Congratulations ʻAi Pono Kauaʻi Challenge Winners!

Oct 25

There were many great contenders for the categories, and picking the winners gets harder and harder every year. Shout out to all our chefs, partners, participants, and committed local food providers that continue to prioritize sourcing local throughout the year and in all they do.

Huge congratulations to our winners, partners, and all the participants who made the time and effort to source locally and help be part of the solution toward growing our local food security.

Together it really does make a difference!

Hoʻomaikaʻi Kat Ho

CATEGORY : BEST OVERALL DISH PRESENTATION
— ”Shootz-cuterie” Board

It was really hard to decide between Kat’s feast of a Shootz-cuterie Board or her delicious-looking fire-baked kalo luʻau in a coconut! With a tie breaker we managed to choose the Shootz-cuterie Board for the winning best overall dish presentation.

The Shootz-cuterie Board had Moloaʻa bacon wrapped ulu, Kalaheo grown ulu, velvet persimmon, starfruit, choc nibs, and basil. From the Kalaheo Farm Stand, she included yellow watermelon, dragon fruit, tomatoes, mint, sweet potatoes, mango, cucumber, and lilikoi. From the Puhi Farm Market, she got Kauaʻi-grown zucchini, eggplant, ginger, cauliflower, and red watermelon. Homegrown tangerine, backyard lychee, and rosemary were included with Ginger Honey made with McPheeʻs Bee honey.

The board even included coconut flakes and coconut cream from Kilauea coconuts and Lawai Valley wild-caught pig.

Hoʻomaikaʻi Stephanie Strauber Craig

**CATEGORY : MOST CREATIVE USE OF CANOE PLANTS**
—ʻUlu Gnocchi

Stephanie integrated ulu into classic Italian dishes, Stefanie used ulu flour to make 100% local gnocchi. Ulu flour came in as the key to her “pillowy & chewy” dumplings. Sourcing Ohi Ohi Shop ulu flour and Waipa giant purple sweet potatoes she created local Italian dumpling bliss. Ulu flour for the win!

Stefanie’s Ulu Frittata was also a winner, with her determination to push past the use of potatoes and break into unfamiliar ground with ulu instead! This frittata incorporated The Owl and Bee Farm local Pesto, Kauaʻi Kunana Dairy chevre and Next Wave Poultry Eggs with homegrown broccoli and sweet potato greens and some mushrooms from Hoku Foods Natural Market. Epic.

Hoʻomaikaʻi Rhonda Collier

**CATEGORY : MOST CREATIVE USE OF AN INVASIVE SPECIES**
—Strawberry Guava Bread

Strawberry Guava is recognized by scientists and land managers as one of Hawaii's worst invasive species in Hawaiʻi. Since its introduction in 1825, strawberry guava has become widespread, invading hundreds of thousands of acres of native forest across the Hawaiian Islands. Its prolific ability to spread overwhelms the ability of managers to bring it under control. Compared to healthy native forests, forests invaded by strawberry guava lose over one quarter more water to the atmosphere, robbing our streams and groundwater systems of this precious resource.

Rhonda’s delicious looking Strawberry Guava Bread was made with Banana and ulu flour using some nutmeg, cinnamon and local eggs. Smothered in coconut cream, honey and guava sauce!

The guava sauce she also used for smoothies, over pancakes or ice cream, made into salad dressing and even BBQ sauce! What a delicious way to help manage a horrible invasive!

Hoʻomaikaʻi Michelle Hodges

CATEGORY: BEST OVERALL BEVERAGE PRESENTATION
—- Butterfly Pea, Papaya Drink

Hard to beat the refreshing butterfly pea / papaya drink made by the Hodges Homestead!

Michelle infused a blue tint with butterfly pea, lemongrass, ginger, and coconut all fresh harvested from the backyard. With that beautiful blue elixir float she made a refreshing layered drink with homestead papaya, local mango, fresh coco jelly and coco water. Gorgeous!

Hoʻomaikaʻi Sandra Jennings

**CATEGORY : MOST CREATIVE 100% LOCALLY SOURCED MEAL—** Chicken Soup

Coming in clutch again this year, Sandy had many contenders for various categories this year and her beautiful chef talents shined! Both her Fire Roasted Chicken Verde and her incredible foraged chicken soup both utilized our local chicken farm (and ‘Ai Pono partner), Next Wave Poultry.

Her creativity and knowledge in the use of wild mushrooms and herbs made the nourishing soup slide into first, but the chicken verde was also looking scrumptious!

Hoʻomaikaʻi Emily Olsen

**CATEGORY : BEST PHOTO FEATURING AN ʻAI PONO PARTNER**
— Featuring Rainbow Road Kauaʻi, Molaʻa Oganicaʻa and Common Ground

We loved the picture and shout out to Ned and Marta, of Moloaʻa Organicaʻa, and Common Ground submitted by Emily Olson of Rainbow Road Kauaʻi Ice Creamery!

We love seeing our partners collaborating and watching local farmers provide for value added producers to help expand our local food supply is what it is all about!

Thank you to Emily Olson and the Rainbow Road team, Common Ground and of course Moloaʻa Organicaʻa for working together to close the holes in our food system and reshape our agricultural sector!

We see you!

Hoʻomaikaʻi Charissa Farley-Hay!

**GRAND PRIZE WINNER!!**
The grand prize drawing was between 5 people who completed the entire scavenger hunt card!

Five of the 150 Participants submitted a completed scavenger hunt card and ate entirely locally sourced food for an entire week!

Those 5 people were Michelle Hodges, Kat Ho, Rhonda Collier, Ken Ellingson and Charissa Farley and we praise you for your commitment to sourcing local and challenging yourself to that level! Mahalo!

Congratulations Charissa for winning the Grand Prize drawing!

Special Mentions

We would be a miss if we did not shout out a few other participants as special mentions!

Misha Laney

Your locally sourced Kim Chee Soup looked delicious!

Charissa Farley-Hay

Mahalo for your incredible video that shares the journey of growing, harvesting, processing, preparing and cooking your own foods. We appreciate your complete process and commitment to the ʻAi Pono Challenge and lifestyle!