Food is art, but art is, well, a whole other matter. Here’s a way you can satisfy art education, art collectors, art culture and the wonderful things going on at the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center: attend their annual gala fundraiser at 5pm on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Called “Pompeii: An Evening of Muses and Myth,” you can don your best Roman gowns and garments and participate in an arts event that mixes cocktails, silent auction, a gourmet dinner by Soup to Nutz, a live auction facilitated by Kip Toner, music by the Haiku Hillbillys and dancing with a vodka luge. The live auction is always entertaining, and gorgeous paintings, jewelry and sculptures created at the Hui will be up for grabs.
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Hui youth arts education programming, which includes foundation arts workshops, free portfolio development programs, collaborations with local schools to integrate arts into the curriculum, scholarship programs for families unable to afford tuition and help in getting youth-at-risk and special-needs kids access to high-quality arts education for Maui youth.
For reservations call 572-6560 or visit the event website at artaffairmaui.com.
* * *
Here’s a chance to take a cooking class with Chef David Paul. Let one of the best chefs in Hawaii be your muse and mentor with his innovative style, love of Maui ingredients and dedication to craft. Join him for intimate lessons in his gorgeous and spacious restaurant kitchen beginning Sunday, Feb. 12, and every second and fourth Sunday of the month.
“The last class I held here I told the group we were going to make tuna sandwiches,” said Paul. “You could see the eyes rolling around like this was going to be a waste of their time. [But] then I pulled off the cover of a 150-pound tuna to show them how to break it down, what to look for, what parts get used where, then how to make the focaccia bread and the aioli and so much more just to prepare a fabulous yet simple meal. Good food is simple, but simplicity is a relative term.”
For more information call 662-3000 or visit davidpaulsislandgrill.com.
* * *
Chef Elaine Nakashima will be one of the state’s new health inspectors, so you know her kitchen at AK’s Cafe on Lower Main is spiffy. She will now be closed for lunch, but wants her fans and patrons to know that she’ll be open for dinner Mondays through Fridays from 5pm to 8:30pm.
What’s more, she says her amazing prime rib will be available on Feb. 17, Feb. 20 and Mar. 2. On Valentine’s Day she will have a special menu and two seatings, at 5:15pm and 7:15pm. Reservations are a must, so call 244-8774.
* * *
Stag’s Leap Vineyards are well known for the part they played in the 1976 blind wine tasting in Paris ,France that shook up the wine world. Their 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon took top ranking in the reds, along with several other California wines. It was huge because the tasters were well-known French wine experts who probably wouldn’t have given these American wines the time of day had this been anything but a blind tasting (the 2008 movie Bottle Shock dramatized the competition).
Stag’s Leap has remained a Napa Valley powerhouse ever since. Stag’s Leap Winemaker Nicki Pruss is no exception. Originally headed for career in podiatric medicine, a bike ride across Europe called her to winemaking. From winery intern, she rose to winemaker inside of seven years.
“Winemaking offers the chance to combine the technical aspects of science and artistry,” said Pruss. “I enjoy the creative challenge of working with nature to produce world-class wines.”
On Thursday, Feb. 16, Pruss will appear at the Plantation House Restaurant for a majestic wine pairing that involves five courses and Stags Leap wines.
“Chef de Cuisine Maro Gjurasic has created some exceptional menus,” said Plantation House executive chef Alex Stanislaw. “Maro is an incredibly talented chef, and a bona fide wine enthusiast as well. He puts together ingredients and flavors that blow me away, and combinations that really compliment the total wine experience. He is also an artist with plate presentation. I can’t say enough about what he brings to the table every time he creates a special for our dinner menu, or wows a special guest with a spur-of-the-moment creation.”
The price is $85 per person and the event starts at 6pm. Reserve your spot at this dinner by calling 669-6299.
The next evening, Chef Roger Stettler of Four Seasons Maui and Pruss will hold another wine pairing dinner. Stettler’s imaginative four-course dinner will feature delectables like confit of salmon trout, veal medallion with morel mushroom sauce and Maple Leaf Farm duck breast.
“The art of food and wine pairing is a passion of mine,” Stettler. “The perfect pairing elevates the dining experience exponentially, and I’m especially excited to work with these selections.”
The dinner costs $160 per person. Space is limited, so reserve a seat by emailing concierge.maui@fourseasons.com or calling 808-874-2201.
For more foodie news, visit MauiTime’s food blog at: mauidish.com
Comments
comments