As the sun starts to set, about 20 of us sit at a long communal table overlooking Hanalei Bay. “The intention for the evening is gratitude,” says chef Pete Ghione, culinary director at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. He reminds us that by being grateful, we can be open to receiving the island’s healing energy, nurturing food and new friendships here at the table.
The dinner is part of a new monthly series at 1 Kitchen hosted by Ghione. “Rooted in Place: A Harvest Dinner” is inspired by the seasonal ingredients grown at Waipā Foundation. Its five courses are complemented by sommelier-guided wine pairings, each selected to enhance the flavors of the food. Ghione explains that the dinner is an opportunity to slow down and connect with the island, the people growing the food and the friends sitting together.
READ MORE: 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay Redefines Sustainable Luxury
Ghione arrived at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay as its culinary director in late March. Not long after, he took a tour of Waipā Foundation.
Photo: Courtesy of 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay/Coral Photography
The foundation stewards Waipā, an ahupuaʻa on Kauaʻi’s North Shore just a short drive from the resort. Waipā Foundation is a living learning center, focusing on traditional Hawaiian farming practices and traditions. It also hosts a weekly farmers market as well as seasonal festivals.
The resort was already recommending that guests take tours of the farm, but Ghione thought, why not share the experience right at the resort?
The chef is an industry veteran with a background in overseeing high-volume kitchens and restaurants, including famous casinos and country clubs across the U.S. In 2009, while running the restaurant at a country club in Nevada, the owners encouraged him to incorporate organic ingredients. This led Ghione to explore organic cooking and evaluate the nutritional value of dishes on his menus.
On this path, Ghione became a private chef, researching and learning more about how the food we consume affects overall health. And before arriving on Kauaʻi, Ghione spent 11 years at wellness resort Canyon Ranch Lenox in Massachusetts, where he focused on culinary innovation and nutrition.
Photo: Grace Maeda
Now as culinary director at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Ghione is using what he’s learned to expand the luxury resort’s approach to wellness to all of its dining outlets.
“Wellness is understanding what nutritional needs are,” says Ghione. This includes an understanding of what needs to be consumed before activity, during recovery and for rest, he says.
The chef also sees a connection between locally grown food and the health of a community. He says that food harvested when it’s ripe not only tastes better, it can be more nutritious, too.
Kauaʻi is home to many local farms and producers. Along with Waipā, Ghione works with vendors like Kauaʻi Juice Co. for ultrafresh coconut milk, and the chef even became a certified beekeeper to help maintain the hives on the resort. The honey from those hives is used at the resort’s restaurants.
“You hear about Hawaiʻi being paradise, but it really is magical,” Ghione says. “That’s something I want to capture at the events.”
Photo: Grace Maeda
The intimate dinner is served family-style, with salad bowls filled with shaved green papaya, hōʻiʻo fern and toasted macadamia nuts, alongside plates of chili-garlic eggplant, braised pork and seared ʻono. From whipped kalo and ʻulu mash to truffled sautéed palula (leaves of sweet potato plants), Ghione infuses local ingredients and classic dishes with creativity while maintaining the spirit and flavor of each plate.
The next dinners are scheduled for Oct. 21 and Nov. 18. Tickets are $250 per person, with a portion of ticket sales going to support Waipā Foundation. To learn more, visit the resort’s website.
What to Know Traveling to Kauaʻi After Hurricane Lowell:
Following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Lowell, which brought damaging winds, heavy rainfall and widespread power outages to Kauaʻi, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay launched a Kauaʻi Community Relief Fund package. Guests who book under this initiative will receive up to 30% off, and the resort donates $25 per stay to the Kauaʻi Strong Fund through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation to support disaster relief, recovery and long-term resilience.
