1 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to save our protection of I heart 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: radio and stuff Media. I'm Anneries and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum. 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: And today we're saying so long to our Wahu mini 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: series with a farewell episode. So sad it is? I oh, 5 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: I mean I think we should just go back and 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: do another like eighteen interviews and then do another mini series. Yeah, 7 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,959 Speaker 1: maybe on MAUI I know, right, yeah, Okay, Well, we'll 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: bring this up with our boss. I do feel like 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: we're saying goodbye to a friend or something, right my heart, 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: there are fields happening, but yeah, it's all good things 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: must come to an end. Um. And for this episode, 12 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: we wanted to touch on some things we didn't get 13 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: to touch on in previous episodes and some things that 14 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: are in wise future. And that means we have to 15 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: talk about tourism again. Yeah. Yes, uh, And like we 16 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: discussed in our interro episode, a good chunk of Hawaii's 17 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: a economy depends on tourism, which absolutely impacts those in 18 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: the food and beverage industry. Yeah, because catering to the 19 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: whims and sometimes literally catering to the whims of tourists 20 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: while also being embraced by locals is challenging in an 21 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: industry that's already really challenging. Uh. One of the people 22 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: who we spoke with, who we unfortunately haven't gotten to 23 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: share a lot from yet, was was one Kelvin Row, 24 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: who is the chef and owner of Diamond Head Market 25 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: and Grill, which is what's called a drive in um, 26 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 1: which is a different thing than what we usually think 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: of on the mainland. When we hear drive in um, 28 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: it means restaurant with no interior seating at which you 29 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: probably order from a walk up window and all orders 30 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: are served to go. Um. So there's often some like 31 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: picnic tables set up outdoors for you to eat at 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: if you want to um yeah. So the concept is 33 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: sort of like fast fast casual, extra fast casual, um 34 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: yeah um. And the menus are often local takes on 35 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: like a like a greasy spoon type fair I guess, 36 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: like like reflecting the diverse population of Hawaii. Stuff like 37 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: locomoco tara yaki charsiu, which I hope I'm finally pronouncing correctly, 38 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: a chicken, dobo kaloo, a pig. Yeah. You add to 39 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: that to that kind of entree. A couple of side dishes, 40 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: usually a couple of scoops of rice and a scoop 41 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: of macar any salad mac salad. Um. The other things 42 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: can sneak in there, kim chee or loami salmon, which 43 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: is like a cold salmon salad with tomato and onion. Anyway, Yeah, 44 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: you add a couple of side dishes and you've got 45 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: a plate lunch, which is a Hawaii working class staple. 46 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: It's like the local answer to the meat and three um, 47 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: which is a Southern thing. If you're not from here, 48 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, google it, you'll figure it out. Um. 49 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 1: But yeah, okay, So this drive in the diamond Head 50 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: market and Grill Kelvin opened it eighteen years ago with 51 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: a personal mission to mix in some some healthier options 52 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: in there. Yes, and the two things I want to 53 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,399 Speaker 1: add on there is one. They're known for their scones, 54 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: and they were before we did the interview. They put 55 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: a plate of scones in the middle of the table, 56 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: but they were wrapped in like a crunchy, crinkly paper 57 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: and so we couldn't eat them. During the interview. We 58 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: were just presented with this plate of warm, lovely, big 59 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: big scones, and we were staring at them. And then 60 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: later Dylan and I were talking about the struggle of 61 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: can I try to open this while we're doing the interview. 62 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: I felt like it was some kind of like marshmallow test, 63 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: but for podcast, Yeah, it definitely felt like a test. 64 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: And somehow I feel like we failed. I don't know, 65 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: but we got to eat the skull and so it 66 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: was a win we did eventually. But also Dylan and you, Lauren, 67 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: we're on their Instagram, the diamond Head Instagram, right, yeah, 68 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: because because Kelvin and his wife have a number of 69 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: Golden Retrievers and like a lot, like not like a 70 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: small number, like kind of a large number. And one 71 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: of them was a puppy and oh I'm forgetting its 72 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: name right now, honey girl, honey girl. Yeah, oh, I 73 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: don't have my phone on me in the studio, but 74 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: I'll find I'll find the Instagram handle and I'll put 75 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: it on Instagram. This is a very important mission. It 76 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: is very important. It was super cute cute anyway, all right. 77 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: Kelvin has also worked as a culinary teacher and restaurant consultant. 