{"id":224218,"date":"2025-10-24T12:57:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T22:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=224218"},"modified":"2025-10-24T13:15:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T23:15:43","slug":"a-taste-of-hilo-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/24\/a-taste-of-hilo-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"‘A Taste of Hilo’ celebrates local flavors, supports Hawai\u02bbi CC<\/abbr> students"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\"SmilingHawai\u02bbi<\/span> Community College is once again a beneficiary of the annual \u201cA Taste of Hilo,\u201d which brought together food lovers, chefs and community partners on October 19, at Sangha Hall.<\/p>\n

The day of culinary creativity and aloha, hosted by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> (JCCIH<\/abbr>), drew more than 400 attendees in support of Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> and the local food and beverage industry.<\/p>\n

Fuji Experience<\/h2>\n
\"Plated
Nduja, a Spanish pork spread, on focaccia bread, from Chef Keoni Regidor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year’s festivities opened with the Fuji Experience, an intimate showcase led by Chef Keoni Regidor of Napua and Lehua Restaurant. Regidor earned his butchery certification in October from Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>‘s K\u014d Education Center.<\/p>\n

Guests enjoyed a curated menu highlighting locally raised pork from Kaunamano Farm in Honoka\u02bba<\/span>. The experience set the tone for an afternoon of culinary excellence rooted in Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> Island’s people and places.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people sit down to enjoy a meal that’s rooted in this island, they’re not just tasting food\u2014they’re tasting Hawai\u02bbi<\/span>,\u201d said Brandon Lee, co-owner of Lehua and Napua restaurants and Kaunamano Farms.<\/p>\n

Main event<\/h2>\n
\"Chef
Chef Keoni Regidor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following the showcase, the main event transformed Sangha Hall into a bustling tasting venue featuring more than 20 chefs, restaurants and beverage makers. From Caf\u00e9 Pesto and Short n Sweet to Island Sake Brewery and Volcano Winery, each participant shared unique bites and beverages celebrating Hawai\u02bbi<\/span>‘s diverse food culture.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018A Taste of Hilo\u2019 is more than a tasting event\u2014it’s a gathering that reflects who we are as a community and the aloha that connects us,\u201d said Jan Abundo, co-chair of the event.<\/p>\n

Silent auction<\/h2>\n

JCCIH<\/abbr> also hosted an online silent auction, featuring restaurant packages, adventure tours, hotel stays and handcrafted gifts from across Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> Island.<\/p>\n

Learn more at www.tasteofhilo.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”3″ css=”” grid_id=”vc_gid:1761347639359-ca9f1b55-b6b2-1″ include=”224247,224246,224245,224244,224243,224242,224241,224228,224227,224226,224225,224224″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hilo chefs and community partners serve up locally produced foods with flair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":224225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[184,61,1666,71],"class_list":["post-224218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-culinary","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-ko-education-center","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t