Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi

The Maui Pineapple Company operates the last pineapple canning operation in Hawaii. Hawaii Cooks visits the cannery to find out what makes the Maui Pineapple Company worth maintaining despite its high production costs. In the Kitchen, Roy uses Hawaii's most famous fruit to prepare a pineapple broth served with roasted pork.

This episode features Rick and Pat Spencer, whose Hawaiian Marine Enterprises uses harvested seawater to raise limu ogo, or edible seaweed. While keeping the farm going has been a constant challenge, the Spencer's have been successful in cultivating several varieties of limu ogo on their family run farm in the Kahuku area of Oahu's northshore.

A hot entree served with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad, the plate lunch is Hawaii's version of a blue plate special. Served in casual restaurants and diners, the plate lunch is a perennial lunchtime favorite. Hawaii Cooks visits several of Honolulu's busiest lunch time eateries to find out what makes an outstanding plate lunch.

Hawaii Cooks explores the nooks and crannies of one the world's most famous resorts to find the hidden treasures of Waikiki. Some of the "finds" include a rooftop hydroponic garden and a visit to the elegant and historical Halekulani hotel. In the Kitchen, Roy prepares a Hawaiian style stuffed chicken.

While Hawaii is home to more than 40,000 people of Okinawan ancestry, it is rare to find local shops or restaurants specializing in Okinawan crafts and food. One of the few restaurants serving authentic Okinawan cuisine is Restaurant Kariyushi. Roy prepares an Okinawan pasta topped with braised sweet pork.

Hawaii Cooks travels to Oahu's rural beachside community of Waianae to find out how local families are raising sunfish fish in their backyards for sustenance and economic independence. Roy uses the Waianae raised sunfish to create a macadamia nut and parsley flavored crispy sunfish.

Shop to find out how a descendent of these immigrants, Anita Tanaka, turned her hobby into a commercial success. In the Kitchen, Roy prepares a steak sandwich using Ani's Bake Shop's signature taro rolls and our guest chef is John Peru, known in Hawaii as the "Portuguese Chef" Peru prepares a traditional Portuguese dish of pork and clams.

An annual food and wine event in Hawaii, Cuisines of the Sun, features foods of sunny climates. This year's theme was "The Spice of Life." Hawaii Cooks visited the event to learn the secrets of adding flavor and fragrance with spices from some of the country's top chefs, including Emeril Lagasse who prepares a spicy gumbo made with duck and wild mushrooms.

Hawaii Cooks celebrates the joys of home with a look at home gardening and cooking. In our Source segment, we visit several community gardens. Started in 1975 by former Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi, the Community Gardens project is a way for Honolulu residents who live in high-rise buildings or homes with limited yard space to enjoy the benefits of gardening in shared neighborhood gardens.

Small boutique breweries are making a variety of quality unique beers. Hawaii Cooks visits Ali'i Brewing Company, for a taste of some of their more unusual products, including a Kona coffee beer and a passion fruit flavored ale. In the Kitchen, Roy creates the perfect accompaniment to beer, his version of buffalo chicken wings.

Find out how the experts go about pairing wine and food for themselves when our own Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya hosts Au Bon Climat winemaker Jim Clendenen in the kitchen. Winemaker Clendenen prepares a Salmon flavored with tamarind fruit and tomatillos. In our Style segment, we visit with several Honolulu wine collectors for tips on storing wine and starting a collection.

By introducing children to the joys of gardening we instill in them an awareness of the "earth to the table" connection. Roy and his children, along with our Master Sommelier, Chuck Furuya's children visit the Hawaii Nature Center to learn techniques for growing potted herbs. In the Kitchen it's a family affair when Roy Jr and daughter, Nicole join their dad in preparing a simple cheese soufflé.

Hawaii Cooks takes a trip to the Big Island where ranching continues as a way of life, and where innovations to the practice of raising cattle are being used to create a better, more flavorful beef. In the Kitchen Chef Yamaguchi uses the flavorful beef to prepare a seared steak.