Musician Taimane and restaurant Fete partner for holiday party

Adventurous dining has captured the imagination of Honolulu’s eaters — so why not combine an of-the-minute meal with an of-the-season show?

That’s what ukulele-playing musician Taimane and popular Chinatown eatery Fete have cooked up for Saturday, with “Taimane’s Holiday Fete.”

It’s billed as a “feast for the senses,” with fine food and drink, holiday-themed music and sensual, contemporary dance and aerials.

Taimane’s manager, Mark Tarone, a veteran producer of the Hallowbaloo and Mardi Gras events in Chinatown via T-Rx Entertainment, came up with the concept of a dinner show, which he calls “a fresh, new Honolulu experience.” Taimane wanted to celebrate the holidays. And Fete was down for the dining.

The event will take place at The Arts at Marks Garage, a community arts venue at the corner of Nuuanu Avenue and Pauahi Street. The space has been recently renovated, and hosts a vibrant schedule of local entertainment events.

Tarone calls it “a venue with a great sense of place, ripe for stellar artist-audience connection.” He plans to present different artist-restaurant pairings there each month.

Fete is a natural pairing for Taimane, she says; it’s her favorite restaurant.

The “modern American” restaurant, just down the street from The Arts at Marks on Nuuanu Avenue (at the corner of Hotel Street), opened in 2016. It’s quickly become a favorite destination for foodies, and was chosen as an Ilima Award-winning “Rave Review” restaurant this year by the Star-Advertiser.

At a mid-afternoon meet-up inside the sunny, brick-walled room, Taimane was upbeat and enthused about the idea of a holiday show.

“With most of my events, I like to create an experience for my audience,” she said. “I definitely wanted to make sure there was a holiday theme. I love the music. The food that comes up!”

It was easy to believe her as she smiled, describing her holiday joy, wearing glittering gold-toned eye shadow and white earrings that looked like star-shaped snowflakes.

The holiday event offers a choice of tickets with or without a three-course dinner: Fete Salad; choice of Lamb Cavatelli or Mushroom Cavatelli; and a dessert assortment of Peppermint Toffee Bark, Eggnog Meringue Tartlet and Chocolate Whoopie Pie with Matcha Buttercream.

Specially chosen cocktails and wines (with tones of gold, green and red, Taimane said) will be sold separately.

Fete is also known for the quality of its cocktail menu and wine list, and the carefully tailored offerings reflect that, with a Negroni, Fete 75 (made with Bloom Gin, Prosecco, Elderflower liqueur and cucumber) and Noho Mule No. 3 on the menu, along with an Italian prosecco, French white and Spanish red wine.

The mood promises to be bold and electric, with performances by Taimane and her trio, joined by Wendy Mayhugh as guest violinist, aerialist Andrea Torres, contemporary dancer Rose Wolfe, and Jonathan Troupe and Lenyia Preston of Brazilian dance company Island Zouk.

“You know me; I like medleys,” Taimane said, smiling again as she revealed her playlist: “Greensleeves” into “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”; “Drummer Boy” (in a minor key) into “Carol of the Bells” (one of her favorites — “that one’s gonna be insane!” she promised.)

With aerialist Torres, Taimane will take on the persona of a Sugarplum Fairy and the flirty woman who calls Santa “baby” in “Santa Baby.”

“It’s going to be sexy,” she said. “I like that raw energy, with (Torres) and all the musicians.”

She’s an expressive, dramatic performer on an average day, but Taimane’s recent experiences have tested her limits and may inform her show.

In October, Taimane took part in IONA dance company’s “IONAsphere” gala as a costumed, butoh-influenced performer. Rose Wolfe, who appears with Taimane on Saturday, dances regularly with the troupe.

During the summer and fall, Taimane joined the popular musical artist Michael Franti on tour dates that included the massive natural arenas at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and the Gorge Amphitheatre outside of Seattle, and followed that up with her own tour that included a sold-out showcase at the famed Joe’s Pub in Manhattan.

Taimane’s Holiday Fete is the first of a monthly dinner series at The Arts at Marks Garage, produced by Tarone. Upcoming shows include John Cruz’s Island Soul with The Pig & the Lady on Jan. 21 (with a “special international guest”), and Mike Love and band’s Sustainable Harvest with Umeke Market (known for its inventive, vegetarian fare) on Feb. 17.

There will be cabaret-style seating, and attendees can pick their table and seats online as they buy tickets. Tarone says he has a sound system that will do the events justice.

A portion of proceeds benefit the Arts at Marks Garage.