Private Party Catering on Maui: Elevating Events with Exquisite Cuisine

Private Party Catering on Maui: Elevating Events with Exquisite Cuisine

Are you planning a private party on the enchanting island of Maui? Look no further than our private-party catering services! At Smoke and Spice, we specialize in turning ordinary events into extraordinary experiences with our delectable cuisine and impeccable service.

 

Why Choose Private Party Catering?

 

Hosting a private party is a special occasion that deserves the finest attention to detail. Whether you're celebrating a milestone birthday, anniversary, or corporate gathering, our private party catering services are tailored to exceed your expectations. We understand that every event is unique, which is why we offer customizable menus crafted to suit your preferences and dietary requirements.

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The Ultimate Maui Experience

 

Maui is renowned for its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, making it the perfect backdrop for any celebration. Our team of experienced chefs combines locally sourced ingredients with global culinary techniques to create dishes that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. From fresh seafood caught off the shores of Maui to tropical fruits bursting with flavor, every bite will transport your taste buds to paradise. Here’s how to host a dinner party with a private chef on Maui.

 

Crafting Memorable Menus

 

At Smoke and Spice, we believe that great food is at the heart of every memorable event. Whether you're craving traditional Hawaiian cuisine or international flavors, our diverse menu options are sure to impress even the most discerning palates. From mouthwatering appetizers to decadent desserts, we'll work with you to create a culinary experience that reflects your style and preferences.

 

Seamless Service

 

Planning a private party can be stressful, but with our dedicated team by your side, you can relax and enjoy every moment of your event. From the initial consultation to the final cleanup, we handle every aspect of the catering process with professionalism and efficiency. Our attentive staff will ensure that every guest receives the VIP treatment they deserve, leaving you free to mingle and make memories with your loved ones.

 

Creating Lasting Impressions

 

At Smoke and Spice, we understand the importance of making a lasting impression on your guests. Whether you're hosting an intimate dinner party or a grand soirée, our goal is to exceed your expectations and leave a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. With our impeccable attention to detail and commitment to excellence, we guarantee that your private party on Maui will be an event to remember. Here are relevant tips on how to find a private chef on Maui.

 

Customized Experiences

 

At Smoke and Spice, we understand that every private party is unique, which is why we offer customizable experiences tailored to your specific needs. Whether you're dreaming of a romantic beachfront dinner under the stars, or a lively luau complete with traditional hula dancers, we'll work closely with you to bring your vision to life. Our team is dedicated to creating unforgettable moments that you and your guests will cherish for years to come. If you’re interested in drop-off catering, here’s how it works on Maui.

 

Unparalleled Expertise

 

With years of experience in the hospitality industry and a passion for culinary excellence, our team at Smoke and Spice is committed to delivering unparalleled expertise and professionalism. From intimate gatherings to large-scale events, we have the knowledge and resources to execute flawless private party catering on Maui. Trust us to handle every detail with precision and care, so you can relax and enjoy a stress-free celebration in paradise. Read about the differences between a private chef and a personal chef.

 

Elevate Your Event with Private Party Catering on Maui

 

When it comes to hosting a private party on Maui, don't settle for anything less than the best. With our exceptional cuisine, seamless service, and attention to detail, Smoke and Spice is your premier choice for private party catering. Contact us today to start planning the event of a lifetime!

5 Key Reasons To Opt For Food Catering On Maui

5 Key Reasons To Opt For Food Catering On Maui

Food catering on Maui is one of the key aspects of organizing, planning, and hosting an event. Considering the various activities and tasks involved in event planning, the entire event may turn out to be an ordeal… However, you can make your event more fun and enjoyable by hiring the right hands for food catering services on Maui.  

One of the most significant aspects of planning for an event is the food. You’ll have to figure out the number of people you need to feed, what exactly you’d like to serve, how the food should be prepared and actually served, and how to clean up when the whole show is over. To make it easier for you to make up your mind about hiring food catering services on Maui or not, we’ve made a list of the key benefits tied to food catering services on Maui.

