Chef Sheldon Simeon and Brandon Lee, give us a taste of authentic, local, farm to table, cuisine in Hilo on the Island of Hawaii.
Tin Roof Maui Chef Sheldon is best known for competing on the TV show “Top Chef” and winning the “fan favorite” title twice. Sheldon came from humble roots. He was born and raised in small town Hilo, Hawaii on a guava farm. His grandparents were immigrants from the Philippines who worked on the plantations.
He understands that the unique, local food perspectives he learned here is what makes his cuisine so special around the world.
Kaunamano Farm Owner Brandon made a mission out of raising a royal herd of pigs that are happy, healthy, and macadamia nut-fed. Similar to Berkshire pigs, he’s creating local pork in Hilo with a distinctive, premium flavor. He works hand-in-hand with local chefs like Simeon, and supplies pork to select restaurants throughout the Hawaiian islands. The two are as local and 808 as it gets. Their passion for homegrown, sustainable food is evident when they talk, but even clearer when they cook.
When unfolding what makes local Hawaii cuisine so unique, Brandon says when using techniques of Europe with the flavors of the Pacific Rim, you get a delicious mishmash of all kinds of stuff.
Sheldon says with a sense of pride they are lucky they can have Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Hawaiian, and Portuguese foods and still call it one cuisine in Hawaii.
Discover more of Sheldon and Brandon’s #HawaiiRooted story at https://www.gohawaii.com/hawaii-rooted/Sheldon-Simeon-And-Brandon-Lee
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