Executive Chef Tylun Pang of The Fairmont Kea Lani and Ko Restaurant won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 ‘Aipono Dining Awards. Ko restaurant was also honored with the Gold award for Best Hawaii Regional Cuisine and the Silver award for Best Healthy Choices.
To celebrate the honors, Ko is offering a special Kama’aina deal for its Pang’s Pupu Party Special; if you are a Maui resident, you can receive one free appetizer with the purchase of any Ko pupu. The special includes all of Chef Pang’s appetizers including the famed Oishi Sushi, the crispy calamari and the Filipino Lumpia. Pang’s Pupu Party will be available all day, every day until the first day of summer (June 21, 2014). The award-winning restaurant’s existing Kama’aina special–buy one entrée, get the second one free and 25 percent off alcohol in Ko’s bar–remains available.
Pang has had an extraordinary impact on Maui’s culinary industry and local community during his 17 years as Executive Chef at The Fairmont Kea Lani, according to a statement issued by the resort. His commitment to Maui purveyors earned him Maui County Farm Bureau’s 2012 Friend of Agriculture ‘Aipono Award and has resulted in nearly 90 percent of the luxury resort’s produce being locally sourced.
“To say the Lifetime Achievement Award is well-deserved is a tremendous understatement,” said Christof Luedi, Regional Vice President of Fairmont Hawaii. “Tylun’s tireless commitment to Maui’s community is both commendable and inspiring. Fairmont is honored to have a leader of his caliber.”
Since 2012, the Ko restaurant has earned four Gold and three Silver ‘Aipono Awards, including the Restaurant of the Year award in 2013. Ko, which translates to “sugarcane” in Hawaiian, showcases the diverse culinary history of the sugarcane plantation era, serving innovative Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese dishes, many of which are family recipes that have been passed down for generations. Ko’s Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu includes appetizers, entrees and desserts for vegan, raw, gluten-free and heart-healthy diners, contributing to its silver award for Best Healthy Choices on Maui.
Pang also serves as a member of the Maui Culinary Academy’s advisory board. To support the culinary education program, Pang donates all of the royalties of his award winning cookbook, What Maui Likes to Eat, to the academy. In related news, the Fairmont Kea Lani continues to host the academy’s largest fundraiser, Noble Chef, each fall.
Pang is known to spend his personal time at community fundraisers and is closely involved with Baldwin High School’s athletic programs, Project Graduation, the Kauai Rotary Club’s Taste of Hawaii benefit each year.
Photo of Tylun Pang courtesy Ko Restaurant
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