Isle chef chosen for global culinary program
Chris Kajioka, former executive chef at Vintage Cave, will partner with Michelin-starred Waldorf Astoria master chef Pierre Gagnaire in a new global culinary program.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts’ new Taste of Waldorf Astoria program is a partnership with the culinary arts-focused James Beard Foundation.
The Waldorf Astoria in New York is considered the birthplace of classic dishes including eggs Benedict, Thousand Island dressing and Waldorf salad. Program participants will be teamed up to create what could become the next iconic Waldorf dish.
Under the Taste of Waldorf Astoria program, JBF Rising Star semifinalist chefs like Kajioka will be paired with Michelin-starred Waldorf Astoria chefs in Rome; Berlin; Edinburgh, Scotland; Shanghai; and La Quinta, Calif. Gagnaire, with whom Kajioka will be partnered, heads 11 restaurants around the world including the Michelin-starred Modern French restaurant Les Solistes at Waldorf Astoria Berlin.
Kajioka is planning a new restaurant that will focus on contemporary French cuisine paired with Japanese flavors, featuring local and seasonal ingredients from around the islands. His new restaurant is expected to open next year.
ASB to debut renovated Kailua branch
American Savings Bank will unveil its renovated Kailua branch at 8:45 a.m. Friday with a blessing, refreshments and prizes. The ceremony caps four months of renovation during which the branch continued to operate.
Renovations include large floor-to-ceiling windows, modern decor and bright colors to enhance the customer experience.
As part of the ceremony, American Savings Bank will donate $3,000 to Castle Medical Center.
Bankoh earns national community award
Bank of Hawaii has been recognized with an American Bankers Association Community Commitment Award in the community and economic development category. The winners from the six different award categories were announced Tuesday at ABA’s annual convention in Dallas.
The selection committee chose six banks from more than 170 entries based on the creativity and replicability of programs that embody corporate social responsibility ideals as well as demonstrate success in measurable terms.
Bankoh was honored for its participation in the Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative, which helps youth leaving foster care become successful adults. Through its Opportunity Passport program, teens and young adults who successfully complete a financial education program are eligible to open individual development accounts or matched savings accounts to financially assist them as they age out of the system.
Cloud business lifts Microsoft’s earnings
SAN FRANCISCO » Microsoft’s quarterly profit and revenue sailed past expectations Thursday as CEO Satya Nadella’s push to embrace cloud computing and diversify into mobile devices helped lift sales by 25 percent.
The tech giant had net income of $4.54 billion, or 54 cents a share, to beat analysts’ consensus estimate of 49 cents a share. That’s down from $5.24 billion, or 62 cents a share, a year ago, due to over $1 billion in costs to restructure and integrate its recent purchase of Nokia’s smartphone business.
ON THE MOVE
ProService Hawaii has named Courtney Graham director of HR services. She was previously director of human resources at ReadyTalk, a technology company in Denver, and served as an HR strategist and leader at Mid-continent for Education and Learning, San Antonio State Hospital and Ann Taylor.
The East-West Center has announced that former Harvard educator Paul Keenan is the interim director of development for an initial period of six months. He has more than 20 years of development experience at Harvard, including as senior associate dean and director of faculty of arts and sciences development.
