Thanks to both outside influences and native resources, Hawaiian cuisine is incredibly diverse for such a small geographic space. But when you’re Hawai'i’s most well-known chef, everyone expects you to define it. Since beginning his career at a plate lunch restaurant, Sheldon Simeon has been an acclaimed restaurateur, a Top Chef contestant, and (most recently) a cookbook writer. He lives, breathes, and cooks Hawai’i, and this week on the show he’s here to talk about what it means to be a Hawaiian chef. He and Amanda talk about growing up on the islands, his run on Top Chef, and the crossroads he found himself at when it was over. And to spark your travel appetite, he recommends his top food spots on Maui, where he lives now. Restaurants editor Elyse Inamine—who profiled Simeon for our website—pops in along the way to rep for an often-misunderstood Hawaiian ingredient: Spam.

Stuff we talk about in this episode:

- Sheldon Simeon’s Guide to Maui: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/sheldon-simeon-maui

- Elyse Inamine’s Profile on Sheldon Simeon: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/sheldon-simeon-hawaii-cookbook

- Cook Real Hawai’i: A Cookbook by Sheldon Simeon with Garrett Snyder: https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Real-Hawaii-Sheldon-Simeon/dp/1984825836

- Oki’s Seafood Corner Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/okisseafood/?hl=en

- Papa’aina Maui Restaurant Website: https://www.papaainamaui.com/

- Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice Website: https://www.ululanishawaiianshaveice.com/

- MonkeyPod Kitchen Website : https://monkeypodkitchen.com/

- Star Noodle Website: https://www.starnoodle.com/visit-star-noodle-directions

- Noreetuh Website: https://www.noreetuh.com/ 

- Elyse Inamine on How to Make Spam Musubi: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/spam-musubi

- Spam musubi press : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NEFH16?ots=1&slotNum=2&imprToken=88be0cf3-3e28-ab92-533&ascsubtag=%5B%5Dst%5Bp%5Dcjo5vcmnj000kjsyeqw99u8cz%5Bi%5D8z2rfQ%5Bu%5D11%5Bt%5Dw%5Br%5Dgoogle.com%5Bd%5DD%5Bz%5Dm&linkCode=sl1&tag=bapodcasts-20&linkId=b04a125274ff53c9a0fedb3d6160b0c5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

- Tin Roof Website : http://www.tinroofmaui.com/

- dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices