We pull into the lush Keaʻau farm early, eager for dinner. Coming from SCP Hilo Hotel about 45 minutes north, our driver anticipated hitting rush hour traffic but instead made surprisingly good time.
My partner and I are escorted to a standalone, open-air structure with farmhouse-style décor. A long dinner table is draped with gingham cloth and surrounded by folding chairs with intricate woven detailing and an eclectic assortment of pillows. Anthurium flower centerpieces, picked straight from the farm, showcase the land’s bounty before dinner even begins.
Chef Justine Ma emerges from her homestead to greet us. Following appearances on cooking shows like Food Network’s “Chopped” and Amazon Prime’s “America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation,” she created Bougie Farmer Co. to offer farm-to-table events, cooking classes, and other chef services.
This dinner marks the first in a series that chef Ma is hosting in collaboration with SCP Hilo Hotel, with the next events planned for Feb. 20 and March 19.
Photo: Ashley Probst
Tonight, we’re the first to arrive, and she offers us freshly brewed hibiscus-mint tea and suggests we take it with us on a brief side quest to the nearby lava cliffs at Makuʻu Point. The ocean views there are breathtaking.
When we return, the rest of the dinner guests have arrived: one local couple, one visiting couple also staying at the hotel, and a fellow content creator, making for a diverse mix.
Chef Ma reappears and takes us on a guided tour of her 1-acre property. All hand-planted by her, the farm is abundant with Hawaiian produce like ʻulu (breadfruit) and Hawaiian chile peppers; unique ingredients like ice cream beans and soursop; and classic crops like bananas, oranges and herbs. She also has chickens and ducks for fresh eggs.
As a gift to the group, she unearths a sprouted coconut that we split open and taste—think cotton candy texture and a nutty, marshmallow flavor profile.
When we loop back to the dinner table, our first course is waiting: an Asian-inspired Caesar salad with ʻahi sashimi served inside half a coconut. After finishing the contents of my natural bowl, I keep eating, pulling fresh coconut off the husk.
Photo: Ashley Probst
The second course consists of two light bites, including chef Ma’s signature wontons stuffed with ʻahi alongside tamago (Japanese sweet egg omelet) garnished with specialty soy sauce.
Our entrée is seared ʻahi steak over a bed of white rice and sautéed bok choy, plus a side of homemade flatbread sprinkled with Kona sea salt—and she makes a second batch upon our group’s request.
Dessert features local gelato with homemade soursop jelly and snickerdoodle cookies, plus a bonus sweet iteration of chef Ma’s wontons filled with homemade ʻulu banana bread, homegrown apple bananas, and local chocolate. As we indulge in the final course, the rain clouds above us release a gentle shower that patters against the building’s roof, creating a sweet, soothing conclusion to the evening.
As we drive back to the hotel, I recognize the synergy in this particular collaboration. SCP stands for Soul Community Planet, representing the property’s core values of wellness, kindness and sustainability. On the farm, this ethos manifests as fresh food sustainably harvested at home and from the local community, shared in a family-style format with strangers who quickly become friends.
The hotel welcomes us with warm hospitality. We pick up locally sourced refreshments from the on-site Provisions Market, make a selection from the board game library, and retreat to the king-size bed in our room that overlooks the on-property koi pond and Hilo Bay across the way. Leaning into the peaceful energy we experienced at the farm, we have a cozy night set to the rhythm of gentle rainfall.
For more information about SCP Hilo and its experiences, visit scphotel.com/hilo.
Ashley Probst is a contributor to HAWAIʻI Magazine.
