Everyone always asks me, "How did you get into farming?" Well, let me explain. I was cooking around the world, working 100-hour weeks, creating menus, and running high-volume restaurants until I burned out. I figured, what's next for me? The answer was to step out of the crazy, busy kitchen life and learn how to farm my own produce. It actually made a lot of sense: combining two passions into one complete food experience.
Rooted in Purpose
Farm-to-Table
Movement
While in Maui, I created a brand for myself: Farm-to-Table. People who know me know that's become my identity. I'm passionate about serving fresh and local ingredients. By becoming a farmer, I can have more control over the quality and sustainability of the produce I use. I know exactly where the food comes from and how it's grown, which leads to better flavor and nutrition in my dishes.
Sustainability
We grow organically and implement sustainable farming practices at Hua Momona Farms to ensure quality ingredients. By farming, I can reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting food from faraway places, especially when living on Maui.
Connection to the Land
Farming allows me to reconnect with nature and the origins of my food. As a chef, it's incredibly fulfilling to grow my own produce. I change my menus every two months based on what the farm yields to stay creative, keep innovating, and keep it fun.
Creative Control
When I farm my own food, I can grow unique and specialty ingredients that might not be available locally and are sometimes hard to find. This gives me a chance to experiment with different varieties and flavors that set my dishes apart.
Better Understanding
of Ingredients
I often talk about how important it is to understand the ingredients I work with.
By growing my own food, I gain a deeper understanding of how it's cultivated, harvested, and prepared, which elevates my work in the kitchen and pushes me to innovate.
Healthier, More
Flavorful Ingredients
When I grow my own food or work directly with local Maui farmers, I can ensure the highest quality and freshest ingredients for my dishes. There's a difference you can taste. The flavor is incomparable to anything shipped in, and my diners notice it. It means healthier, more conscious options, but more than that, it means food that actually tastes like something.