Hawaii Cooks With Roy Yamaguchi

Chocolate and vanilla may be the two most popular types of ice cream, but they are also two very important specialty crops being grown on the Big Island, the only place in the United States. Hawaii Cooks visits The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory and Hawaiian Vanilla Company. Guest chefs, brothers Philippe and Pierre Padovani of Padovani’s Bistro, join Roy in the kitchen.

Kung Hee Fat Choy! Hawaii Cooks celebrates Chinese New Year with a trip into Chinatown and examines the delicious food and festivities that mark this holiday. Guest chef and Chinese restaurateur, Leeann Chin, joins Roy in the kitchen to prepare a traditional shrimp and tofu dish while discussing the significance of food and this auspicious celebration in Chinese culture.

Fresh and simple ingredients combine to make the most satisfying meals. And, what could be more satisfying than fresh pasta and vine-ripened tomatoes. Hawaii Cooks visits C&C Pasta Co., a quaint restaurant and deli, where fresh pasta is the featured item, and Roy checks out Green Growers Farm, a unique hydroponic tomato farm that is churning out fresh-off-the-vine heirloom tomatoes.

When you talk about flavoring, nothing is more basic than salt and pepper. Salt in Hawaii is especially valued where it is still being harvested near the sea in a traditional manner handed down for generations. A closer look at the pepper plant also reveals how this valuable spice is being grown in parts of the Pacific.

Mangoes arrived in Hawaii in the early 1800s and have exploded into an important local crop with numerous varieties now readily available. Roy and guest chef Ronnie Nasuti of Roy’s Hawaii Kai take a tour of a unique mango farm that is growing exceptionally tasty mangoes while consistently experimenting with new varieties.

Roy’s quest to find the ultimate noodle dish leads him to sample the best noodle dishes around the state. First stop is To Chau in Chinatown where Roy meets up with Thanh Mougeot, who explains the wonders of this Vietnamese soup noodle dish. Chuck Furuya teams up with Roy on Maui for a bowl of saimin at Kitada’s Restaurant and a tour of the Iwamoto Natto and Noodle Factory.

Sticky sweetness highlights this segment of Hawaii Cooks. A visit to Manoa Honey Company reveals how this golden by-product of bees is harvested, while at the same time ensuring that Hawaii’s agricultural industry remains pollinated. Although sugar once dominated the agricultural landscape in Hawaii, sugar production has now dwindled down to two locations on Kauai and Maui.

It’s probably the most versatile and revered legume in Asia, while in the West, soy and soy products are being hailed only now for their health benefits. From bean to tofu, Hawaii Cooks looks at the many ways soybeans are utilized in the islands.

The future of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement is well in the hands of a number of up-and-coming chefs. Hawaii Cooks examines a high school culinary program at Leilehua High School as well as a collegiate level program at Leeward Community College that are making sure a steady stream of qualified culinary professionals continue to fill the industry.

From sacred Hawaiian fishponds to the modern tanks of fish farms at the Big Island’s Ocean Science and Technology Park, raising quality seafood has always been a priority in Hawaii. Hawaii Cooks examines farm-raised seafood with a look at how both traditional techniques and current aquaculture methods are helping to develop a steady supply of superior fish and shellfish.

Hawaii Cooks ventures to Portland, Oregon, and visits a premium sake brewery. Japanese chef-owner Kesuke “Casey” Asai of Imanas Tei Restaurant joins Roy in the kitchen to prepare a simple and tasty dish that is a perfect accompaniment to sake.

Roy and Chuck enjoy an afternoon of research for a 'Tiki' themed backyard party. An unpredictable afternoon of tropical bliss ensues when they visit the Tommy Bahama Bar, the La Mariana Yacht Club, Alan Wong's Pineapple Room, and the famous Halekulani for Mai Tais, pineapple martinis and laughter. Chuck also joins Roy in the kitchen to prepare his succulent lamb chop pupu.