78 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: Diamond Head Market and Grill is unique because it's a 79 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: neighborhood drive in. It has a small market attached and 80 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: locals go there pickup scones for the office or a 81 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: salad or sandwich or plate lunch. And it's not in 82 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: the big downtown tourist area, but it is a tourist attraction. 83 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: It has been open for eighteen years, yes, and it 84 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: was packed the entire time we were there. Here's Kelvin. 85 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: Food business is not easy and a lot of people 86 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: lose money. You know, coming from a consultant and people 87 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 1: ask me constantly do you think I should do this? 88 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: What do you think about my concept? Do you think 89 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: I should open? It's like my answer is always how 90 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: much money do you have to lose? And they go 91 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: on and I'm like, no, serious. If you have a 92 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: couple hundred thousand that you need that you don't care 93 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: if you go try it out, but you better have 94 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: your homework done. You better have a solid recipe file, 95 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 1: a concept, a menu file. I mean it all starts 96 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: with your of course, your widget, your signature item. If 97 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: you don't have that, it's kind of hard unless you 98 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: do a drive in. When you do all these things 99 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: that people staples, beef stud show your chicken, La La 100 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: all these local foods. But that kind of gets tiring too, right, 101 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: and some of those restaurants are closing. They don't have 102 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: enough to sustain their passion because after five years of 103 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: losing money, nobody wants to stay in the business, you know, 104 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: because your first initial impact into society when you open 105 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: a business, you have to prove yourself because the public 106 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: is very finicky. They're going to support you or not. 107 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: And sometimes it takes one to three years for you 108 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: to gel, but sometimes the customers won't wait that long, 109 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: or you'll get your your core fans. But that's not 110 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: enough to make it to the five year mark, you know. 111 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: It's so sad. A lot of the mom and pops 112 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: are all closing. So it's because the next generation they're 113 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: not used to working those hours that it takes to 114 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: run a business, because you've got to get up before 115 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: people come and you they're after cleaning up, right, whatever 116 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: it is, it's just overwhelming. So most people have closed 117 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: there mom and pop type stores, and we see a 118 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: lot of national chain restaurants who are pretty much succeeding 119 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: our burgers five six dollars McDonald's is a dollar. They're 120 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: going to be popular. They get their share of customers, 121 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: but it's not the same. So it's changed in the 122 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: sense that a lot of the local things that we 123 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: used to like you can't get anymore. But of course 124 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: there are a lot of success stories, some of which 125 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: we've been fortunate enough to share with you all throughout 126 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: these episodes. And as tastes change and towards are hungry 127 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: for local experiences, some of this whole thing is changing. 128 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: We spoke to chef Alan Wong about the tourism on Oahu. 129 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: He opened what would become one of Hawaii's most posh 130 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: restaurants in an office building in Inland Honolulu and I 131 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: and helped create the movement of Hawaii regional cuisine, which 132 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: celebrates local ingredients and the culinary diversity of the population. 133 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: How many times the average person has been to Hawaii, 134 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: so they've been like three or four or five times now, 135 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: So the the leg greeting has gotten old, little chocolate cover, 136 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: macadamia uts on the pillow and getting old. So they're 137 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: looking for new things. So, especially the Japanese, they're looking 138 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: to see where the locals eat with the local shop. 139 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: So the k CC farmers Market used to be all 140 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: locals now it's like bus loads of Japanese coming because 141 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: they want to see where the locals kind of you know, 142 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 1: local farmers market is. And so people are looking for 143 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: experiences like if you could sign up and go pig 144 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,599 Speaker 1: hunting with the local guy, you don't remember that for 145 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: the rest of your life. You know. It's those kinds 146 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: of experience, or actual fishing, you know, those Hawaiian experiences, 147 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: or hiking. The most or thing is getting out of 148 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: the hotels, the resorts and Waikiki and getting out into 149 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: the community. This is a community, you know, and and 150 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:14,599 Speaker 1: seeing the real communities of Honolulu or Hawaii. And I 151 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: think that's the most important thing. But it's kind of 152 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: happening already because people are looking for those experiences and 153 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:29,959 Speaker 1: when go pick hunting, you're gonna go pick hunting. Oh no. No. 154 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: One of my life's missions is to help change the 155 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: