One thing is for sure, when a natural disaster happens, foodservice folks are the quickest and most generous responders. I looked into that for a community service article I wrote for the Sept./Oct. 2023 issue of The National Culinary Review magazine. Amy Sins, chef/owner of Langlois in New Orleans, jumped to fill immediate needs after several hurricanes in 2020 and 2021. She founded the nonprofit Fill the Needs in which she phone coordinates foodservice help in disaster areas immediately after the tragic events. Her most poignant statement about chef involvement was, “We make confident, split-second decisions in the moment. We know how to live in chaos. It's what we do every day.”
So here I am in Hawaii nearly two months after the tragic and unimaginable Maui Lahaina fire, and I am amazed to see how the foodservice industry has jumped in—and not just Maui operators.
- Every Sunday through Oct. 1, the Signia by Hilton in San Jose offered a Hawaiian-themed brunch menu in one of its restaurants with proceeds going to a charity to support industry members displaced by the fire.
- Also in San Jose, Tony & Alba’s Pizza & Pasta donated $15 for each small Hawaiian pizza purchased through Sept. 10.
- Virtual concept Dog Haus quickly came up with a trio of Hawaiian-themed menu items in which $1 from each purchase was donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund through September.
That one is worth some comment. Whoever at Hog Daus came up with the items knows something about Hawaiian words, flavors and ingredients. The first 2 items use most of the same ingredients, which in my opinion is perfectly acceptable for quickly developed LTOs. The items were:
- Ohana Chicken Sando (Ohana is Hawaiian for family): Fried chicken tender topped with chile crisp, spicy mayonnaise, teriyaki aioli, slaw and pepper on a King’s Hawaiian bun.
- Mighty Moa Wings (Moa is Hawaiian for chicken): Chicken wings tossed in teriyaki aioli and topped with spicy mayonnaise, chile crisp and scallions.
- Aloha Spirit (A total play on the iconic Hawaiian phrase. The Aloah Spirit is a real thing and point of pride to Hawaiians): Rum, Aperol, orange Curacao, lime and pineapple.
The needs in Lahaina are as desperate as the day of the fire. It is still making news. For operators who want to participate in the need, beverages might be the quickest and super seasonal LTO opportunity with proceeds going to displaced residents.
September through November is when the highest number of non-alcoholic beverage LTOs run. Think pumpkin, spice, lattes and shakes. To get your Hawaiian beverages on, look at some fall LTOs from the Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii chain:
- Island Pumpkin Pie Latte: Coffee and dairy with flavors of macadamia nut and pumpkin pie topped with cinnamon, available hot or iced
- Iced Pumpkin Lava Latte: Island Pumpkin Pie Latte topped with pumpkin cold foam and cinnamon
- Caramel Apple Mana: A sour apple energy drink with a caramel swirl, available iced or whipped with ice. In Hawaii, mana is a sacred term referring to spiritual energy of power and strength.
Whip up a few beverage ideas of your own with a Hawaiian twist by incorporating Hawaiian words and judicious use of appropriate syrups and flavored cream. Where coffee is included, use Kona or Kauai coffee. Think about these 3 ideas:
- Kona (or Kauai) Caramel Chai using Kona (or Kauai) coffee, chai tea concentrate, caramel syrup, steamed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Hawaiian Harvest Smoothie utilizing frozen pineapple and mango chunks along with spinach, Greek or coconut yogurt and honey or agave nectar.
- Paradise Pecan Punch with pineapple juice, coconut milk (or cream), pecan syrup and a pinch of ground clove and cinnamon.
You can add a touch of Hawaii to any menu section. First, make sure your ingredients authentically support the island theme. Then call upon such Hawaiian words as hula (there’s a restaurant in Kauai that famously serves Hula Pie, which is an ice cream pie); kai (it means sea); ono (it’s the common word in Hawaii to describe something as delicious—and not to be confused with ono fish); lanai (a porch or veranda); hale (the Hawaiian word for house or home)
Then do good and promote it. Give a percentage of proceeds to Maui relief efforts. Consumers want to get behind what matters. Maui still matters.
Tell me what you think.
Jody Shee
