Radio Mojo- the Podcast.

Chuck Wakeman is passionate about being a butcher. With more than 20 years of experience  that started in Chicago ,and  included stints at Vintage Cave, Pig and Lady and Maui's The Mill House, Wakeman operates his Kakaako butcher  shop and deli just like a neighborhood butcher should. He's available for questions, happy to share his knowledge and recipes, skilled at the art of dry -aging and sausage making, ( to name just two of his many talents), and creator of one of the best burgers in Honolulu.
We could have talked to him for the entire hour... but we ran out of time....  you can find out more about the Butcher and Bird  here,  and for a true artisanal experience, go visit Chuck and his team at their Kakaako location. If only every neighborhood had a Butcher and Bird!

And in keeping with our meaty topic, we checked in with Pono Pork founder, Bob McGee. Bob's also been passionate about butchery and a strong advocate of the nose to tail movement for decades. At Pono Pork he's helping to educate his  growing customer base on the importance of using every part of the animal. Humanely reared pigs and a belief that no animal part should be wasted, make Bob one of our favorite guests.  


Enjoy! 
Jo

We're devouring more than just good food this week. Paul Kan joins us to chat about the release of his new book, Hawaii Beer, A History of Brewing in Paradise. The Foreword is written by Tim Golden, highly respected cicerone and owner of Village Bottle Shop and Tasting Room .

Sheldon Simeon's gorgeous Cook Real Hawaii is now in print - you can find it here - 
and it's full of beautiful photos, recipes and stories of Hawaii.

And Chris Ramelb of Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits waxes lyrical about two reds - Carignane- the controversial high yield grape  that Birichino winemakers Alex Krause and John Locke have curated to create Scylla. "It's   an old vine and super juicy, pretty, crunchy red fruit," says Chris, "  and probably one of the best red wine values in the world right now."  The other  wine we urge you to try and get your hands on is the fabulously named Car Car Domo Komo . " It's a one-off  wine and we likely won't see again," says Chris. "  Grab it while you can. At  Birichino - Alex Krause and John Locke have been making outstanding, somewhat quirky wines, since 2008 . These newest to the islands are not to be missed! 

Enjoy! 
Jo

In this episode, roving food reporter Thomas Obungen joins us to share his craving for a very special dish at O'Kim's Korean Kitchen . You can read more about the Korean inspired Paella ( or should that be the Spanish Inspired Korean Fried Rice ?) here. We also chat about the opening of Mhttps://mwrestaurant.com/W in their brand new location, and how restaurants are ever-evolving during these strange times.

And Brion Zablan joins us to chat about the opening of a second Purve Donuts at Kuono Marketplace.  The new store offers a fabulous experience of tiny donut making in a fresh, fun environment. There has never been an easier way to support a local business than stopping by Purve at either the original Kona Street location, or this new space at Kahala. 

Oh, and if you're following the NCAA Basketball Tournament, then you;ll likely be in need of a box of donuts or two as the weekend proved to be a bracket shattering event!  Bobby has the scoop on that ... 


Enjoy ! 

Jason Takemura has an understanding of classic flavors and an ability to translate their qualities into locally inspired dishes that transcend the average plate lunch or bento. His Bamboo Catering menu features everything from  Adobe Glazed Sous Vide Pork Belly, through Shiso Wrapped Shrimp and Corn Dumplings, to Sake Soy Glazed Boneless Short Ribs and Furikake Mochiko Chicken. His fish dishes ( steamed whole fish, panko crusted fish, grilled island catch with luau sauce, to name just a few) are expertly cooked and travel seamlessly whether you're ordering a casual dinner at home or planning a giant graduation party ( with COVID restrictions in mind, of course!). " After culinary school,  I worked my way down  the California Coast so i have a lot of California cuisine experience which I meld with my local knowledge... and we try to bring the two together, " he says.  The result is wonderful food, delivered by a friendly and professional staff . Perfect for a quiet night in, or a wedding or graduation party, Bamboo delivers . For catering inquiries, call David @  425 3037 .

