Well Served!

THE PARTY With the theme of this year’s edition for this landmark Maui festival dubbed Lucky Live Hawai‘i, there could have been no better setting for one of the islands’ top culinary events than the beachfront at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Sponsored in part by Modern Luxury Hawai‘i, this year’s Grand Tasting brought together leading Maui chefs and top winemakers for one specatcular feast! THE HIGHLIGHTS Obviously, the amazing small dishes and massive wine selections were the stars of the evening. (Understandably, guests had to learn how to balance plates and wine glasses!) And to satisfy Maui residents’ appetite for good music, there was a spectacular live show starring rock violinist Aaron Meyer and island musician Henry Kapono. THE PLAYERS Master sommelier and veteran restauranter Michael Jordan; chefs Peter Merriman, Jojo Vasquez, Kaipo Nakata, Tadashi Yoshino, Alex Stanislaw and Isaac Bancaco; some of the country’s leading wine makers, including Heidi Barrett, Bob Cabral and TJ Evans; and notable attendees, including Maui Jim CEO Walter Hester and tennis player Aggie Bek. Photos by Jason Moore