Unlike many weekends when we are around Maui catering wedding receptions or cooking a barbecue for a catered family reunion, last weekend we were fortunate to work very close to home in and around the Kaanapali Resort! In only the second year, the Kaanapali Fresh Food Festival has already acquired an impressive following of loyalists and returning guests. If you are planning to attend next year, I recommend getting tickets early as the events are likely to sell out in advance.

I appreciate the opportunity to participate in Kaanapali Fresh as it was exciting to make new friends and get re-acquainted with friends from the past. Not only did the festival provide me with opportunity to learn about a few new local farmers and talk story with other chefs, equally pleasing were the discussions with the sommeliers on hand from numerous wine makers. My favorite part of the event was the opportunity to meet and talk about food, discuss cooking techniques to utilizing farm fresh products and share my love of cooking with so many visitors to Maui and local Maui residents, some who don’t visit West Maui often!

Though only a few fortunate attendees were able to attend the coffee farm lunch above my restaurant, CJ’s Deli and Diner, those who did expressed compliments about the lunch my staff and I prepared. Keeping with the theme for the year, our lunch menu was created to celebrate coffee being grown in Hawaii for more than 200 years. Take a look at the menu below and the images from the gourmet lunch:

Chef Prepared Gourmet Lunch for Kaanapali Coffee Farm Tour
Coffee Cured Salmon with Mustard-Dill Glaze
Citrus Coated Calamari with Fennel Salad
Antipasto Platter (Meats, Peppers, Olives, Artichoke)
Old-Style Tomato and Buffalo Cheese Stacks
Grilled Asparagus and Root Vegetables
Home Made Cheese Display with Fruits & Crackers
Farm Breads with Olive Oil and Pesto Aioli
CJ’s Infused Ice Tea & Lemonade in Dispensers and Ice Coffee to Order

For more Kaanapali Coffee Farm gourmet lunch images and more descriptions of the menu we served, head over to the Kaanapali Fresh ‘Living on the Farm has its Coffee Perks’ after you scroll down to see the amazing desserts we created and served at the Kaanapali Fresh Food and Wine Dinner on Saturday evening.

For the Saturday evening Kaanapali 5-0 Food and Wine Festival Dinner, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Kaanapali Resort, guests were treated to live entertainment with performance from acclaimed recording artists Makana and Amy Hanalali’I Gilliom. Next to the stage, guests didn’t need to go far to indulge in the selection of desserts my staff and I prepared for the event. Accompanied by the red Kaanapali Coffee Farms truck along with a farm field ‘growing’ strawberries, pineapple and dragon fruit nearby, my dessert stations were a big hit at the event. Thanks to the Maui Culinary Academy student chefs for complementing our team and staff! I also want to express gratitude to Roselani Ice Cream for the use of their facility and assistance working together to perfect the Vanilla Basil Coffee ice cream for the Kaanapali Fresh dinner. Not only did we use natural Tahitian vanilla and locally grown fresh basil, we also infused roasted coffee into the premium Roselani ice cream. Had we polled for favorite dessert, it would have been a very difficult decision selecting a winner. From comments, it would’ve been a tie between the Strawberries with Vanilla Basil Coffee Ice Cream and the Hana Bar & Haupia Sandwich with Pineapple Flambe. Since we were out of both the coffee infused Taramisu and chocolate coffee mouse at the end of the event, I don’t think anybody went home with an unfulfilled sweet tooth. To relive the dessert experience or for ideas to use in your own catered menu dessert stations, take a look at the menu from the event:

Kaanapali Fresh Food & Wine Festival, Kaanapali 5’0

“Kaanpali Romanoff”
Kula Strawberries Macerated with Maui Ocean Golden Vodka with Polynesian Peppercorn and Roselani Vanilla Basil Coffee Ice Cream

Dessert Truck (Live-Chef serve)
CJ’s Hana Bar & Haupia Sandwich with Maui Gold Pineapple Flambe

Dessert Buffet (self serve)
Coffee infused Tiramisu, Cookies, Parfait and Chocolate Coffee Mousse

Kaanapali Coffee Station
3 Flavors of locally grown Maui coffee

Are you ready to serve one of these menus to your guests at a private catered event on Maui? We include as much or as little help as you need or want, from complimentary wedding planning service with full service catered reception to the most affordable catering option for DIY wedding planners with chafing dishes and tables included, you can count on Comfort Zone Maui Catering. Start planning now by requesting a no obligation Maui catering quote:

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