Colin Hazama remembers making faces when he was handed the children’s menu at restaurants; even as a young boy, he had a sophisticated palate. "I wanted to order things off the adult menu that most kids my age wouldn’t eat," he said. "They wanted spaghetti, fish sticks and chicken nuggets, and I preferred sashimi, lamb, spiny lobster and filet mignon."

Hazama grew up in Makiki, near the home of his maternal Chinese grandparents, whose yard was filled with lime, orange, kumquat, avocado and strawberry guava trees. He spent many summers in Upcountry Maui with his paternal Japa­nese grandparents, who also had green thumbs. Chestnuts, Meyer lemons, sugar cane, pomelos and pineapples flourished at their Puka­lani home.

Visits with his grandparents inevitably included time in their gardens, where Hazama happily dug weeds, watered plants and picked ripe fruit.

"Thanks to my grandparents, I developed an appreciation for fresh, nutritious food," he said. "My grandmothers were both excellent cooks, and they encouraged me to help them in the kitchen."

Popo (Hazama’s Chinese grandmother) taught him how to make jook (congee), oxtail soup, gau gee (pork dumplings) and pies (from apple to pumpkin to lemon meringue). From his Nanny (Japa­nese grandmother) came recipes for family favorites such as sushi, chicken hekka and succulent slow-cooked smoked pork ribs.

"I got hooked on TV shows like ‘Great Chefs,’ ‘Jacques Pepin Celebrates’ and ‘The Galloping Gourmet,’" Hazama said. "When the Food Network started in 1993, I was in heaven! I’ve also been fortunate to have had many renowned chefs as mentors, including Alan Wong, Roy Yama­­gu­chi, Gary Danko, Greg­ory Brainin and Jean-Georges Von­ge­rich­ten."

It’s no surprise, then, that Hazama, just 33 years old, is Sheraton Wai­kiki’s senior executive sous-chef and the driving force behind the hotel’s Table to Farm Wine Dinner Series, which launched in October.

"Brian Hunnings, the hotel’s former director of food and beverage, and I came up with the idea so that we could educate people about where our wonderful local fish, meat and produce come from," Hazama said. "Chefs get a lot of media attention, but I wanted to spotlight the farmers because they’re really the backbone of the restaurant business. Without their quality products, chefs would not be able to create quality dishes. I felt it was important to show people that food doesn’t come from boxes and packages at supermarkets; it comes from farmers who are hard at work seven days a week year-round."

Each two-day culinary adventure in the series starts with a gourmet five-course dinner on Friday crafted with products from a featured farm, ranch and winery. The following day, guests can go on a farm tour that includes a cooking demonstration and picnic. Farmers and Sheraton chefs are on hand on both days to mingle and "talk story" with attendees.

"Planning the series has inspired me to blend ingredients that I never thought would taste so delicious together," Hazama said. "It has challenged me to think outside the box and create new flavor profiles, cooking techniques and presentations."

On March 6-7 the third of six events in the series will showcase Shinsato Farm’s pork and rabbit and Nalo Farms’ herbs and greens. For one course of the dinner, Hazama came up with a twist on a dish he enjoyed several years ago at a restaurant in New York.

Terrine made with Shinsato Farm’s headcheese will be breaded, deep-fried and paired with pomelo, honey and a mix of spicy Nalo Farms greens, which balances the tartness and richness of the headcheese. Rounding it out will be smoked tomato marmalade and a chimichurri of fresh zest from yuzu (a Japa­nese citrus fruit) and yuzu kosho (yuzu paste and macerated Sansho peppercorns).

"The Headcheese Pork Ton­ka­tsu has so many different components," Hazama said, "but when they’re combined the result is amazing — something I never would’ve thought of if I hadn’t been inspired by the farmers."

Many of those suppliers have become friends, and Hazama holds a deep respect and admiration for what they do. "The main thing I’ve learned by hosting the Table to Farm series is how much blood, sweat and tears Hawaii’s farmers put into their work," he said. "They’re the true stars of the food industry."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.