Food festival highlights China

Demonstrations by Chef Martin Yan are among the highlights of the eighth annual Splendor of China Cultural Festival at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall this weekend.

The chef will conduct several cooking demonstrations, including his famous knife skill of deboning a chicken in 18 seconds.

Other demonstrators include June Tong, author of "Popo’s Kitchen," who will cook with such Chinese ingredients as black fungus, duck salt eggs, dried oysters, mustard cabbage and straw mushrooms; and Chinese pickle lady Leonora Ching.

A food contest will determine who can eat the most Orange Chicken from Panda Express. Food booths include Eastern Food Center and Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery.

Other highlights include martial arts, high-pole lion dances, acrobats, lantern makers, paper cutters, and singers and musicians from China.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5; children are free. Visit L&L Drive Inn or Panda Express for $1 admission discount coupons. Call 533-3181 or visit www.splendorofchina.com.

Hope Chapel hosts sweet affair

Indulge in an evening of decadence at the Sweet Heaven dessert event, 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 11 at Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay. The event features an array of pastries, a "sugar chef" baking competition and dessert-making demonstrations.

Tony Solis — host of OC16’s "Eh! U Da Kine, Ah?" — and Non de Mello, owner of Agnes Portuguese Bake Shop, will judge the baking contest.

The church is located at 45-815 Pookela St. Tickets are $15; deadline to purchase tickets is Nov. 7. Call 235-5814 or visit www.hopechapel.com.

Canned food wanted

Don Quijote shoppers can help fight hunger at Hawaii Foodbank drives from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday in Kailua and Nov. 6 at Kaheka. Shoppers can also make donations by purchasing $1 and $5 tickets, which will be added to the shopper’s receipt upon check-out, or by dropping off nonperishable items in drums at all stores.