perception of what Hawaii is like in terms of what 156 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: we eat. And so I love sharing that, you know, 157 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: because the more I can say to people that spread 158 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 1: that word, they're going to realize that, you know, it's 159 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: not all about pineapples and macadamia nuts and spam, that 160 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: it pretty much is a place where East meets West, 161 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: and when you think about it, fusion has a bad word, 162 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: right because it's too much confusion. But if any place 163 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: where east meets west, we're right in the middle. You know, 164 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: if you want to go to to the US from Asia, 165 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: do you stop in Hawaii first, and same the other 166 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: way around. He also expounded a bit about how the 167 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,599 Speaker 1: tourism on the island has changed since he's been in 168 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: the industry. To compare apples to apples, there are a 169 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: lot of local chefs and hotels and resorts now and 170 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: some are even the executive chef of the hotel, and 171 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: so that's changed. Um, we have the most amount of 172 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: product to cook with today. Things a long time ago 173 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: used to be only available either frozen or in the can. 174 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: For example, at one time only candasparagus or can hearts upon. 175 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: So now both are being grown here so you can 176 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: get fresh hearts upon purchas vargus. So that that's changed 177 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: quite a bit. The the generation, you know, has changed, 178 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: and so we've sort of had a restaurant explosion in 179 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: the last three or four years here in Honolulu. You 180 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: know that you can go out to have many more 181 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: uh diversified kind of eating experience in Honolulu, and you 182 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: know everyone with the TV, the Food Channel, with social media, 183 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: you basically can learn things that are happening all around 184 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: the world about their cooking style there, their ingredients of 185 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: what they're doing. You know, they see the plate and 186 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: so everybody wants to imitate that kind of plate. All 187 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: the Instagram shots, right, so you get a lot of 188 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: that too. In as many ways as living on an 189 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: archipelago thousands of miles away from anything is a challenge, um, 190 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: Hawaii perhaps obviously has a lot going on for it. 191 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,599 Speaker 1: You know, it's literal paradise um and a lot of 192 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: interesting foods can be grown there now that the land 193 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: has been or is currently being reclaimed from a pineapple 194 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: and sugarcane mono cropping, and its government is looking for 195 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: ways to help. We spoke with Hawaii State Senator Donovan 196 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: Dela Cruz about some of the ideas that are on 197 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: the table. Well, do we can do other things? We 198 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: can do vanilla, we could do camemeo. You know, our 199 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: climate is such that we can grow a lot of 200 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 1: different things because we have so many different micro climates. 201 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: We just need more entrepreneurs to kind of take those 202 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: ideas and make a bowl of it, and if if 203 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: the state can figure out away how we can provide 204 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: incentives so we can allow some predictability and allow people 205 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: to take risks all of those investments, and that's something 206 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: that we should consider how we can help it provides jobs, 207 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: you know, increases our diversity of product, and hopefully it 208 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: enhances the visitor experience too. This is something a lot 209 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 1: of our interviewees spoke about. Another was Taylor Kellerman, who's 210 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: the director of agriculture and land Stewardship at Koloa Ranch 211 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 1: on the east side of Oahu. As we've said in 212 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 1: previous episodes, at Cooloa, they raise cattle and oysters and 213 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: a few crops and also host Hollywood films thing movie tours. 214 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: Here's Taylor. You know what it is is that we 215 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: have a lot of cool things that people like to 216 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,079 Speaker 1: do here. We do zip lines, you know, things that 217 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: have a small footprint. UM, So let's think of things 218 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: as like a minor or small environmental footprint in a 219 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: large economic impact. Right zip line horseback UM controled a 220 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: TV in the sense that you're not just go ride 221 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: tear up everything. It's on trails that we maintain and 222 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: things like that. Uh. But while you're here, we're going 223 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: to force you to learn a bunch about agriculture. So 224 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: you know, good example, guessing Jumanji, right, the new Jumanji, 225 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,839 Speaker 1: so the entertain the transportation shed where they do the 226 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: like dance fighting. I just know this is my kids 227 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: love that movie. So we've repurposed that building, moved it. 228 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: It was filmed here in the back of the valley. 