The diverse and complex culinary narrative of the nation’s 50th state continues to make moves across the mainland, as Hawaii-inspired fare brings a welcome breath of aloha spirit to menus. Indeed, the wide range of ingredients and signatures from islands all across the Pacific Rim provide a breadth of opportunity for inventive but approachable dishes that foster an important cultural connection.

To help raise the profile of Hawaii-inspired cuisine, driving awareness and elevating menu adoption across foodservice segments, King’s Hawaiian has created the Ohana Council, with an inaugural class composed of nine leaders who demonstrate a passion and commitment to delivering flavor-forward menus that reflect innovation and culinary excellence.

“I am completely in love with Hawaiian cuisine and it’s very nostalgic for me, having visited the islands since I was a child,” says Chris Evangelides, Director of Culinary for Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants, a member of the new Ohana Council. “King’s Hawaiian has given me the opportunity to blend what I am passionate about in my personal life and in my professional career. I couldn’t be more proud, appreciative and excited for the opportunity.”

Passionate about educating consumers on unfamiliar flavors, Farley Kaiser, Senior Director of Culinary Innovation for McLane Fresh, looks forward “to being a part of a community that celebrates the spirit of aloha, encourages creativity and innovation and works together to bring the flavors of Hawaii to a wider audience.”

Ward Elwood, Vice President of Brand Strategy and Innovation for The Honey Baked Ham Company, is eager to explore inventive menu applications. “My hope is that by gaining a better understanding of the true flavors of Hawaii, we can evolve beyond ‘ham and pineapple’ to some creations that really speak to the culinary traditions of the region,” he says.

Aloha Aspirations

Hawaii-inspired cuisine ranked among Flavor & The Menu’s Top 10 Trends for 2024 and is considered at the menu proliferation stage, with novel interpretations showing up not only in fine-dining establishments, but a variety of chain concepts that range from sandwich shops to steakhouses and casual/family dining brands.

While pineapple still dominates as a signature ingredient of Hawaii-inspired fare, other ingredients associated with Pacific Rim cuisines are on the rise over the last four years, according to 2023 research from Datassential. This includes dragon fruit (up 113 percent), jackfruit (up 34 percent) and taro (up 8 percent). Even SPAM is up 49 percent!

Michael Jewell, Chief of Product Development & Culinary Innovation for Inspire Brands, sees poke, ube and Portuguese bread as three leading cuisine signatures that are gaining mainland traction. Farley Kaiser adds loco moco, haupia pie, SPAM musubi and Kalua pork to the list. “These dishes showcase a blend of sweet and savory profiles, bold flavors and exotic ingredients that appeal to a wide range of palates,” she says.

Ward Elwood agrees. “Even a year or two ago, who would have imagined a Dragon Fruit Freeze at Taco Bell? Even the Northeast ice cream chain Carvel is playing with taro and dragon fruit flavors,” he says, adding that he expects menu developers to continue innovating around items with a familiarity baseline among consumers. He cites saimin as an example, “which is a Hawaiian noodle soup that echoes ramen.” Elwood also points to manapua (a Hawaiian take on bao) as well as Kalua pork, building on rising interest in more nuanced and sophisticated barbecue flavors.

Hawaiian and Pacific Rim cuisine checks several boxes of consumer interest and operator priority. For consumers, these include “fresh everything,” new flavors and ingredient pairings and colorful, social media-standout items. Operators can lean into opportunities to deliver healthier items, stay innovative and relevant, and work across dayparts.

Menu Inspiration

This sushi slider trio features three different seafood proteins and flavor profiles, but all three are served on King’s Hawaiian^® Original Slider Buns.

• Angry Tuna (a mix of sushi-grade tuna, soy sauce, sesame seeds and Sriracha mayonnaise) is garnished with a tempura crunch (tempura mix boosted with King’s Hawaiian breadcrumbs and togarashi), plus sweet soy sauce, Sriracha, lettuce, cucumber and fried garlic chips.
• Seared Salmon gets a flavor boost from ginger-scallion cream cheese, togarashi-seasoned fried onions and mango slices.
• California Rock N’ Roll features a luscious California crab surimi mix with wasabi mayo, lettuce and slices of bacon, tomato and avocado.

A Call to Collaborate

In June 2024, King’s Hawaiian hosted an inaugural weeklong meeting of the Ohana Council in Hilo, Hawaii, immersing participants in company history, cultural activities and Pacific Rim cuisine. In October, the Ohana Council will build on the June gathering with a “Marriage of Cuisine” event that will further explore flavor combinations discovered during the Hawaii immersion trip to create new menu items.

Members of the Ohana Council are eager to work together and with King’s Hawaiian on this initiative. Not only does the company serve up a legacy brand, known and respected across the globe, “King’s Hawaiian is an amazing culinary partner,” attests Elwood. “Their team works with you to figure out how their products can fit with your brand, applying the expertise to bring the islands to life in ways that are truly authentic.”

King’s Hawaiian Inaugural Ohana Council

The nine foodservice leaders in the Ohana Council’s inaugural class demonstrate a passion and commitment to delivering flavor-forward menus that reflect innovation and culinary excellence.

• Ward Elwood
  Vice President of Brand Strategy and Innovation
  The Honey Baked Ham Company

• Chris Evangelides
  Director of Culinary
  Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants
• Hagop Giragossian
  Partner
  Dog Haus (not pictured)
• Michael Jewell
  Chief of Product Development & Culinary Innovation
  Inspire Brands
• Farley Kaiser
  Senior Director of Culinary Innovation
  McLane Fresh
• Andrew Kintigh
  Corporate Chef
  Casey’s
• Ben Lucky
  Vice President of Foodservice
  Cal’s Convenience
• Kris Solt
  Associate Director
  Dining Services, Rutgers University
• David Stadtmiller
  Senior Director Global F&B Development
  TGI Fridays

To learn more about Hawaii-inspired flavors, please visit kingshawaiianfoodservice.com and watch for our upcoming Hawaii-inspired look book coming soon!