Yamaguchi, Okimoto highlight ‘Grow Hawaii’

Photo by Craig T. Kojima / ckojima@staradvertiser.com

Chef Roy Yamaguchi, left, teaches basic cooking techniques to students during Monday’s “Grow Hawaii Challenge” at the Sheraton Waikiki.

BY JOLEEN OSHIRO / joshiro@staradvertiser.com

Oahu students from 12 private schools and one charter school made pizzas alongside Roy Yamaguchi and ’Nalo Farms’ Dean Okimoto Monday at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

The youth, their teachers, school cafeteria managers and school administrators were there to participate in the “Grow Hawaii Challenge,” a daylong conference introducing a project that ties students and schools to growing food and promoting sustainability.

Okimoto encouraged the student teams to smell the fresh herbs he provided as they perused the ingredients — fresh tomatoes, herbs, cheese and dough — set in the center of tables. Okimoto noted that store-bought pizzas rarely include such fresh ingredients.

“The flavors of fresh and local ingredients taste better, and they’re more nutritious — they’re good for you,” he said.

Shin Ho of Ho Farms shared what it takes to grow the fresh tomatoes she brought for the pizzas, and Yamaguchi emphasized that the most important part of pizza-making wasn’t the pizza itself, but the teamwork that went into the effort.

“It’s good to know what you’re eating,” said Kyung Mi Lee, a sixth grader at Iolani School, as she and her teammates devoured the smiley-face pizza that they sliced up immediately after it returned from the oven.

“It tastes better when you cook it yourself — everything does,” said Eliah Takushi, as classmate Kyung Mi nodded vigorously in agreement.

Their teammates from Kamaile Academy, a Waianae charter school, said they learned about everything from teamwork to stretching dough.

“I will definitely try this at home,” said seventh grader Noah Xenos of Kamaile.

WHILE THE STUDENTS were busy rolling pizza dough, the adults discussed how to sustain school garden programs, how to implement “farm-to-school cafeteria” models and the applicability of school gardens to project-based learning.

Next up was an Iron Chef-style competition that brought out the stars of Hawaii’s culinary world. James Beard nominee Colin Hazama, Kai Market’s Darren Demaya and Jon Matsubara of the Royal Hawaiian were among the lineup of chefs who led teams of students in the competition.

The youth stood alongside their chef leaders as they presented culinary creations to judge/chefs Alan Wong, Ed Kenney, Leslie Ashburn and Yamaguchi. The secret ingredient: kabocha pumpkin.

The day ended with a lunch menu prepared by Ryan Loo, formerly executive chef of Twist at Hanohano, which closed last month.

Guests enjoyed an appetizer of herb-roasted Hamakua mushroom and pumpkin carpaccio, with pipikaula and Maui onion vinaigrette, kula watercress and citrus pumpkin croutons; entree of soy-sake braised beef shortrib and kaffir lime scented Kauai shrimp and truffle pumpkin gnocchi with pomegranate pumpkin relish; and dessert of Lehua honey-roasted apple and spiced pumpkin cheesecake, served alongside peppered pumpkin seed brittle and pumpkin ginger caramel.