Cool, Kauai! The Garden Island increasingly is becoming the Movie Island with the arrival of Lionsgate’s "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," the second film based on the Suzanne Collins franchise. Respected actor Philip Seymour Hoffman joins the bandwagon in the role of Plutarch Heavensbee.

"Catching Fire" expects to be on Kauai for three weeks, according to my sources, with the island’s wilderness landscape serving as the Quarter Quell, or the 75th annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and Peeta Mellark, portrayed by Josh Hutcherson, are on a victor’s tour as the second installment continues.

Hoffman as Heavensbee assumes the Gamemaker task; he could even be tapped for the third installment, which will be split into a two-part finale, like such franchises as "Twilight" and "Harry Potter," to be released in 2014 and 2015. The underlying question, then: Will Kauai also get a hana hou for the concluding episodes? Or will Oahu’s Kua­loa Ranch be in consideration?

It’s amazing how Kauai has landed some biggies in recent times: two "Jurassic Parks," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Tropic Thunder," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Descendants."In earlier decades, "South Pacific," "None but the Brave" and "Blue Hawaii" were also filmed there.

Hoffman brings creds and gravitas to the cast. He’s an Oscar winner ("Capote") and a three-time Tony nominee (most recently for playing Willy Loman in Broadway’s "Death of a Salesman" revival, which co-stars Andrew Garfield, the prevailing "Spider-Man").

"Catching Fire" begins filming this fall, with Francis Lawrence directing, and the release date is Nov. 22, 2013. Surely, local extras will be sought. …

FOOD FODDER: Waimea’s Ippy Aiona, the local-boy chef competing in "Food Network Star" on the Food Network, has been seesawing in recent weeks. He was in the bottom two last week but was top banana the previous week, winning a $20,000 Target gift card.

His recipes and island stories have buoyed his chances to win, but his erratic on-camera work has been a hurdle; he’s easy to watch but often pulls back the charm, and surely he’s brought a lot of aloha and savvy to a national audience. And, he’s got the best mentor in Giada De Laurentiis.With the countdown in the final three weeks, Aiona has got to perfect and retain his confidence and "presence" — already, though, he’s a winnah! Now he’s gotta reach for the "Star." …

Thomas Keller of The French Laundry had dinner at Hotel Lana‘i’s popular restaurant, Lana‘i City Grille, with his favorite golf guru, Jerry King from Kapalua (now with TaylorMade), and Josh Algra of TaylorMade. After sampling beaucoup appetizers, Keller selected a simple roasted chicken — one of the restaurant’s favorites — as an entree. …

HERE ‘N’ THERE: Gerald Mandac, who was part ofthe "Spring Awakening" flock, now is the Ugly Ducking — a cutie, and a quack to watch — in Manoa Valley Theatre’s "Honk!" which was extended through July 29. It’s a family-friendly delight, though a 3-year-old we brought along thought Gabriel Wright as Cat was a fox — well, he did sport a furry demeanor. So get your ducklings in a row and go! …

And a movie star — Hawaii’s ballerina-actress Amanda Schull — surprised advanced students at Ballet Hawaii the other day when she popped in unannounced to teach their class. Schull, who starred with the San Francisco Ballet, has graced such films as "Centerstage," "Mao’s Last Dancer" and "Sorority Wars." …

And that’s "Show Biz." …

Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.