Over 1,000 pounds of Hawaiʻi-caught ʻahi. More than 20 competing chefs. And a check for over $40,000 to a cause that touches families across the islands. That's the scorecard from the Sixth Annual Kaua‘i Poke Fest — and it's a masterclass in how a hospitality property can turn a signature culinary event into real community impact.
Held June 19–20, 2026 at Kōloa Landing Resort in Poʻipū on Kauaʻi's South Shore, the nationally recognized festival welcomed more than 1,000 attendees. Every net dollar raised — more than $40,000 in all — benefited the Alzheimer's Association, Hawaiʻi Chapter, timed to Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month.
A Celebrity Chef Roster Built for Buzz
The weekend opened with the sold-out Poke Masters' Table Dinner, an exclusive multi-course experience hosted by James Beard Award-winning Chef Sam Choy — the "Godfather of Poke" himself. The lineup read like a culinary all-star team:
- Michelin-starred Chef Emeril Lagasse
- Two-time "Top Chef" finalist Chef Sheldon Simeon
- Acclaimed Las Vegas culinarian Chef Ronnie Rainwater
- 2025 Kauaʻi Poke Fest champion Mark Oyama
- Kōloa Landing Resort chefs Wendy Leanio and Ryan Alicante
Saturday's main event pitted more than 20 professional and amateur competitors against one another using over 1,000 pounds of Hawaiʻi-caught ʻahi sourced by Kauaʻi Fresh Fish. Guests grazed traditional and inventive poke creations while soaking in live Hawaiian entertainment and a poke-making demonstration led by Sam Choy and Emeril Lagasse.
Crowning the 2026 Champions
Judges scored entries on taste, presentation, and creativity, with chefs vying for more than $10,000 in prizes, the coveted Crystal Poke Bowl, and the title of 2026 Kauaʻi Poke Fest Champion. This year's winners:
- First Place: Justin Firmignac – Ali'i Momona Poke, Haleiwa Joe's (O‘ahu)
- Second Place: Franco Abero III – Hawaiian BBQ Poke Fest, Beach House (Kaua‘i)
- Third Place: Manaʻo Alu – Reel Aloha Poke & Fish Co. (Hawai‘i Island)
The festivities also featured performances by Kumu Breeze Pavau and Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana and Kaiona, plus remarks from Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami, who presented a proclamation recognizing June 19–20, 2026, as Kauaʻi Poke Fest Days.
"The success of this year's Kauaʻi Poke Fest is a reflection of the generosity and spirit of the Kauaʻi community," said Aaron Bambling, general manager of Kōloa Landing Resort. "We're grateful to the chefs, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees who made the festival possible while supporting the important work of the Alzheimer's Association, Hawaiʻi Chapter."
"We are honored to be the beneficiary of this year's Kauaʻi Poke Fest and grateful to everyone who helped make it a success," said LJ Dueñas, executive director, Alzheimer's Association. "Support from events like this helps us provide critical care, education, and resources for local families affected by Alzheimer's and other dementias."
Why It Matters
For hospitality operators, the Kaua‘i Poke Fest is a blueprint for the modern signature event — one that stacks marketing reach, culinary credibility, and cause-driven goodwill into a single weekend. Selling out a premium chef's dinner while filling a festival with 1,000+ guests shows how a resort can activate its F&B program well beyond room-service margins.
The takeaways for foodservice executives and marketing teams are practical:
- Anchor with local sourcing. Using 1,000+ pounds of Hawaiʻi-caught ʻahi via Kauaʻi Fresh Fish gives the event authenticity buyers and diners increasingly demand — and a story worth telling.
- Pair charity with a real calendar hook. Aligning proceeds with Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month sharpens the message and drives urgency, a tactic any operator can replicate around a cause that fits their community.
- Recruit star power that draws media. A roster spanning Emeril Lagasse, Sam Choy, and "Top Chef" alumni generates the coverage and ticket demand that a standard promotion can't.
- Turn competition into content. Named winners, a trophy, and a mayoral proclamation create shareable moments that keep the brand top-of-mind long after the last bowl is served.
The result is a repeatable engine: goodwill for the community, national visibility for the property, and a destination-defining moment for Kauaʻi's South Shore dining scene.
The Bottom Line
Now in its sixth year, the Kaua‘i Poke Fest proves that a well-built culinary festival can feed a cause, elevate a destination, and spotlight local sourcing all at once. For operators weighing their own event strategy, it's a compelling case study in doing well by doing good.
Planning a signature F&B event or beverage program of your own? Explore more of our coverage on culinary events and hospitality growth — then tell us in the comments: what's the most effective charity-driven event your team has run?
For more on how operators are building standout food and beverage experiences, see our look at the new economics of craft beverage programs and Woodbine Hospitality's strategic growth under new leadership.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