229 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: We took the whole building down. We instead of destroying it. 230 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,599 Speaker 1: We that's what are our piggeries in now. And so 231 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: when you're gonna go on the movie site, you were 232 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: to learn about all the movies like Drassic World and 233 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: Jumanji and Eights or whatever. Um. You have to pass 234 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: through whenever bagg areas to get to all these things. 235 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: And in that time we're gonna teach you a little 236 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: bit and hopefully some of it sticks. I'm sure in 237 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 1: some cases, in a lot of cases it doesn't. But 238 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: it's it's just that step by step nature of everything. 239 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: You know. The hard part about Hawaii, And I'm sure 240 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: you've heard this, if you've if you've energy, if you've 241 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: you in that many people in Hawaii, the economics of 242 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: agriculture I'm sure has come up. And anytime you're growing 243 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: things on a piece of property that's worth well more 244 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: than what you could ever grow, you have to have 245 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: some sort of dual income. UM. Some people do it 246 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: by value added, like Kohana Rump. You know, they've got 247 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: a really cool concept. By the way that building that 248 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: their tasting room is in. UM. I used to get 249 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 1: my hair cut there by the plantation store owner that 250 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: used to run that store, because I used to work 251 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: in the pineapple plantation right there, so twenty five years ago. 252 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: Tangent but um. But you know in in here, if 253 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: you want to be if you want to be economically successful, 254 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: you have to look at um ways to increase your 255 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: bottom line. And you know, growing a raw product and 256 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: selling it to a producer is not really viable these 257 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: days in this state at least. So do you take 258 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: your pods and take it all the way to craft chocolate? 259 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: That's one way to do it. Do you take your 260 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: twenty seven varieties of Hawaiian sugarcane and turn it into 261 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 1: craft rum? That's another way. Do you take what you're 262 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: doing and share it with people that want to come 263 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: in zip line on your property? It's another way, So 264 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: that's kind of how how we look at it, so 265 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: forest entottainment and um dual economy. So one of the 266 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: things he touched on there is how things have changed 267 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: in Hawaii since he was growing up there, and um, 268 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: and that's something that we're always interested in in learning about. 269 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: We also asked Justin Park, who's the head bartender and 270 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: co owner of a speakeasy ish style cocktail bar called 271 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: Bar Leather apron Um, which is another posh place in 272 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: an office building in Honolulu. Growing up in Hawaii is 273 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: like the best place to grow up in the whole world. Um, 274 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: as far as far as I'm concerned. But you know what, 275 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: like I it's changed. It's it's it's really changed. I 276 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: mean especially Waikiki. You know Waikiki is it two people 277 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: who live here unless you work there isn't somewhere you 278 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: really go very often. Um it's because it's catered towards visitors, 279 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: you know, tourism, which is great because that's what drives 280 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: our economy. But at the same time, it's like white 281 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: Hawaii has a very like deep culture beyond tourism. And 282 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: like I don't know, like if it's worse or better, 283 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: but um, there's been a lot of change as far 284 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: as the food and beverage culture goes, like it's really 285 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: like grown up in the past two years, I would say, 286 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: maybe even three years. For me, like I never I 287 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: never wanted to do this anywhere else um because this was, 288 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: for one, this is my home. And for two, the 289 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: way I thought about it was like, you don't have 290 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: to give some one another reason to come here. They're 291 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: already coming here, you know. So if you can capitalize 292 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: on that and at the same time share a like 293 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: a story or how you created it, it's like it's 294 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: just impactful. The tension around commodifying culture that Justin touched 295 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: on is part of an ongoing conversation. We talked about 296 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,680 Speaker 1: performative culture for tourism in our New Orleans episodes and 297 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: you want to go back and check those out. And 298 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: as we talked about throughout this mini series, Native Hawaiians 299 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: have fought to preserve their culture and history. One of 300 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: the ways they've done that is through education and the 301 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,679 Speaker 1: passing on of history and traditions. Here's Kilo A Domingo, 302 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: a cultural practitioner who also cooks. It's it always be 303 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: a debate, but you know, to honor to recognize, to 304 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: respect the culture. I think that's something that, um, we 305 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 1: really need to get the message across to people. Um. 306 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: You know, that's why it's important for people like myself 307 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: to share what what I know and keep learning and 308 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, encourage our our next