Reasons To Choose Food Catering on Maui

Attention to details

Once you hire a professional food catering company on Maui, they’ll take the time to perfect and present your food and beverages in a way that will thrill your guests. Food catering companies on Maui have the experience and skills to make your dream event a reality. Food catering services providers on Maui can adapt to any venue, environment, and provide the right food that will wow your guests.

Saves time

Imagine the amount of time you’ll end up saving once you exclude food planning, cooking, serving, and clean up when the event is over. You’ll end up saving a lot of time without bothering about figuring out what to cook, doing the grocery, cooking for hours, setting up and serving the food, etc. with the right catering service on Maui, you’ll be able to take a huge burden off your shoulder.  

Enjoy a versatile menu

If you’re wondering about what to serve at your event or how to prepare and present your food to your guests, a food catering company on Maui can easily get the job done. With a food catering company on Maui, your guests will enjoy a versatile menu and the food will be served by professionals.

Less stress

As we mentioned earlier, event planning requires a lot of effort and time. From food and beverages to invitations and decorations – the list of things you’ll have to do to make your guests feel comfortable and enjoy the event is almost endless. With the right food catering services on Maui, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Once you have professionals with many years of experience in food catering on Maui handling the food, you can enjoy your event with less stress.

Make a statement 

One of the most effective ways to leave a long-lasting impression on your guests is to cater to your event with professionals. Regardless of the type of event, either an anniversary, a private event like a birthday party, business gathering, celebrations, or any other event, you can easily make an effective statement that will thrill your guests.

Reasons To Hire A Chef on Maui

Reasons To Hire A Chef on Maui

Hiring a private chef on Maui offers so many remarkable perks compared to going out to dinner at a restaurant. This is most important now than ever since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

When you hire a chef on Maui, you’re not just requesting great tasty meals for you and your guests, but a lot more.   

Key reasons to hire a chef on Maui

Looking to hire a personal chef on Maui? Let’s see what’s on the menu.

If your guests are super picky!

The foodie culture is more contemporary now than ever. This means people are a lot pickier than before. That means you’ll need to hire a chef on Maui for your guests to enjoy a fully custom-tailored menu.

The chef you hire on Maui will ensure that the various ingredients your guests don’t enjoy, or don’t excite their taste buds or are allergic to, aren’t part of their menu. And as the host, you wouldn’t have to worry about what a guest is allergic to.

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Enjoy spending time with your guests

As the host, you shouldn’t make the mistake of running around trying to serve your guests foods, drinks, cleaning up or preparing foods, etc. Rather, your energy should be focused on spending time with your guests and making them feel appreciated. That’s the easiest way to be the perfect host.

Hiring a chef on Maui such as Smoke and Spice on Maui, to prepare and serve your meals means you’ll not only get the chance to wow your guests with great meals but also have all the time in the world to have fun with them. You shouldn’t be left out of all the fun just because you’re the host. When you hire a chef on Maui, you can have all the fun you want, just the way you want it.

Special occasions

Special occasions are some of the key reasons people hire a world-class chef on Maui. This means you shouldn’t leave anything to chance on that special day. Most importantly, the meals, they can make or mar the entire special occasion.

Whether that special occasion is a bachelor/bachelorette, an anniversary, a birthday party, wedding rehearsal dinners, or any other special occasion you can imagine, you should anticipate tasty foods and remarkable service all evening. This means you and your guests can celebrate your special occasion together while the chef you hire on Maui help you cater for their food and drinks. 

Your own private space together

Sometimes you just want a private space for yourself and your loved ones. This is almost impossible in a restaurant where several people are also dining. Chances are that the restaurant may end up being crowded. When you hire a chef on Maui, you can choose your own private space for that special occasion. You’ll get the chance to spend time with your loved ones and the precise number of guests you have invited. Also, the foods will be custom made to your specific needs and you can have the entire evening to yourself.

