Congratulations to our ʻAi Pono Kauaʻi Challenge 2020 Winners!
We at HAPA are incredibly excited to announce the winners for our first annual ‘Ai Pono Kauaʻi Challenge! From the bottom of our hearts, we wanted to give a big thank you to all of our participants and partners for making this 7-day challenge a success. It was amazing seeing everyone support their local food sources and put their creativity to the test.
We received a large amount of drool-worthy submissions that made it difficult to select our winners. Unfortunately, we couldn’t give everyone an award, but we’re incredibly grateful to all those who submitted. Scroll down to find out who won!
most posts on social media
Monika Mira
With 24 Instagram posts, Monika was our top contender for this category.
MOST CREATIVE & UNIQUE LOCAL INGREDIENTS
Uma Nagendra
Uma snagged this award with her use of honohono grass, invasive prawns, and thoughtful cooking videos.
Most Creative & Unique Homemade Meals
Sandra Jennings
We were blown away by the artistry Sandra put into her plate presentations and her next-level cooking.
BEST LOCAL COOKING VIDEO
Malia and Victor Nobrega-Olivera
We loved this onolicious video of Malia and Victor marinating a local wild goat!
Gold: Most Accumulated Points
Kat Ho
Kat accumulated the most points by eating 100% local every day, filling out the scorecard for each completed activity, and recruiting others to participate with her. In preparation for the challenge, Kat sourced local food products from family and friends across the island. Her skills as a gifted artist were shown in every beautifully plated dish.
Tie For Silver: Second Most Accumulated Points
Our Silver Award is shared by Hollis Dana, Anita Cook, and Tommy Cook for getting the same exact number of points. We loved everything from Hollis’ eye-catching curry to Anita and Tommy’s mouthwatering ulu tart. Since Anita and Tommy aren’t on Facebook, Hollis even went the extra mile to post their submissions for them. Great team work!
Anita & Tommy Cook
Hollis Dana
ʻAi Pono Grand Prize Drawing Winner
Dana Gutzman
Dana won this prize by being the only participant to completely fill out her scorecard. Congratulations and thank you for all of your hard work!
ʻAi Pono Prize drawing Winner
Linda Neuman
Participants with 5 completed scorecard blocks were entered into our ‘Ai Pono Prize Drawing and selected by random. Congratulations to our lucky winner, Linda!
Special Mention
Amaya Green
Our team loved Amaya’s gorgeous meals, creative flat bread presentation, and use of edible flowers. Her participation even inspired her daughter to create her own locally-sourced meal! (Available to view in last slide)
Special Mention
Brian Miller, Leah Engel, and Alex Halmi of Kalalea View Farms
In addition to partnering with us for the challenge, this trio from Kalalea View Farms blew us away with their colorful creations. We were beyond impressed by their farm-to-table approach used to create ulu gnocchi, empanadas, curry, and more.
Special Mention
Billy DeCosta
We loved Billy’s fun, educational videos. Due to his status as a County Council Member, he gracefully declined to receive a prize. Regardless, Billy’s efforts and engagement deserved this special mention.
Special Mention
Lourdes Torres and Bella Zietz of Sustainable Boost
We loved these videos created by Lourdes Torres and her daughter, Bella Zietz. This mother-daughter duo went all out on top of being a partner for the challenge.
