Mauna Lani culinary event matches local chefs with Mario

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

From left, Ben Takahashi, Kurt Hirabara, and Edwin Goto are prepared for chef Mario Batali's visit. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Menu of Mario Batali's activities 'Culinary Conversations' with Mario Batali, Friday through March 23, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows Kama'aina rates: Hands-on culinary workshops with Batali — 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday in a private home at Mauna Lani, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23 at Hirabara Farms, lunch included, package of both classes and lunches, $310. Other activities: Welcome reception 6:30 p.m. Friday, $90; Saturday dinner prepared by Batali, $145; Beach Party March 23 with food by Batali and Mauna Lani staff, entertainment, $145. Kama'aina hotel rates begin at $185 a night. Information: Susan Bredo, (808) 885-6622. Hotel reservations: (800) 367-2323, www.maunalani.com.

But when the hotel decided last fall to invite television chef Mario Batali ("Molto Mario," "Mario Eats Italy") to conduct a series of master classes Friday through March 23, the three found themselves getting up in time to watch "Molto Mario" by satellite feed at 5 a.m., familiarizing themselves with his favorite ingredients, his style and preferences. (With war perhaps imminent, the hotel has experienced a number of cancellations for the Batali classes, which are limited to 10 people; reduced kama'aina rates have been announced. See Page D8.)

Hirabara went to work right away, planting the seeds of some ingredients that may never before have met Big Island soil: a type of dandelion called puntarelle, a relative of the artichoke called cardoon, and a particular variety of radiccio called treviso. Even though his farm is at the cool 2,900-foot level, with 50 inches of rainfall a year, Hirabara wasn't sure whether these plants would like Hawai'i. He's still watching the cardoon grow. Battle-testing, he calls it.

Meanwhile, chefs Goto and Takahashi were doing some battle-testing of their own, designing the dishes they'll prepare alongside Batali, e-mailing back and forth to Batali's staff.

They know he's going to roast a whole opakapaka and prepare a leg of lamb, but, in typical chef style, the details of his menus remain sketchy. He'll arrive a couple of days before the classes start, and the chefs expect that he'll get excited about some of the local ingredients and want to play with them.

"We'll let him take the lead," said Goto. "I imagine it will be just like his show; his cooking style is not real fussy."

Goto is excited about having his young staff work with a chef of Batali's stature (Batali operates three successful restaurants in addition to hosting the cooking shows and having written three books) — "We can't go to New York, so we'll bring New York to the Big Island."

Hirabara said his 5 a.m. sessions with Batali have him enthused: "He has a very simple philosophy, using the best raw ingredients, letting the natural flavors come through and not messing with it too much. Hawai'i regional cuisine has lent itself to contrived dishes with too much going on, too many flavors. It's great for the young chefs to see this superstar practicing what Ed (Goto) and Ben (Takahashi) have been trying to teach them."