Resort steps up game w/ new chef – Kauai as next foodie destination

Aqua Kauai Beach Resort Names Rodman Machado as Executive Chef

Resort steps up game w/ new chef – Kauai as next foodie destinationAqua-Aston Hospitality announces the appointment of Chef Rodman Machado as Executive Chef at Aqua Kauai Beach Resort in Hawaii. A graduate of Western Culinary Institute with more than twenty years’ experience, Machado specializes in gourmet cuisine made with local and organic products that promote wellness and sustainable eating.

At the resort’s upscale restaurant, Naupaka Terrace, Machado’s new dinner menu articulates a “farm to fork” approach including fresh ingredients from the farms of Kauai. The menu highlights the freshest, locally-grown products and changes every week depending upon what is in season.

With Machado now at the helm, Naupaka Terrace will offer a program of innovative pairing dinners that partner carefully selected wines or locally produced craft beers with complementary dishes, and seasonal menus that showcase lesser known foods of Hawaii, like breadfruit, in a variety of preparations. The regular menu will highlight a variety of dishes, such as Hawaiian-style ahi poke, Kaneshiro Farms pork country pate and Makanalani lamb burgers with caramelized mushrooms and onions, incorporating organic vegetables and produce from 12 different farms on the island. The menu also includes just-caught seafood from the islands of Hawaii, including the catch of the day crusted in macadamia nuts or spiced with tangy miso vinaigrette.

“Working with the various farmers, many of which are personal friends of mine, is a wonderful way to benefit Kauai’s environment and island businesses,” said Machado. “I’m proud to use locally grown ingredients to provide a unique dining experience to our guests, and give them a true ‘taste of place’ that is Kauai.”

Prior to joining Aqua Kauai Beach Resort, Machado most recently served as Executive Chef at the Discovery Land Company in Scottsdale, Arizona; before that, Machado was the Executive Chef at The Garden Café at Common Ground Kauai, where he created a “field to table” culinary approach.  Machado is also known for playing a significant role in the opening of David Paul’s Diamond Head Grill, recognized with HALE ‘AINA awards for “Best New Restaurant” and “Best Wine List.”

Managed by Aqua-Aston Hospitality, the full-service Aqua Kauai Beach Resort is nestled on 25 oceanfront acres of Kauai’s eastern shore in Lihue. Conveniently located a short drive from the airport, the Aqua Kauai Beach Resort provides access for guests to explore all that Kauai has to offer from a central location. While relaxing at the resort, guests can take advantage of the on-site spa, meander Kauai’s longest stretch of walkable beach, learn how to snorkel or scuba dive with free lessons in the pool, and take part in an impressive selection of on-site cultural activities like poolside lei-making classes, hula dancing lessons, and a daily Sunrise Ceremony on the beach, not to mention family friendly koi fish feeding activities.

About Aqua-Aston Hospitality
From full-service resorts and stylish hotels to condominium resorts and comfortable budget properties in Hawaii and the continental United States, Honolulu-based Aqua-Aston Hospitality manages 50 properties across five distinct brands designed to suit any lifestyle, taste or budget – Aston Hotels & Resorts, Instinct Hotel Collection, Aqua Hotels & Resorts, Lite Hotels and Maui Condo and Home. For more information, visit Aqua-Aston.com or call (855) 945-4092. Aqua-Aston Hospitality is an operating business of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of non-traditional lodging, encompassing a portfolio of leisure businesses from vacation exchange and rental to vacation ownership.