Jackie Lau, corporate executive chef for Roy's Restaurants, represented the Islands recently in the fourth annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans — one of just 19 chefs chosen to participate. She prepared a dish of Kona kampachi (aquacultured Hawaiian yellowtail amberjack) seasoned with inamona (roasted kukui-nut relish) and a salad with Hamakua-raised hearts of palm, locally farmed sea asparagus, ogo and Maui onions dressed with a Hawaiian vanilla-bean vinaigrette.

Though she didn't win, Lau — a Hispanic raised in California but married to locally born Cleighton Lau — impressed the judges. A focus of the event, which is sponsored partly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the use of ingredients from sustainable sources.

DANIEL THIEBAUT CELEBRATES

LOTS OF FUN MARKS RESTAURANT'S 7TH ANNIVERSARY

Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant, the award-winning establishment in the historic Chock In Store, Waimea, is celebrating its seventh anniversary. There's a special "Alsace & Lorraine" fixed-price menu being featured now through Monday and a "Summer Whites" wine tasting on Tuesday.

On Aug. 25, Thiebaut is hosting a fundraising event for Mala'ai, the culinary garden at Waimea Middle School; North Hawaii Hospice and the Hawaii Island Humane Society. He has invited seven Waimea residents to work alongside his chefs throughout the restaurant: former Advertiser food editor Joan Namkoong, fire Capt. Daryl Olivera, hotelier Adi Kohler, James Sandborn, Ron Dela Cruz and Patti Cook. Cost is $77. Reservations: 808-887-2200.