Island Olive Oil to open in Kailua

Island Olive Oil Co. is expanding to Windward Oahu and soon will open in Kailua Town Center, in the former Lily Lotus space next to Miyoshi Ramen.

The new location will open by Sept. 1, sooner if possible, and the slightly larger square footage “will allow us to have additional items in the store,” President Brian Foster said.

Island Olive Oil offers dozens of pure, extra-virgin olive oils, flavored olive oils, macadamia and other nut oils, traditional balsamic vinegars and flavored balsamics. Prices start at $7.95 for a 60-milliliter bottle, up to $399 for an ornate bottle of imported, 100-year-old balsamic vinegar.

Foster and Vice President Angel Vardas, who are engaged, have been expanding their selection of gourmet edibles and other merchandise since taking over the company in 2016, and also have an eye toward expanding into the growing retail scene in Kapolei.

Ward Centre and Kailua shoppers can expect to find imported Italian pastas, chocolate bars made with some of the same olive oils sold in the store, olives, tapenades, honeys, jams and more — including jars of fascinating imitation caviar, comprising gelatinlike “pearls” in flavors from truffle to balsamic, to pomegranate and citrus that contain no fish roe.

Among nonedibles are olive wood dishes and trays; imported, hand-painted ceramic dipping bowls from Italy; and printed, flour-sack kitchen towels from Honolulu-based Downtown General Store. They line the shelves and lend to the store’s decor. “We’re trying to find more made-in-Hawaii products,” Vardas added.

As it is, the company supports made-in- Hawaii chefs, as in a recent demonstration by the Kapiolani Community College Culinary Competition Team.

“They made 200 portions of each item, and we ran out by 1:45,” Foster said. The event was scheduled for noon to 3 p.m.

The students used some of the store’s ingredients, such as pistachio butter to make ice cream. Vardas will post the recipes on the store’s website. The company pledged a portion of sales on demo day to KCC, and $1,100 was raised, Foster said.

Both Vardas and Foster love to cook, so the food they bring into the store is meant to complement all the ways the olive oils and vinegars can be used. When they come up with a new recipe or new use for an item, a recipe is added to the store’s newsletter and to the recipe tab on its website.

Vardas and Foster have also collaborated on formulations for dipping herbs sold in resealable pouches. The idea is to add some herbs to the shop’s olive oil to make dips, but herb blends can be used in many ways. One employee made an herb-blend-crusted roll of goat cheese for spreading.

The Ward Centre store is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and until 6 p.m. Sundays. Kailua store hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.

CHANCE TO ADVANCE

Kapiolani Community College is offering a free apprenticeship program and series of classes for kitchen staff at Oahu restaurants. The program also will pay a $500 bonus to restaurants as a thank you for sending employees through the training, said Marcus Fikse, Hawaii Cook apprentice program coordinator.

The training, valued at $1,800, is funded through a grant to train employees for prep- or line-cook positions. Most of the classes are online, with one lab class at KCC each week.

The classes address the issue of undertraining among many employees in the industry, Fikse said. They cover an introduction to the food service industry, sanitation, menu planning and nutrition. Call Fikse at 425-308-6163. The application process is simple but the deadline is Friday.

HCA Brochure Apprentice by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd

Send restaurant news and notes to erika@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4303. Follow Erika Engle on Twitter @eriKaengle.