Hiring a chef on Maui is cost effective

If you take some time to do the simple math, you’ll realize that hiring a chef on Maui is actually a lot more cost effective than eating out in a restaurant. If you request customized meals for your guests in a restaurant, you’ll end up paying for several meals with various ingredients and the restaurant won’t hesitate to bill you for that. When you hire a private chef on Maui, you get as many customized meals as possible and your guests will thank you for that. The prices? A lot less than opting for a restaurant.

Why You Need Maui Personal Chef Services

Why You Need Maui Personal Chef Services

You can make every mealtime a personal, effortless, and luscious experience with the help of Maui personal chef services.

Juggling household chores and taking care of the kids is no easy feat. Even with meal prep for the entire week, doing the grocery shopping, preparing, and cooking the meals is never easy too. This will most likely drain your energy leaving you with no other option than dining out – which is more expensive than hiring a Maui personal chef’s services.  

The best part is you can either choose to hire a chef full-time or depending on your needs including family events, anniversaries, special and personal occasions, etc. Here we’ve listed five reasons why should opt for Maui personal chef services for the next event on your calendar.

What You’ll Get With Maui Personal Chef Services

1.    Convenience

With Maui's personal chef services, meal planning will be just another walk in the park. If you want, the chef can suggest the menu for all your meals for the day and you’ll only end up with healthy meals custom-made to excite your taste bud. More so, the chief will do the cooking and clean up the kitchen once they are done. This is one good reason why hiring Maui personal chef services like Smoke and Spice is a great idea.

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2.    Save money and time

With Maui personal chef services, you can easily enjoy fresh home-cooked meals right in the comfort of your home. The chef will take care of the grocery shopping too. This means you’ll have enough time to focus on other things as the meal planning, shopping for ingredients, cooking, and cleaning will be taken care of by the chef. More so, Maui personal chef services are less expensive compared to dining out. You can save a lot by hiring Maui personal chef services.

3.    Enjoy a customized menu  

With Maui personal chef services, you can plan a customized menu for everyone in your household – depending on each person’s dietary needs and preferences. Once you hire Maui personal chef services, the chef will keep a note of every member’s likes, allergies, dislikes, preferences, and so on and the meals will be tailor-made. You’ll enjoy telling the chef about your needs before-hand especially if you have specific dietary needs that are health-related.

4.    Host dinner parties anytime

No doubt, there are times when you’ll feel like hosting dinner parties. But then the thought of planning the evening, preparing and cooking the meals, serving guests, and cleaning at the end of the evening, means you’ll put away the thought quickly. With Maui personal chef services, you wouldn’t have to worry about all of that. The chef will take the burden of all the work off your shoulder and you can enjoy the entire evening with your guests despite being the host. Now you can throw a dinner party in style without bothering about any of the stress or work associated with dinner parties.

5. Lose weight and stay healthy

When you keep dining out every now and then without full knowledge of the various ingredients that go into the meals, you may add up weight faster. With Maui personal chef services, you can easily keep track of your diet. The chef will let you in on every ingredient that goes into your meals and you can easily start losing weight. In addition, you’ll keep enjoying healthy diets and stay in shape for as long as you want.

Searching For Catering Companies Near Me On Maui?

Searching For Catering Companies Near Me On Maui?

What exactly should you consider while searching for catering companies near me on Maui?

We have all the right tips you need to find the best catering companies near you on Maui. Regardless of where you’re hosting your guests and how special you make them feel, if the meals don’t match their expectations, they will most likely be disappointed. To give you a head start, we’ve explained the key things to consider while searching for catering companies near me on Maui.  

Find catering companies near me on Maui easily

Here’s how to streamline your search for catering companies near me on Maui:

Find out about costs and inclusions

It’s crucial to find out ahead of time precisely how much the catering companies on Maui you’ve shortlisted will cost you. Once you’ve created a budget, you’ll find it easier to focus on catering companies near you on Maui that suit your budget.