And over in Kapolei, Jake Saito and his team are simply mad about pasta... hand made daily at the fun, fast paced Mad Bene

And finally in this episode, sommelier Christopher Lord has a passion for wine that he wants to share with anyone who'll listen.  His big  idea  is a sommeliers lounge, a   place where oenohphiles can gather,  and where those looking to learn about wine  more can take a class or two. " I fell in love with wine at a young age, " he says "  And I see a place where people can come together with a library, tasting rooms... a place to learn, to practice and to share knowledge.." We'll drink to that idea! 

Slainte! 

Thomas Obungen has a pop up you won't want to miss... and it may only be around for a month. Check out his take on Ten Ten Tempura - but be warned... it's only here for a month.
And we chat about the good news that is Iliili Cash and Carry . Our text messaging went a little wild at the mention of the return of  the pizza makers behind Z Pizza and Prima... it's been a long wait, but they're back!

And chef Eberhard  'Hardy' Kintscher, the long time chef at Michel's at the Colony Surf joins us to chat about their elegant take out and the fact that dining in is even better in their spacious, re-modelled, gorgeous, beachfront restaurant.. 
Enjoy! 

Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits talented young sommelier, Chris Ramelb, loves sports and knows his wines. We think there's no one better to make recommendations for Super Bowl Sunday. Check out some of his wine picks in this episode, including this wonderful Lambert -des- Seyssel - a champagne at  a non champagne price, and Big Island Brewshouse's Overboard IPA - a double gold medal winner at the US Open Beer Championship. 

And Dk Restaurant Group owner, DK Kodama takes a few minutes out of his busy schedule to catch up with Jo. Discover the origins of his famous  Crab Truffle Ramen.... 
Enjoy! 

Fendu Boulangerie Owner Niel Koep joins us to chat about the 'Sourdough Revolution' , his love of baking, and how Lockdown led customers to a greater appreciation of his profession. And Kenwei Chong, owner of La Gelateria shares how COVID forced his business to change, and the effects of selling directly to retail customers has encouraged new flavors of gelato. 
Enjoy ! 

At the amazing Otto Cake,  on 12th Avenue, Kaimuki, owner and baker,  Otto , creates more than 276 flavors of Hawaii's favorite cheesecake. So how to choose ?  " We always tell people to start with the original, plain" he says, " If you have a cheesecake without anything on it, and it tastes like cheesecake then that's what you want, " says Otto.

And  veteran director of film and TV Bryan Spicer joins us to chat about the rebranding of Sight and Sound Production and how he turned a local TV and Film Equipment rental house into a full service production company. 
In addition to promoting Hawaii - most recently by remote viewing of Hawaii online to potential clients- his goal is to nurture local talent. "I have more than 30-years of experience, " he says, "I'd like to pass some of that on." 

Enjoy! 

We're not in the business of predicting things, usually... but reading through the advanced copy of Sheldon Simeon's new book "Cook Real Hawaii"  we're betting that this is an award winner for best new cookbook  of 2021.  Photographed with a sensibility that captures the soul , culture and sheer joy behind cooking local food, Sheldon Simeon, ( with help from Gareth Snyder) has done a masterful job of relaying his love of Hawaii's food and culture through recipes and storytelling,
The result is a well recorded, beautifully photographed history of the cultures that have made Hawaii's food unique.
If  humility and joy  can shine through a book, then Cook Real Hawaii has achieved that. Sheldon's simple storytelling and well-researched ( and at times, complex) recipes showcase a Hawaii a world  away from the commonly held   image of pineapple pizza and poi. 
Cook Real Hawaii is a book that should  find its way into every true cook/food lover's home , and while it certainly will look good on a coffee table, our guess is it  isn't leaving the kitchen..
Publishing date is March 30th.  pre-order here. 

Happy New Year everyone! Now that we've got THAT year behind us , we're headed into this one with enthusiasm and renewed energy.
This week we caught up with Tiki's Grill and Bar co- owner Bill Tobin to talk about lessons learned from 2020 and to chat a little about his consulting company Restaurant Leadership 365.  "We're trying to share best practices and help people be good leaders," says Bill.
On the food side this week, we spend a little time with Chef Anthony Rush , co owner of Senia and the soon to be opened Podmore .  if you follow Chef on Instagram, you already know he has a passion for pastry - in particular the kind of pastry that can be crafted into some of the most intricate and beautiful Beef Wellington's you'll ever see. His motivation? "I think its just the satisfaction of seeing something that's never been done before.," he says. 
Enjoy!