Profiles: Eric Faivre

By Wanda A. Adams
Food Editor

Born: Saint Die, France

Culinary background: Ecole Hoteliere de Gerardmer; 18 years in kitchens in France and America

My favorite dish to prepare is: "Good old Beef Bourguignon and a Kugelhopf (an Alsatian sweet bread) once in a while, my dad's recipe"

If I could only have one kitchen appliance, it would be: "My Kitchen-Aid mixer. I use for dough, mashed potatoes, to mix ingredients for my Moloka'i Sweet Potato Haupia Tort. Very useful and powerful."

My favorite cooking show: "East Meets West with Ming Tsai"

My favorite cookbook: "Any book by Charlie Trotter"

My favorite comfort food: "Anything Mum cooks when I go back home to France, from rabbit stew to choucroute (Alsatian sauerkraut) to fresh wild blueberry pie"

My favorite restaurants: "Alan Wong's, 3660 on the Rise, Akasaka in Honolulu, and Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea — talk about large portions of comfort food, killer breakfast!"

The chef I admire most is: "Hubert Keller, Fleur de Lys, San Francisco. He is incredibly talented, and ... so approachable. A lot of other guys could learn from him."

The wildest ingredient I ever used: "Alligator once, and it turned out pretty good. It was at Bali by the Sea at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and we served it to Andy Bumatai. He seemed to like it, but I think David the restaurant manager and myself were more excited than he was."

Do you sing while you cook? "Yes, and whistle, too ... from opera to heavy metal, and oldies but goodies"