In the wake of more than 200 restaurant closures due to the Covid pandemic, Hawaii’s vibrant restaurant scene is undergoing a shift, placing more emphasis on sustainability and locally sourced food. Embracing the Hawaiian concept of pono, or doing what is right, establishments are pioneering initiatives to support local farmers, fishermen, and producers, while also reducing their carbon footprint. This trend not only helps the environment, but also enhances the culinary experience for both residents and tourists by introducing people to Hawaii’s unique cuisine, a blend of flavors from the Pacific islands, Asia and California.

The founder and chef of 30 Roy’s restaurants across the U.S. and Guam, Roy Yamaguchi is often credited with starting the movement to focus on local Hawaiian ingredients and flavors. The 1993 James Beard Award recipient was born and raised in Tokyo, but moved to Hawaii to open his first Roy’s restaurant in 1988. “It’s really important for us to buy local. What we want to do is make Hawaii more sustainable. We started this over 30 years ago, and it has really gotten to the point where people are embracing that,” Yamaguchi said in a 2022 interview with ABC News.

Ed Kenney is a high-profile local chef who has embraced the farm-to-table concept at his successful Honolulu restaurants, which include Mud Hen Water and Mahina & Sun’s. He is also the host of the PBS special “Family Ingredients.” In an interview with Food GPS blogger Joshua Lurie, Kenney said, “What sets us apart… is aloha aina, love of the land, love of that which provides us food. It’s a universal value set – I believe – but it’s really ingrained in the Hawaiian culture, and I love that people come from all over the world, and they’re able to see what we grow here, and be attached to what we grow here.”

The local, sustainable approach has paid off for Chef Robynne Maii of Fête restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown. In 2022, she became the first female chef from Hawaii to win a James Beard Award. “Guests really appreciate [our locally-sourced ingredients],” she said in an interview with Today. “We’re telling them a story… a real story.”

Under the creative direction of Louis Coulombe and Michele and Qiana Di Bari, as well as the culinary leadership of Executive Chef Isaac Bancaco, Maui’s classic oceanfront restaurant Pacific’o on the Beach has relaunched recently with a focus on regionally-sourced farm-fresh products and traditional Hawaiian flavors. For example, Pacific’o serves fried chicken cooked the traditional Hawaiian way and accompanied by malasadas, a popular donut-like dessert that originated in Portugal. Even the restaurant’s libations include “grass to glass” concoctions derived from local ingredients.

“When we buy local, we have a personal relationship with our farmers, our fishermen, our ranchers, and the very people that put energy into every bite our guests are consuming,” said Bancaco in an exclusive interview with me. “They are in alignment with moon phases, weather, tides, wind, rain and our natural elements. Especially here in Hawaii, this equates to long-term success and true sustainability.”

“It is essential as chefs and restaurateurs to wholeheartedly understand how important our food source locally is – not to mention, we have the best growing climate and cleanest ocean on the planet,” Bancaco added. “Being a chef is what I do, not who I am. Being a viable part of our community in economics and culture is who I am and always aspire to be.”

Kitchen Door Napa in Wai Kai just opened this year in the relatively new tourist development area of Ewa Beach on Oahu. The two restaurant complex was developed by Michelin-awarded Chef Todd Humphries, Maui-born restaurateur Richard Miyashiro, and partner Tim Seberson. The dual-dining concept features Plaza Grill, a more formal restaurant and bar, and Boardwalk Café, a more casual takeout or dine-in restaurant, both with ocean and lagoon views.

“Sourcing locally whenever possible has always been my focus, as is building relationships with local vendors to have access to the best products for our guests,” said Humphries in an exclusive interview with me. “Our goal is to support local farmers and producers and continue serving the freshest ingredients in our cuisine.”