At Hy’s, a millennial chef maintains the legacy

As a millennial leading the kitchen of a classic restaurant guided by tradition, Justin Inagaki, executive chef at Hy’s Steak House, has an interesting perspective. He takes pride in the kiawe-grilled prime cuts of beef his restaurant ages in-house, the ones customers return for year after year from all over the country. Yet he also understands the value of keeping abreast of current trends.

And so does Hy’s, the People’s Choice best restaurant this year, picked by readers of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

So while diners can still depend on having their chateaubriand carved tableside, they now can also enjoy an expansion of the Hy’s experience. That starts with The Bar, introduced last month in the lounge area of the restaurant, which features signature cocktails, some that are barrel-aged and kiawe-smoked, plus premium wines and tapas-style bites that include homemade pizzas and shrimp Wellington.

“It’s meant to provide an elegant experience prior to a night event or after a business dinner, to finish the evening with something,” Inagaki said.

Next up are buffets for such special events as a fall brunch, and Thanksgiving and Christmas brunches, plus catering for upscale events.

“We bring the black-tuxedo experience to your door,” said Inagaki. “The menu, of course, is steak house-themed, with embellishments of Asia-Pacific touches.”

Their target audience for these new offerings: the millennial.

“The goal is to have lifelong customers,” said Inagaki. “We want to reach all demographics. Our loyal customers are 10-, 20-, 30-, even 40-year customers. Now, we’re focusing on markets to cultivate new customers.”

Word-of-mouth is bringing a new generation through the door, he said. Inside, they are enveloped by the Old-English ambience and served by tuxedoed staff who offer tableside service.

“Coming to Hy’s is different because we’re a time capsule. For millennials, this is a new experience. This is not the status quo.”

Keeping them interested in returning means being progressive even while staying true to the Hy’s legacy, he said. That means not just the bar or buffets, but the heart of the steak house: the beef program. It features Akaushi beef, one of four breeds of Japanese wagyu, and Inagaki said Hy’s is the only Hawaii restaurant with Akaushi on the menu. The rich, marbled beef comes out of Texas and is what the chef refers to as “never-ever,” as in never, ever raised with hormones or antibiotics.

A product like that dictates the best approach for preparation: “Less is better. Here, customers don’t expect six or seven components to the dishes. People want to appreciate the quality of a product. Our job is to bring that quality forward.”

And just as Hy’s new programs and vigilant attention to best quality are meant to draw in and keep a new generation of diners, they’re also meant to invest in their young staff as well.

“Growth is key to young staff. If they cannot grow, they’ll leave, and we want our young staff to stay. That’s part of the culture here,” said Inagaki. “We don’t want to keep anyone down. If your goal is to be a chef, be a chef. That’s a win-win-win, for the customers, for the employees, for the restaurant.

“Our philosophy here is why people want to stay here — we can grow together. With the catering and late-night service, there’s room for people to grow, and we can build a tradition with the next generation. My goal is to have retention and stability, and that means consistency. This is why people recognize what we’re doing here, because we have consistency.”