Recipe contest for teens pushes local ingredients

Hawaii’s Buy Local, It Matters campaign is reaching out to high-school-aged cooks to enter a statewide cooking and recipe competition that incorporates local ingredients.

Students in grades 9 to 12 can submit entries through Nov. 3. Recipes must be for a main dish and utilize at least two items grown or raised in Hawaii. Entrants must also submit a 200-300 word essay.

A winner will be selected from each county, and the four finalists will compete Dec. 5 in a cook-off at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort, where contestants will stay complements of the hotel. Neighbor-isle contestants will fly to Oahu courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines.

The winning cook will shadow a chef, and the winning recipe will be featured at Sheraton Waikiki’s Kai Market restaurant.

For details and to enter, visit buylocalitmattershawaii.com.

Kauai man to teach food preservation

Learn hands-on the delicious art of food preservation at CookSpace this weekend. Students will make preserves to take home, with the help of certified master preserver Kalen Kelekoma.

Kelekoma is special programs manager with the Waipa Foundation on Kauai, steward of the 1,600-acre Waipa ahupuaa.

Cost for each class is $75. Register at cookspacehawaii.com. Call 695-2205.

» Jams & Jellies 101: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 2 to 4:30 p.m.

» Marinara & Chutney 101: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 2 to 4:30 p.m.

LCC students will offer special meal

Culinary students at Leeward Community College, along with chef Ronnie Nasuti of Tiki’s Grill & Bar, present a special Chef Showcase Dinner Nov. 7 at The Pearl, the campus restaurant.

The showcase dinner is offered once a semester. It provides students the chance to execute a fine-dining event with the help of a guest chef.

Highlights of the menu: New Zealand-farmed King Salmon Crudo, Kauai Shrimp & Day Boat Scallop Sphere, Truffle Scented Polenta Stuffed Quail, Island Steak & Eggs, and Okinawan Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Waialua Coffee Tapioca.

Price is $70, $85 with wine pairings. Seatings being at 6 p.m.; for reservations, call 455-0528. The college is at 96-045 Ala Ike St. in Pearl City.

TV and Big Isle chefs face off at the grill

"Food Network Star" finalist Nikki Martin will join chefs Peter Abarcar and Vincent Logan in a grilling and mixology contest Friday at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on Hawaii island.

Martin, Hapuna Beach executive chef Abarcar and Coast Grille chef de cuisine Logan will each make two plates and accompanying cocktails from ingredients in the Coast Grille garden.

The contest runs 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Coast Grille. Tickets are $80. Call 808-880-1111.