generations to learn, you know, 309 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: even even deeper in the knowledge. You know, it's it's 310 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: a part of us. It's been a part of us 311 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: for generations upon generations upon generations. And that's not something 312 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 1: you want to just you know, tossing the curve. That 313 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: learning aspect of respect and success is something that we 314 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: heard over and over again, and we'll look deeper into that, 315 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: but first we have a quick break for a word 316 00:18:50,960 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 317 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: thank you. The importance of mentorship came up in several 318 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 1: interviews about Hawaii's food and drink industry. This is side 319 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 1: in part to that responsibility we talked about in our 320 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: intro episode of this whole mini series. It's one way 321 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 1: that people in the industry are helping others succeed. Yeah, 322 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: helping others and helping themselves, you know, lift each other up, 323 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: and then they can lift you up and everybody gets lifted. Yeah. Uh. 324 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: And we even got a concrete example of a mentorship 325 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: that really worked out because okay, we we interviewed chef 326 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 1: Allen wong Um and he was a mentor to another 327 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 1: chef who we interviewed, Michelle car Yeka of MW Restaurant 328 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: in Honolulu. We we asked Michelle about how she realized 329 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: that she wanted to be in the restaurant industry to 330 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: start out with. And here's what she said. But it's 331 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: probably when I was in college. It's kind of funny 332 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: because I went to school for business management, but a 333 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 1: double majored in hospitality hotel managements as well. And then uh, 334 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: and then I said it to do my last extern 335 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: chef at Alamans because I wanted to see the restaurant 336 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,159 Speaker 1: industry because my parents did not want me to be 337 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: a chef. They wanted me anything else. They wanted me 338 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: because my dad is a CFO and my mom was 339 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 1: a teacher, and so people who work in the banking industry, 340 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: the success rate of restaurants is very low, and so 341 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 1: my dad is like, no, no, no, no, no, anything 342 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: but that industry. And so he's and he actually wanted 343 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: me to become a golfer. I didn't want to become 344 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: a golfer. I mean, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't 345 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: I wasn't passionate about it. Like I enjoyed it. I 346 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 1: enjoyed the competition of it because I played it in college, 347 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: but I didn't I couldn't see myself doing this every 348 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: day for the rest of my life. And then, so 349 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: it's funny because I called my dad one day. I'm like, 350 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: I did it's pretty good. My tellingma. He's like, Okay, 351 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: that's a good news. What's bad news. I'm like, I'm 352 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: not gonna take off anymore next year, and he's like, great, 353 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: what are you gonna do? I'm like, you know, my externship. 354 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: He's like yes, I'm like I think I want to 355 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: be a chef. He's like, young up the phone. Oh, 356 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:22,160 Speaker 1: here we go again. And to make a long story short, 357 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: you know, he was like, Okay, I guess this is 358 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: what you really want to do. Because after I finished 359 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: my externship, I still continue to work there for free 360 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: for like nine months because I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it, 361 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: and and then so finally chaff Allen told me he's like, 362 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 1: if this is what you really want to do, then 363 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: you should go to school. And so I said okay, 364 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: and so I went to the CIA. He wanted me 365 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: to stay here. I was like, bye, I'm going to 366 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: New York. And it was it was amazing, you know, 367 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: to be able to go out to the CIA and 368 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 1: then expern French Chaney and come back to um say engraduate, 369 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: and then come back to Hawaii and then go back 370 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: to per se. That's when I've learned I really wanted 371 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: to be a pati to chew, you know. For me, 372 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: I mean that's where I kind of learned how to cook, 373 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: I mean working then his kitchen. And he can even 374 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:20,440 Speaker 1: probably tell you if you ever asked him, is I 375 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: didn't even know how to turn on this the still 376 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: I did not know how to cook at all. And 377 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: so to be able to be given the opportunity to 378 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: have someone mentor you and teach you and be patient, 379 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: you know. But a lot of it is about persistence 380 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: and dedication and desire to become what you want to become. 