Mufi's Message 10.28.19

Keiki in the Kitchen

​Earlier this year, the Hawai'i Agriculture Foundation (HAF) launched its Young Entrepreneurs program for local students in culinary and agricultural pathways. Middle and high school students from around the state worked with their teachers to formulate business plans around a product that they had created. Yesterday, these students had the chance to sell their creations at the Made in Hawai'i Marketplace for Kids by Kids which was held as part of Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival's Keiki in the Kitchen at Victoria Ward Park.

As we have with other events, HLTA and the Hawai'i Tourism Authority have made it a goal to show support for tourism-related activities that help our youth. I represented HTA at an HAF teacher training session earlier to speak in support of the culinary business and agri-tourism and expressed our support to include neighbor island participation in these kinds of opportunities on O'ahu. In keeping with this, HTA sponsored the travel expenses for neighbor island students and teachers from Maui and Hawaii Island to participate in yesterday's event. HTA President & CEO Chris Tatum and I joined Hawai'i Agricultural Foundation Executive Director Denise Yamaguchi yesterday to tour the free, outdoor event in Kaka’ako and met with the students and educators who were part of yesterday’s festivities. 

We were incredibly impressed not only by the ono food items, but also the attention to detail and creativity of the marketing and packaging of each school's product and by the variety of items that they brought to the marketplace. Our hats off to all of the students and their teachers for a job well done and we look forward to next year’s event. 

The following schools were in attendance: Olomana School; Pearl City High School; Roosevelt High School; Konawaena High School; Leilehua High School; Baldwin High School; Aiea High School; Kaiser High School; Waipahu High School; Farrington High School; 'Ilima Intermediate School; and Waipahu Intermediate School.

​Na Po'e Pa'ahana - DEADLINE EXTENDED

Don't Forget!!!
The nomination period for our 30th Annual Na Po'e Pa'ahana Awards is now open! We will be extending the cutoff date until midnight of November 8. Please take a moment to submit an entry for your best hotel & lodging employees so that their hard work and aloha spirit may be recognized.

To submit an entry, please click here.

​Momilani Elementary School

On Friday evening, Mufi visited Momilani Elementary School to present a check from Charity Walk to the school's PTSO, Hui o Momilani, at their Halloween Costume Ball. Momilani has been one of the most active participants through the years - they raise money and bring enthusiastic volunteers and walkers every year! 

​Traveler's Choice Awards

The annual Traveler's Choice Awards for Restaurants were recently announced. These awards are given out based upon one year of TripAdvisor reviews. This year, several Hawai'i restaurants received awards. In the Fine Dining category, Lahaina Grill ranked 4th, Mama's Fish House (Maui) took 8th, and Merriman's in Waimea was the 9th pick.

In the Fast Casual Eateries category, Teddy's Bigger Burgers was the 8th ranked restaurant.

But I’d like to reserve a special shoutout to TS Restaurants whose Duke's Waikiki restaurant ranked 7th in the nation for the Everyday Dining category. TS Restaurants' energetic CEO Jackie Reed was just installed as one of our newest board members at our GMM at the Hapuna Resort on Hawaii Island recently. Congrats also to TS Restaurants Area General Manager Dylan Ching and Duke's Waikiki General Manager Keli'i Gouveia, both of whom have been very supportive of many HLTA initiatives. 

To see the full set of rankings, please click here.

Mufi is pictured above with TS Restaurants' CEO Jackie Reed, left, at HLTA's 192nd General Membership Meeting on Hawai'i Island. Reed was recently installed on HLTA's Board of Directors. Also pictured is Southwest Airlines' Community Affairs & Grassroots Senior Specialist Kelly Knox.