email us with details so we can plan accordingly. No changes can be made the night of*

Pricing: We’re committed to being and building an inclusive community while also making the event sustainable for the chefs. Everyone is welcome at our table and to help that happen we offer sliding scale tickets prices which include dinner, drinks (alcoholic & non) and stimulating discussion.
$90 – A portion of your ticket subsidizes someone who can pay less.
$75 – If you earn a living wage this ticket helps the chefs do the same.
$45 – Join Us! We are grateful that you choose to spend your money on this important work and are excited to have you at the table!
If you are feeling inspired to come but $45 doesn’t work, please email us at slowfoodeastbay@gmail.com

As our political discourse gets more polarized, it becomes ever more important to have places where we can have meaningful connection discovering inherent connections to one another. Join us for an evening of delicious food paired with just as delicious conversation, leaving with both your belly and mind full