381 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: And for me, I wanted to become a chef. And 382 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: while we were speaking to Allen, who was our second interview, 383 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 1: Michelle was our last along with her husband, Wade Um. 384 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: While we were speaking to Allan, he brought up the 385 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: importance of being a mentor, and yeah, here's what do 386 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: you have to say. The first thing I try to 387 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: do is scare you, because if I do scare you, 388 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: I did you a favor. You know, I do remind 389 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: you that it's hard work. Um, I asked m You know, 390 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 1: I tell him that come Christmas time, Thanksgiving, the holidays, Uh, 391 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: don't be wanting to like request off now, because when 392 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: people come to party, you've got to provide the party. 393 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: You're working Christmas Eve, Christmas, You're working New Year's Eve. 394 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: And so at that point they kind of pause a 395 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: little bit, and you know, and the ones that are 396 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: thinking like, oh maybe this is not for me. Oh, 397 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: I did your favor. But if they passed that hurdle, 398 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: then we keep talking. You know. I remind them that 399 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: this is a journey. I'd say, it's a long path, 400 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:58,639 Speaker 1: you know. So so I have some that that are 401 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: coming and saying I want to be the next food channel, 402 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 1: food TV start in five years, or someone says I 403 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: want to own my own restaurant in five years. So 404 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 1: then we have to have a little talk on how 405 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: realistic that all is. You know, anybody can open a restaurant, 406 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: but how long can you keep you going? So don't 407 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: be too anxious to get into that. And so you know, 408 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: it's a hard business. It's a journey. It's a long journey. 409 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: You don't make a lot of money in the beginning. 410 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: You pay your dues and if you can hang well, 411 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: it could be very very good to you. Your reasons 412 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: for getting into business have to be the right reasons. 413 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: What I got into the business was if I made 414 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: something and I fed you, I'm gonna look at your face. 415 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna look at your eyes. We look at the 416 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: first expression in your face for the first spoon in 417 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: your mouth, and that's what turned me on. So if 418 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: somebody has that kind of like perception of what the 419 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,719 Speaker 1: industry can be like for them, then they probably can 420 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 1: handle what comes at them, you know, because you know, 421 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 1: you got to go to the ups and bounds, that 422 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,239 Speaker 1: adversities and challenges, And I say, you know, I can 423 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: make your goal as bigger than life. Maybe you have 424 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 1: a chance. Is that your favorite part of it is 425 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: like seeing the expression on people's faces. Yeah, somebody enjoys 426 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 1: that when somebody says this is awesome or I've never 427 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 1: had anything like this before. That's a charge. Taylor also 428 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: spoke about the importance of mentorship. I always look at 429 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: it as that's where a big part of the BAG 430 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: Leadership program comes into play, because we have a lot 431 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: of people who want to get into farming that don't 432 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: have farming backgrounds, and I love it and I encourage it, 433 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: and I think it's amazing and one of the first 434 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,200 Speaker 1: things that they struggle with is the realism of it, 435 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: because I think you really need to talk to people 436 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: and work with people and get them involved in do 437 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: you want to do you love farming or do you 438 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: love the idea of farming, because it's two very different things, 439 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: and um, I think that you can through good mentorship, 440 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: transition one into the other. Whereas if you just throw 441 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 1: somebody out and let them hang, they're gonna probably give 442 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: up pretty quickly, which I was like, I don't know 443 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: if that's a compliment or yeah, I'm not really sure, 444 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: but yeah, yeah, but mentoring is really really important. I 445 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,199 Speaker 1: had some incredible mentors when I was younger, and they 446 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: made all the difference in the world, and like, you know, 447 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: you know, we all have those moments that you can 448 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: recall in early adulthood where you're those concepts clicked for you, 449 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 1: whatever it is, you know, like those times you're like, oh, 450 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: I totally am going to process that and keep it going. Um. 451 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 1: Most of those came from my mentors, not my parents, 452 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: you know. So I have had some wonderful mentors in 453 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 1: my life and can absolutely speak to the value of 454 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 1: a good one. Oh yeah, yeah, humans around this very 455 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: office who have provided just so much example and support 456 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 1: and uh you know, beer good god. Yeah, uh yeah, no, 457 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: it's it's it's really it's really great. Um. But yes, 458 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: all of this goes beyond just mentorship, because we heard 459 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:32,120 Speaker 1: and saw so much of the sense of community within 460 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: the food and bev industry on Owahu. And we'll get 461 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 1: into that after we get back from one more quick 462 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: break for a word from our sponsor and we're back. 463 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsoring, Yes, thank