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For example, some catering companies near you on Maui will require that you pay for the ingredients and also pay for preparing and cooking the food. In contrast, some catering companies near you on Maui will only request an all-inclusive cost. This means the cost you’ll get will be overall, including ingredients, preparing, and cooking the food.  

Inquire about their specialty

What exactly is the specialty of the catering companies near you on Maui? For example, the catering company may specialize in one of the most popular cuisines across the world such as Italian fare. This cuisine is also a preferred option for serving a reasonable number of people.

Some cuisines such as the southern BBQ blend perfectly with outdoor events. It’s also a good and appealing fare when serving a significant number of people. Regardless of the theme of your event, it is important to consider catering companies near you on Maui who can produce food that will match your theme.

Ask for a sample menu

To get a glimpse of your potential meals before considering catering companies near you on Maui, ask for a sample menu. This will also give you an opportunity to share details of your event. The number of guests you’re expecting and the theme of the event etc.

Based on your description, the catering companies you’re considering on Maui will have a crystal-clear idea of what you expect in terms of meals. Though the sample menu may not be the precise menu you’ll get at the end of the day, it gives you an indication of what to expect.

What exactly is your role?

It’s important to agree on your specific role while considering catering companies near you on Maui. Some chefs prefer handling every facet of the job on their own. While others prefer leaving certain tasks for the host. You shouldn’t wait until the final minute to figure out your role.  

For instance, some catering companies near you on Maui prefer creating their own menu, do all the shopping and cleaning after the event. In contrast, some catering companies will leave the shopping and the cleaning to the host or a third-party. Regardless of the catering companies preferred option, choose only what’s best for you.

Online reviews

While searching for catering companies near me on Maui, don’t hesitate to read reviews. There are many places where you can read reviews about various catering companies near me on Maui. You can start by searching on the internet. You should search for the name of the catering company on Maui alongside the word review. You’ll most likely see several reviews popping up. Pay attention to the various reviews. Here are other key things to look at before choosing catering services on Maui.

Tips for Choosing A Personal Chef Near Me on Maui

Tips for Choosing A Personal Chef Near Me on Maui

How to choose the right personal chef near me on Maui is most likely the term you’ll use when searching for a personal chef on the internet. That’s a good way to start. To make the entire search even easier and to help you find the best personal chef on Maui, we created this simple and user-friendly guide when you’re searching for a personal chef near me on Maui.   

How to choose a personal chef near me on Maui

 Here are key things you’ll have to consider while using the search term; personal chef near me on Maui:

Training

Nothing should replace top-quality training on your list of criteria for a personal chef near you on Maui. Some personal chefs on Maui get their training from culinary schools and some others learn on the job (in fact some are trained in apprentice programs). Regardless of the type of training, make sure there’s verifiable evidence to prove it. This is most important if you have a particular dietary need.

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Experience

Experience is crucial in the culinary profession. Make sure whoever you hire has enough experience to handle your meals. This experience can be from a catering experience, a restaurant, corporate dining, or anywhere else. Just make sure the personal chef on Maui you choose has the professional background and experience you’re considering. This is a key thing to consider while searching for a personal chef near me on Maui.

Cuisine

is the chef an expert in just one cuisine or just a few? You don’t want to end up eating the same meals over and over again. More so, if you prefer a specific cuisine, don’t hesitate to inquire about it. You shouldn’t make the mistake of hiring a chef who can’t prepare your favorite meals. More so, since taste is the final arbiter of food quality, don’t hesitate to try their food. This can make or mar the entire hiring process.

Flexibility

Change is the only constant thing people still have to deal with every now and then. What happens if your needs change from one week to the next? Is the personal chef on Maui you’re considering flexible enough to accommodate them? Make sure you find out about all these while using the search term personal chef near me on Maui.

Who are their suppliers?

Your food is as good as the supplies you get them from. Since you’re using the search term personal chef near me on Maui, you have to make sure that whatever chef ends up on your shortlist has a good supplier who can deliver fresh farm produce. If the chef doesn’t have a good supplier, your body system will suffer for it. This is one of the key things you should never overlook.

