In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, hoteliers, educators, and workforce leaders explore how the hospitality industry can better prepare the next generation for long-term success.

Moderated by Young Yun, Executive Director of Ment’or, the panel features Wendy Hensel (University of Hawai'i), Kelly Sanders (Highgate), Craig Anderson (Mauna Kea Resort), and Mike Palmer (Hawai'i Restaurant Association).

Together, they discuss how recruitment, training, mentorship, and workplace culture all play a role in building stronger career pathways across culinary and hospitality. Across the conversation, they explore how employers and educators can better support talent through hands-on learning, leadership development, clear growth opportunities, and a deeper investment in people at every stage of the workforce journey.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how shaping the future of hospitality may depend on seeing talent not simply as labor to fill roles—but as people to develop, retain, and help thrive.

In Part Two of this FEAST: Dish & Dialogue episode, digital creators and brand leaders continue the conversation on how social media is shaping the food industry—and how creators and businesses can work together more effectively.

Moderated by Kara Kozuma, Senior Associate Manager of Earned Media at King’s Hawaiian, the panel features Ben Hon (@stuffbeneats), Kiki Aranita (The Philadelphia Inquirer), Kale Afong (@hawaiisonly), and Philip Lemoine (@philip_lemoine).

Together, they discuss how creators navigate audience engagement, brand partnerships, AI tools, and the realities of building influence in an increasingly crowded digital space. Across the conversation, they explore how metrics, platform strategy, and authentic collaboration can turn social media from a visibility tool into a meaningful driver of connection, credibility, and business growth.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how the future of food media may depend not just on creating content—but on building trust, community, and lasting value around it.

In Part One of this FEAST: Dish & Dialogue episode, digital creators and food media professionals explore how social media is reshaping the way we discover, experience, and engage with food.

Moderated by Kara Kozuma, Senior Associate Manager of Earned Media at King’s Hawaiian, the panel features Ben Hon (@stuffbeneats), Kiki Aranita (The Philadelphia Inquirer), Kale Afong (@hawaiisonly), and Philip Lemoine (@philip_lemoine).

Together, they discuss how authenticity, storytelling, and community-building drive success in today’s content landscape—from balancing sponsored partnerships and editorial integrity to leveraging niche content, trends, and collaborations. Across the conversation, they explore how social platforms are influencing restaurants, shaping consumer behavior, and creating new pathways from online audiences to real-world business.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how the rise of food influencers is not just changing marketing—but redefining how the industry connects with people.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, culinary leaders and cultural stewards explore what it takes to preserve heritage foodways through agriculture, education, and community.Moderated by Representative Kirstin Kahaloa, the panel features Keliko Hoe (Waiahole Poi Factory), Lehia Apana (Polipoli Farms), Kealoha Domingo (Nui Kealoha), and Stacy Sproat (Waipa Foundation).

Together, they discuss how ancestral knowledge, traditional farming practices, Indigenous ingredients, and community-based food education help sustain cultural food systems in Hawaiʻi. Across the conversation, they highlight the importance of accessibility, storytelling, and relationships to ʻāina in keeping heritage foods relevant for future generations.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how preserving foodways is not only about honoring tradition, but about strengthening communities and shaping a more resilient local food future.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, Sean Sherman, James Beard Award-winning founder of NATIFS and a leading voice in the Indigenous food movement, shares his perspective on reclaiming Indigenous food systems and restoring the knowledge, traditions, and relationships to land disrupted by colonization.

Drawing from his experience as a chef and educator, Sherman explores how rebuilding Native foodways—from ingredients and techniques to community-driven models—can redefine Indigenous cuisine today. He offers a powerful framework for using food as a tool for education, healing, and long-term sustainability.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, this episode highlights how revitalizing Indigenous foodways can strengthen communities, restore balance to our food systems, and shape a more connected and resilient future.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, chefs and hospitality leaders explore how AI is beginning to reshape both restaurant and hotel operations—and what it means to preserve authenticity along the way.

Moderated by Maya Rogers, CEO of Tetris, the panel features Rich Rosendale (Rosendale Collective), Jason Peel (Nami Kaze), Tom Calame (Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts Hawaii), and Kevin Yim (Zippy's Restaurants).

Together, they discuss how technology is being integrated across hospitality—from kitchen equipment, menu planning, and forecasting to concierge services, online ordering, and guest communication. Across the discussion, they explore how AI can improve efficiency and support better decision-making to keep human connection at the center of the guest experience.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how the future of hospitality may depend on using AI not to replace aloha, but to create more space for it.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, Guy Kawasaki, renowned tech evangelist and author of Think Remarkable, shares perspective on how to navigate a world increasingly shaped by AI.Drawing from his experience in technology and innovation, Kawasaki breaks down how individuals and organizations can use AI as a tool to enhance creativity, improve decision-making, and stay competitive. From treating AI as a “creative partner” to offloading repetitive tasks and using data more effectively, he offers actionable insights on how to work smarter in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how those who are both unique and valuable—and who embrace a practical, human-centered approach to AI—are best positioned to shape the future of business, leadership, and hospitality.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, Hawai‘i leaders come together to explore how agritourism and regenerative hospitality are shaping the future of destination management across the islands.

Moderated by Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, the conversation features Kea Keolanui (O.K. Farms & Hawaii Eco Experiences), Jennifer Luck (Common Ground Kaua'i), Kau‘i Kanaka‘ole (Ala Kukui Hāna Retreat), and Micah Kāne (Parker Ranch). Together, they share how their work across agriculture, culture, land stewardship, and community development is redefining what it means to build a destination rooted in place. From regenerative farming and cultural practice to education and visitor engagement, the discussion highlights how meaningful experiences are created when land, people, and story are deeply connected.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how Hawai‘i can lead with a more thoughtful, place-based approach to tourism—where stewardship, culture, and community are at the center of the visitor experience.

In this episode of FEAST: Dish & Dialogue, Josh Feathers, Executive Chef of the Main House at Blackberry Farm, explores how culinary can serve as an extension of landscape, culture, and story.

Drawing from the legacy of Blackberry Farm, Feathers shares how the land, history, and agricultural roots of a place can do more than influence what’s on the plate—they can define the entire guest experience. He reflects on how honoring a property’s heritage, investing in stewardship, and creating a deep connection between food and place can build more meaningful and sustainable hospitality.

Recorded live at the FEAST Summit during the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, this episode explores how purpose-driven hospitality can turn the farm itself into the destination—and why that model resonates far beyond the table.