"He's the man," Todino said of Sakai. "He elevates your skill without you even knowing it. He's a great mentor and a celebrity chef who doesn't have a huge ego."

During last Sunday's by-invite-only, nine-course dinner at Neptune's Garden, Todino, Nelson and Arita got the chance to participate and watch, as Sakai and his sous chef Ushioda Kaoru meticulously assembled such dishes as seaweed-steamed Island moi and a colorful mosaic terrine of smoked maguro, Kona lobster and asparagus.

"Everything was so organized and controlled," asserted Arita, a more-than-20-year veteran at Pacific Beach Hotel restaurants. "They're very focused and know in advance what they're going to do."

Taking careful note of technique and ingredients, the three local chefs said they were humbled to be cooking with such a professional.

"He treated all our chefs with such great respect," said John Lopianetzky, the hotel's director of food and beverage. "The event was truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance for these guys to cook with the best."

Nelson and Arita both echoed this sentiment, adding that, for a chef of his stature, he's a very down-to-earth, humble man.

"He's got such a great presence," Arita said. "He made us part of his team and included us in the entire process."

For the rest of the month, Nelson, Arita and Todino will challenge themselves to replicate last Sunday's "process," without the help of Sakai and Kaoru.

"We won't do all the dishes," said Nelson, who demonstrated his own "Iron Chef" skills while preparing prime filet cuts at a live action station during last Sunday's dinner. "We'll do the amuse bouche, soup, salad, intermezzo, both entrees and dessert from that night."

For $65, the five-course menu starts with a palate-teasing chilled mushroom mousse served with a cherrywood-smoked, pan-fried scallop. This is followed by a choice of either Hawaiian heirloom tomato gazpacho martini or baby greens tossed with hearts of palms, fresh artichoke hearts, grilled fennel and roasted beet, all drizzled with a Banyul-vinegar-and-Tangelo vinaigrette.

Next comes a perfumey dollop of Big Island dragon fruit sorbet that cleanses the palate before the main attraction.

Sakai's seaweed-steamed moi served with grilled Keahole ezo awabi (abalone) will be one of the options. The other will be Nelson's porcini-mushroom-and-alaea-salt-crusted prime filet of beef, which will be accompanied by Molokai potato Dauphinois melded with Comte cheese and roasted root vegetables.

For dessert, guests will be indulged with a white-chocolate-and-hibiscus mousse that's surrounded by a puddle of poha berry gelee.