Reviews

The rule of thumb is to never hire a personal chef on Maui without reading reviews about them. Even if you find a lot of positive reviews, pay attention to what people are commenting on. If you find negative ones too, don’t lose sight of specific comments. Weigh both the positive and negative reviews carefully before making up your mind. This will make it easier for you to find the right hands when using the search term how to find a personal chef near me on Maui. Here are other key things to consider before hiring a private chef service on Maui.

Things to Consider Before Choosing Catering Services on Maui

Things to Consider Before Choosing Catering Services on Maui

Only a few things can make or break a well thought out event like the flavor, quality, and appearance of the catering services on Maui. The food you’re offering, menu variety, presentation, and the quality of catering services on Maui you hire will help set the tone of your event.

When selecting catering services on Maui, hire one who provides impeccable food, service, and is professional enough to complement and reinforce the style and theme of your event like Smoke & Spice Private Chef. To help you get started, we’ve compiled key things to look at before hiring any caterer on Maui.

Key things to consider when choosing catering services on Maui

Never miss these tips whenever you’re looking to hire catering services on Maui:

Quality of food

The key reason you’re hiring professional catering services on Maui is the quality of the food. Hire a professional caterer on Maui that is willing to offer sample packages, and that can draw culinary inspiration from both local and foreign heritage to create customized menus for your event. At the end of the day, the quality of food and how they are served will make or mar the tone of your entire event.

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Experience

Choose professional catering services on Maui with a track record of events similar to the one you’re planning. With the right catering services, leaving a strong and lasting positive impression on your guests will be easier than you imagined. Smoke and Spice Private Chef can help you create occasions to remember and tastes to savor.

Professional catering services on Maui usually have a wide range of event experiences including kitchen teas, engagement parties, high teas, cocktail parties, children’s parties, conferences, weddings, birthday celebrations, christenings, teas, children’s parties, conferences, gala dinners, and more. Hire one with the right experience you want for your event.

Dietary requirements

Companies offering professional catering services on Maui understand that every event is unique. As a result, they are always willing and ready to offer special menu requirements like dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian menus, etc. Dietary requirements are key when preparing a menu for any special event. The caterer should be able to create delicious versions of dishes without using any ingredient that is a recognized allergen.

Budget

Budget is one of the key things to consider before hiring catering services on Maui. If you’re planning an event on a budget, don’t hesitate to tell your caterer how much you intend to spend and ask if they can suggest the best catering option for you. Lookout for catering services on Maui that is ready to offer affordable and efficient catering services tailored to your needs and based on your budget.

Efficiency and Reliability

How efficient and reliable are the catering services on Maui you’re considering? One of the most effective ways to find out is to go online to read reviews about them. You won’t find a 100% positive or negative review. But you’ll be able to tell if the reviews are tilted towards a positive or a negative tone. You shouldn’t hesitate to do away with catering services providers with an unusual number of negative reviews.

Caterers that provide efficient and reliable catering services on Maui aren’t hard to find if you know where to look. Take a look at what you’ll get with Smoke and Spice catering services on Maui.

Benefits of Hiring Private Chef Services on Maui

Benefits of Hiring Private Chef Services on Maui

Why should you consider hiring private chef services on Maui?

Whether you’re having a dinner event, a private party or you just want some delicious meals, hiring private chef services on Maui is always a worthy investment. You can easily avoid spending long hours in the kitchen and leaving your guests unattended by getting the help of private chef services on Maui.

Why private chef services on Maui is worth it

Enjoy a customized menu

A private chef on Maui will take the time to learn about your personal preferences and needs. For example, if you have a precise menu that you’ve always wanted, or even try, a private chef can make it happen. In contrast, if you’re allergic to some precise food, the private chef will make sure any of such ingredients are not part of your meals. Are you craving some local Maui cuisines made from the finest local ingredients or you’d like to try a new meal out of the blue? Regardless of what you want, you can make it happen with private chef services on Maui.