you. Everyone we spoke with 464 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: was so generous with their time. Oh yeah, oh gosh. 465 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: They kept they kept going like, oh, okay, we have 466 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: twenty minutes and then like I don't know, like fifteen 467 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: minutes in would be like hold on, I'm rescheduling. Yeah. 468 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: It was really lovely. Yeah, it was so good. If 469 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: people were excited to talk about what they were doing, 470 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 1: it's great. Um. And people were very generous with their 471 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:18,679 Speaker 1: advice and willingness to lift others up as well. Here's 472 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: Dave Newman craft bartender of Point and Jigger and Harry's 473 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: hardware and Boring. I think, I think that's just part 474 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: of the Alohan. The community has been so tight. Um. 475 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 1: When when we first started doing craft cocktails out here, 476 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: there was there was no resources available for us. There 477 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: was there was nobody that I could go to and like, 478 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: how do you make a grantity? And it wasn't even 479 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: on the internet. I looked. So we got in the 480 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: kitchen and learned how to make grantiting well, you know, 481 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: came up with our own recipes for everything for a job, 482 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: all spice ram um. So for us to be able 483 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: to pass that on directly, yeah, you can go on 484 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: the internet and look, but that trial and error process 485 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: of learning how to do it yourself, you can't ever 486 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: read that. And so for me, I will pass that 487 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: on to people directly is the way it should be. 488 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: Michelle offered some advice for those starting out kind of 489 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: when I said I could never do this, and she 490 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: in the like most sweet ways, like yes you could 491 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: hear some advice? Yeah for me personally, um, and she 492 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: offered a reminder that even though the work can and 493 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: often is draining and difficult, that it can be beautiful 494 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: and creative. I can tell people if I got a 495 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: dollar for always time I wanted to quit, how could 496 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: about a really nice house? But I did it? But 497 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 1: I mean that's I mean, it's it's fun. You know. 498 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 1: If you I shouldn't say fail for it, but you 499 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: you learned from your mistakes. And like I tell people, 500 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: you know mistakes, sitting for it sometimes sounds negative, So 501 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: always tell people it's say the opportunities, you know, and 502 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: just think of it like you know what, this is 503 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: a learned lesson, and don't think of it as a negative. 504 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: Think about it as a positive, because if you never 505 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: made that mistake, or you never made you never learned 506 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 1: from that experience, then then you wouldn't even know how 507 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: to fix it. I've had enough baking projects failed that 508 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: I absolutely know how that. Like I remember my first 509 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: one of our things that we had to do a 510 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: colony that the CIA was my colon days and I 511 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 1: broke mine the first day, I was like almost in tears, 512 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: and this this other guy who was next to me, 513 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: he's like, oh my gosh, you failed for the day. 514 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, welcome, I failed for the day. It's 515 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: okay because guess what, I learned how to fix it. 516 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: So tomorrow, if I break it, I know how to 517 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 1: fix it. But if I never broke it, I would 518 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: never know how to fix it. Yeah, So to me, 519 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: that was a blessing. Why, at least for me, why 520 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: I like being in this in the restaurant business is 521 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 1: for me, it's about serving people and nursing people. And 522 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: when we're able to put something and make the guests 523 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: happy and make our team happy as well, then it 524 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: puts a smile on my face. You know. It makes 525 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: how unselfish, but they happier that our guests. Huh. That's 526 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: what I live off of. You know. It's like I 527 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: told my dad, I said, I don't really care about 528 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 1: money as long as guess I'm happy, And he's like, well, no, 529 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: let's still focus to make the rest I'm profitable. But 530 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 1: that's the financial side of him. But he knows that 531 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: there's no good joy than I was making our staff 532 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: happy and I guess happy because it's about this food 533 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: and sharing food, the history and culture and science, the 534 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: story behind it. It does make people happy. I mean, 535 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: I guess that's sort of why we're doing this whole show. Um. 536 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: But our choices when it comes to what we eat 537 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: impacts so much. Bricks Takanaka, the assistant General manager of 538 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: United Fishing Agency, tied things back to sustainability and responsibility. 