Complex smoked oyster dish wins festival title

Chef James McDonald’s Smoked Oyster with Maui Onion Cucumber "Noodles" took top honors at the 25th Annual Maui Onion Festival on Saturday at Whalers Village Shops & Restaurants in Kaanapali.

McDonald, who hails from Aina Gourmet and Feast at Lele, presented the dish — which included a lobster-coconut Thai sauce, soft egg and truffle curry oil — atop a slice of homemade crouton bread.

The Maui Onion Recipe Contest drew chefs from Maui, Oahu and the Big Island to flex their creative culinary chops, both for the competition and in demonstrations for attendees.

Other competitors included past winners Sheldon Simeon of Mala Wailea and MiGRANT, 2013 victor Nick Mastracusa of Kuki’o from Hawaii island, and 2012 champ Jojo Vasquez of The Plantation House on Maui. Chris Kulis of Capische? also participated, as well as first-timer Mark "Gooch" Noguchi of Pili Group.

The festival included mixed-drink and onion-eating contests.

The mild, crunchy Maui onion is grown in Kula and has been deemed one of the sweetest onions in the world.