Eliminates grocery shopping

Going from one grocery to another to get ingredients isn’t always an easy task, especially on days when you’d like to take a break. Private chef services on Maui eliminates the need for grocery shopping. You can focus on other things or sit back and unwind while the private chef services on Maui you’ve hired handle all the grocery and the meals.

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In-home meal preparation

One of the core benefits of hiring private chef services on Maui is that all the meals will be prepared right in the comfort of your home and precisely how you like it. Unlike what some people assume, when you seek private chef services on Maui, the food isn’t pre-cooked and delivered to your home. Rather, all the food preparation and cooking are done in your home. In fact, you can oversee the entire meal preparation to make sure you get precisely what you expect.

Require little storage and cleanup

One of the key things to consider when planning home dinner parties or events is how to get enough space for storing the food and how to clean up at the end of the day. Thankfully, with private chef services on Maui, you can sit back and relax or even go to bed once the party is over. The private chef services on Maui you’ve hired will take care of all the food storage and dishes. Now you can start planning that dinner or birthday party you’ve always wanted in your home.

Time-saving

Sometimes, food preparation and cooking can take several hours and have you stressing out in the kitchen. Fortunately, with private chef services on Maui, you get to save time and stress as they will do all the preparation, cooking, and even heavy-lifting in the kitchen. Your only job is to enjoy the delicious meal when it served.

Make your occasions more special

If you want to make your entire occasion feel special and you want your guests to feel even more special, hire private chef services on Maui. It’s the best way to enjoy the company of your guests without making them feel unattended.

6 Reasons To Hire A Personal Chef on Maui

6 Reasons To Hire A Personal Chef on Maui

Have you ever thought about taking a break from cooking or dining out and then hire a personal chef on Maui? There are tons of great reasons why hiring a personal chef on Maui is such a perfect idea. If you’re yet to make up your mind about hiring a personal chef, we’ve listed six key things a personal chef can bring to the table.

Benefits of hiring a personal chef on Maui

1.    Quick healthy meals customized for your schedules

You can hire a personal chef on Maui to prepare meals for you anytime. All you have to do is choose your schedule. In fact, you can have a personal chef in your home weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or any time you want.

You can hire a personal chef on Maui for one week’s worth of fresh meals and store them in the fridge so you can heat and eat healthy throughout the week. More so, if you want two weeks’ worth or just a few days’ worths of food, a personal chef on Maui can get the job done. So, regardless of your busy schedules, you can hire a personal chef on Maui to prepare meals for you at your most convenient time.

2.    Saves time and money

Planning and preparing meals is time-consuming. The amount of money and time you’ll spend shopping too can easily add up to something significant. When you hire a private chef on Maui, they eliminate the stress out of the entire process.

You no longer have to bother about food shopping, meal planning, cooking, and washing dishes when you should be relaxing. Compared to dining out, a personal chef is more cost-effective. In fact, when you hire a personal chef on Maui, they can easily prepare meals for a family of four for about half the price of eating out.

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3.    Convenience

One of the key reasons to hire a personal chef on Maui is the convenience they bring to the table during meal planning. Hiring a personal chef on Maui can help you do away with the need to plan and cook healthy meals such as dinner, lunch, and breakfast.

Considering today’s busier schedules and lifestyles, it is more convenient now than ever to hire a personal chef on Maui. More so, you don’t have to bother about cleanups. When you hire a personal chef on Maui, they take care of the dishes.

4.    Introduce new dishes to your family

It’s easy for families to slide into the pattern of serving the same dishes over and over again, night after night. This may seem like a great idea at first. But as time goes on, dinner time becomes boring with a meal routine and there’s hardly anything to look forward to. Fortunately, you can hire a private chef on Maui to spice up your breakfast, lunch, or dinner time.

A professional chef has so many recipes up their sleeves and they can introduce various cuisines to your family. You’ll get the chance to enjoy as many meals as possible right in the comfort of your home and every dinner time will be an amazing moment to look forward to with suspense.

