The Weekly Eater: Hawaii restaurants find ways to connect virtually with guests

Even as COVID-19 continues to separate us, human beings remain social animals who are finding creative ways to be alone together, or together apart.

Socializing hasn’t gone away, it’s just moved online. Chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers have responded with cooking and mixology lessons, happy hours and workshops offered via Instagram and apps like Zoom, to remain connected to customers until something closer to normal business operations can resume.

Square Barrels owner Thomas Ray started sharing mixology lessons and music via Instagram as soon as the quarantine took effect, as a way to send out a positive message.

“At the time, if you look at what most restaurants were doing, it was a lot of the same messaging that they were open,” Ray said. “And every time you turned on the news you were inundated with negativity. I wanted to connect with as many people as I could by making our own narrative. Our messaging has always been a little cheeky.”

Among his latest posts is a romantic, mood-setting mini film built around the concept of bringing date night home with charcuterie to go from his downtown restaurant.

“I thought couples could still have a fun date night, and it could also get people together to do an activity, plating it all. You don’t have to be a perfect cook to do charcuterie, that was the point.”

IT DIDN’T take companies long to help alleviate stress by bringing happy hour into living rooms.

Over at Tommy Bahama, a live weekly Cocktail Club was born, pairing cocktail recipes or wine selections with a recipe, such as macadamia nut-crusted goat cheese. Tune in to @tommybahamarestaurant on Instagram Live at 1 p.m. Thursdays to join in. Sessions remain posted for 24 hours. This week’s will feature recipes for a Coconut Cloud Martini and spiced nut mix.

Four Seasons Resorts Hawaii took the concept a step further, using Zoom to interact with an audience across the United States. “Even though the virus has pushed people apart, technology has allowed us to communicate in a way we’ve never done before. People are very creative in finding ways to be together,” said Charlie Parker, general manager at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina.

During the resort’s inaugural “The Coconut Wire” online meetup April 10, Ko Hana Distilleries general manager Kyle Reutner presented a Mai Tai Mixology master class. Participants were able to pour and mix along with each step, aided by an ingredient list sent out beforehand with the meeting’s I.D. and password.

About 100 people joined the half-hour session, which continued an extra 30 minutes because about 40 guests didn’t want to leave, lingering to ask questions and talk cocktails, not coronavirus.

“The essence of our industry, particularly in the five-star luxury world, is connecting to people and a place,” Parker said. “The Aloha Friday pau hana allows us to continue that storytelling and bring that sunshine into your living room. It allows us to convey the spirit of the resort experience beyond physically being in Ko Olina.”

In the company of others, and with new knowledge of the mai tai’s creation and evolution in Hawaii, Parker suggested, “Does that mai tai taste a little better? I think it does.”

Another mai tai workshop takes place at noon Friday, but Coconut Wire sessions are not limited to food and drink. A painting workshop is set for 10 a.m. Friday, and on May 8 there’s a 10 a.m. skateboard session and 2 p.m. beauty session with spa director Amanda Schmiege.

Sessions at Four Seasons resorts across Hawaii have included a journaling and meditation session from Lanai, and creation of a coconut bath treatment with Hualalai spa director Cecilia Hercik on the Big Island.

For companies that have discovered these intimate and viable methods of interacting with guests, the socializing is likely to continue, both online and possibly in the physical realm, when business resumes.

At Tommy Bahama, Rob Goldberg, executive vice president of restaurants, bars and food concepts, said the company is “exploring ways we can bring the Cocktail Club to life in our restaurants and bars when they reopen, by offering experiences like cocktail classes, wine dinners and featured music events.”

FOR Colin Hazama, bringing his cooking to Instagram is an extension of the educational dining experiences he brought to The Royal Hawaiian as executive chef. On furlough since the hotel temporarily shut its doors, Hazama started posting cooking lessons and recipes for friends in need of ideas, including how to stretch and prepare foods to reduce shopping excursions.

Those lessons became a welcome source of feedback.

“It’s good to hear back from people and see what they want, because it’s going to be a whole different ballgame when we return to business. I’m always planning and already thinking we’re going to have to offer a lot of to-go meals. The whole experience of food culture is gonna change,” Hazama said.

“It’s a little disheartening, knowing that family-style dining has been such a big part of our culture and now it’s going to be different.”

But he’s glad to know restaurants will continue to have an audience.

“People are always asking when we’re going to be open. They definitely want to come back and dine. People are still going to cook, but I don’t think everyone wants to cook every day. It’s a lot of work.”

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.