MAUI CHEF EMBARKS ON CULINARY BATTLE
Maui Chef Alvin Savella will be competing in an episode of the “Beat Bobby Flay” series Thursday against Jamaican chef Patrick Simpson on the Food Network channel.
The episode, “Making Headlines,” will premiere at 7 p.m. in Hawaii. In addition to Savella’s battle of the islanders, the “Today” show’s Dylan Dreyer teams up with “Chopped” judge Scott Conant to try and take down Flay.
Savella started as chef de cuisine at Humuhumunukunukuapua’a at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, last December.
Recently named the 2018 Maui Chef of the Year by Maui Magazine, Savella is popularly known as the “Kitchen Assassin” on Instagram, and for using tweezers as one of his favorite tools.
Born and raised on Maui, Savella learned to cook at a young age with his family. He developed a style of preparing standard dishes in innovative ways and making Hawaiian foods rooted in childhood memories.
After graduating from The Art Institute of California, Los Angeles, he worked in the kitchens of Bon Appetit, Paramount Studios and the Riviera Country Club. Next came 10 years at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey in Southern California.
Most recently Savella served as chef for The Banyan Tree at Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and chef de cuisine of Pulehu, An Italian Grill at the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas. Savella is also a brand ambassador for TrueCooks, a product line offering chefs’ kitchenware and clothing.
BUY OLIVE OIL, SUPPORT HAWAII STUDENT CHEFS
Watch burgeoning talent in action at Island Olive Oil Co.’s Ward Centre store on Saturday during a friendly contest among members of the Kapiolani Community College culinary competition team — and as a bonus, meet a celebrity chef.
The students, who are slated to travel to Orlando, Fla., in August for a national competition, will demonstrate their culinary skill by whipping up dishes using items from the store, and visitors will get a taste of their creations. On the menu: almond butter profiteroles with cherry ice cream, blackberry vinegar-braised pork spareribs, Korean spice-rubbed pastrami, sage duxelle-stuffed chicken and macadamia nut oil-poached tomato bruschetta. Visitors can cast a vote for their favorites alongside Hawaii Chef Alan Wong.
The point of all the fun, besides allowing the students to practice their craft, is to raise funds for their competition trip. So the store, a sponsor of the team, will donate a portion of profits from the day.
The purchase of a 60-milliliter bottle of olive oil or balsamic vinegar, for instance, will garner a $1 donation to the team. Purchases of larger bottles will mean larger donations.
The event runs noon to 2 p.m. Call the store at 388-8912.