5.    Perfectly customized meal planning

When you hire a personal chef on Maui, they can help you create a perfectly customized meal planning option that fits perfectly into your precise needs and schedules. For example, a personal chef on Maui will take the time to learn about your food preferences and then customize each meal to match everyone’s taste.

6.    Handpicked quality ingredients

It’s hard to tell the quality of the ingredient in your meals when you’re dining out. When you hire a personal chef on Maui, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your meals with the assurance that all the ingredients are top-quality, fresh, and handpicked just for you.

Cutting Wood

Cutting Wood

The most essential thing about BBQ is cooking with wood. Without it you are just roasting in an oven and it isn't the same thing.   

Traditionally the wood used for BBQ should be what is most abundant on your region, lends good flavor to the meat and doesn't poison you.  The last point being very important!

Where I grew up in Central Texas,  the majority of the BBQ is cooked with Post Oak. People can get pretty snobbish about what type of wood to use, especially in Texas, where many claim that Post Oak  is the best hands down due to its mild flavor.   But people also use Hickory and Mesquite.  I even read about a BBQ joint in NYC (of course NYC!), that had cords of post oak delivered by train to their restaurant.  How ridiculous is that!!! There is nothing magical about Post Oak, it just happens to be cheap and plentiful in the central Texas area and always has been.  

Luckily when I moved to Maui in 2004, I noticed right away a tree that dotted the leeward side of the island looked very similar to Mesquite, right down to the thorns and beans. Turns out that Mesquite and Kiawe  are genetically kissing cousins. Kiawe is an introduced species to Hawaii that thrives in low water conditions and sandy soil.  In its native land of Peru it is also used as a cooking and heating fuel.  If you've ever had one of its thorns shoot into your foot on the way to the beach you probably hate it, but I've developed a soft spot for it.  It's extremely resilient, and can grow up be 100 plus years old. When they are larger and well maintained they also make very nice shade trees.  That being said, they are invasive to Hawaii and are usually treated as scrub. Well luckily we've found a good use for it. 

Due to its abundant nature on Maui at my current output  level, when they clear a lot here or trim around power lines I can go out and chainsaw logs and split the wood for free.  How affordable is that?  

Cooking with wood that is too green won't work as the logs have too much moisture in it. That makes it both difficult to light and also hard to split when it's fresh cut. Ideally I like my wood to be dried in the Kihei sun for about 6 months, or for as long as a year,  but it can be ready in as little as 3 months if its hot, sunny and dry outside.

 

In the end it's a lot of work but I do enjoy it, as I feel like I put my hands into the entire process of cooking.  I think it's an extra step that makes what I do better, and that's something to be proud of. In the end good Brisket is nothing more than being seasoned with salt and pepper and them slowly cooked at a low and steady temperature.  It's starts with the wood and ends with dinner. Enjoy next time you eat with me! 

This is one of my favorite Kiawe trees that I pass every day. I love the way it has one long branch that is like an arm.  

This is one of my favorite Kiawe trees that I pass every day. I love the way it has one long branch that is like an arm.  

The wood  

Tools of the trade. A chainsaw, a maul and a splitting axe.   

Tools of the trade. A chainsaw, a maul and a splitting axe.   

The payoff  

After 12-14 hours of cooking you get to take your picture with a brisket 😀 

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Taco

Taco

While down exploring the Baja Peninsula, just a long chip shot from our beautiful island home of Maui, I found some incredible roadside tortillas. Made fresh daily by the masaria and fried up fresh to order. Time to head back to the kitchen and keep refining my techinque! 

Making Tarte Tatin

Making Tarte Tatin

A fun little video showing me making a Tarte Tatin for an anniversary dinner in Kapalua.

The drive from Kihei along past Maalaea Harbor and around the Pali always makes me love living in Maui all over again. Yesterday, the skies were blue, the whales were jumping and I was on my way to make a family's evening better with a romantic catered dinner during the Maui sunset.