539 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: If you're not afraid to eat and try stuff, this 540 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: is a great place to be. And you know, the 541 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: funny thing about local people is that if you appreciate 542 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: that they like you even more, you're morel you're more family. Yeah, 543 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 1: and and so so food is a very important commodity really, 544 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: I mean, no matter where you're going, no matter what 545 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 1: the realities are, food is a way of of sort 546 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 1: of kind of balancing things out, smoothing things out. And 547 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 1: the more people appreciate food, the more they understand the 548 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: value what it's all about. I think, the more they 549 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: begin to appreciate being sustainable, how to be more conservative, 550 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: how to be yeah, more frugal about things, and that 551 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: sort of thing as well. And so if we all 552 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:24,719 Speaker 1: do what we can personally, then maybe we can make 553 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 1: a difference. But if we all think, hey man, what's 554 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: what's one person gonna make a different No, we can't 555 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: think that we've got to be responsible from the get 556 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,920 Speaker 1: goal individually. That was That's the way I conducted myself 557 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: when I was younger diving and all of that bruise 558 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: and rigs. No, nobody's watching. Hey no, that's not the 559 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 1: way we do things. So you're always going to have 560 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: people on the other side of the equation. But I 561 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: think you've got to stick to your personal principles. And 562 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 1: if we all take it upon ourselves to be responsible, 563 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:03,960 Speaker 1: I can I think we can do it. Since we're 564 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 1: in the midst of holiday season here in the US 565 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: at least a lot of places we thought we'd end 566 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,959 Speaker 1: with this sentiment from Kieloa. Well, I mean, it's really 567 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: hard to choose a favorite because, you know, I mean, 568 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: growing up and even more so in my adult life, 569 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:27,320 Speaker 1: you know that whole mentality of uh mahollow camello, be 570 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 1: happy for what you have, be grateful for what you have. Um. 571 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,360 Speaker 1: You know, the best food that we have is what's 572 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: on the table in front of us. You know, we're 573 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 1: so happy to be able to eat you know we 574 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 1: we almost used that quote as the opening quote in 575 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: the first episode of this whole mini series, so it 576 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: feels really appropriate to end on it instead. Um. That 577 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,719 Speaker 1: that's how this trip and working on this series has felt. Um. 578 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: It's not a straight line, it's a circle. It's not 579 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: a goodbye, it's um. Thank you for this introduction, and 580 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 1: we are going to be back. Yes, perhaps sooner than 581 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: you would like coming savor it takes a while part two. 582 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: But yes, that that brings us to the end of 583 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: our Hawaii mini series. I'm sure you'll be hearing some 584 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:23,800 Speaker 1: of the interviews in full in the future, UM, lightly 585 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:27,880 Speaker 1: edited perhaps, And we really appreciate you joining us on 586 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 1: this journey. Listeners. Yes, um, and I know, I know 587 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,839 Speaker 1: we think everyone in every episode, UM, but right here 588 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 1: we really want to if we may borrow the word 589 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 1: mahallow um mah hollow from the bottom of our hearts 590 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: and our stomachs. UM to everyone who spoke with us 591 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: and fed us, and to you for listening. Yes, it 592 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:52,840 Speaker 1: was our honor and a true pleasure. But this means 593 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: we gotta figure out where we're going next. Yes, So listeners, 594 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 1: if you have any suggestion, as I know A lot 595 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: of you do. We did kind of say some were 596 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:07,359 Speaker 1: not like very cold, perhaps in the winter that would 597 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:13,359 Speaker 1: be ideal for my fingers. You can send those suggestions 598 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: to our email. It is Hello at savor pod dot 599 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: com and you can also find us on social media. 600 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:24,319 Speaker 1: We are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at savor Pod, 601 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 1: and we do hope to hear from you. Thank you 602 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: so much to our superproducers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard, 603 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: our executive producer Christopher Hassiotis, and our interviewees. Also to 604 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 1: the people who put us in touch with those interviewees, Uh, 605 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 1: Michelle McGowan, Rice of the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, 606 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:43,799 Speaker 1: and we really cannot thank them, UM and DeNisi Amagucci enough, y'all. 607 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 1: If you're ever inspired to take a trip, consider doing 608 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: it during the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. Um. Also, 609 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: no lesser thanks go to Don Takamotopaiva of Put It 610 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 1: on My Plate, and to Joy Goto and Maria Hartfield 611 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,800 Speaker 1: of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Savor is production 612 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 1: of Heart Radio and Stuff Media. For more podcasts from 613 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, you can visit the heart Radio app, 614 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 615 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:09,359 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening, and we have that lots 616 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 1: more good things are coming your way.