Mr. McPhee

Food & Beverage

Staying Local from a Food and Beverage Point of View

By Ian McPhee, Hotel Manager, Ritz Carlton Kapalua

Over the years, Hoteliers have provided value to the luxury traveler via various amenities -- from thirsty bath robes and opulent spa escapes -- to bespoke mini-bars, personal butlers and the latest in technology at one’s fingertips. These however, have become industry standards at high end properties across the globe and for the guest whom the dollar amount is not a question, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua augments world-renowned service with island-savvy and innovative approaches, offering both tangible and intangible added-value for our guests.

The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua remains an impactful, active community partner with the island of Maui and the Aloha State -- taking great pride in existing harmoniously with its breathtaking, natural surroundings. As a result in March, officials from the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Department of Health and the state’s Chamber of Commerce named the renowned resort hotel one of only a few ‘Green Certified Businesses’ in Hawaii.

The islands of Hawaii are bountiful with fruits and vegetables, while also offering an abundance of fresh fish in its surrounding waters. From the top of the Big Island and Kona, to the mountain sides of Kula in Up Country, Maui – Executive Chef John Zaner has embraced staying local with our menu selection throughout the resort, an ethos subscribed to by the Ritz-Carlton brand as well.

Creative and Innovative - The Botanical Vegetable and Herb Gardens at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

The Ritz-Carlton has taken the organic approach to cultivating herbs and vegetables that are featured throughout the resort’s dining outlets, creating a true ‘Garden-to-Table’ experience for our guests. Not only do these efforts support environmental preservation, but they also provide our guests a socially-conscious, delicious and healthy dining experience grown just steps from where the flavorful dishes are relished.

Pumpkin seed crusted ahi sashimi

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s garden compost is derived from the expansive hotel’s kitchen waste. This is the primary source of sustainable green energy utilized to grow healthy herbs and vegetables. The entire garden is scientifically directed to ensure a maximum organic blend of nutrients is present in the produce for our guests.

Our culinary team’s celebrated savvy in pairing finely-sourced foods with garden-to-table ingredients and gastronomy techniques, presents globally-inspired items that always add value to our guests’ epicurean experience. Clients of all ages revel in our weekly complimentary Organic Garden Tour led by resort Chefs and our Master Horticulturist, soaking in knowledge of gardening and tips for creating their own organic garden-to-table menus. The on-site adventure culminates at a Chef’s table where healthy greens and luscious fruits from the garden are whipped up as a refreshing smoothie for all to enjoy.

Sun salutations are a rise and shine breakfast in The Terrace restaurant featuring Sweet Corn Griddle Pancakes with Black Forest ham – featuring the local ingredients of Kula sweet corn and Maui onion. The expansive breakfast buffet presentation is a feast for the senses and comprises of many items from the garden and around the island. Sweet preserves of strawberry, mango and pineapple are all house-made from farms here on Maui. Nutrient-rich spinach, basil and tomatoes line the omelet action station for décor and consumption. Oceanside, the lunch menu at The Beach House serves up a rich, Kalua Pork Sandwich offering island-raised pork. Among the many ‘appearances’ of the world-renowned Maui Gold Pineapple – the casual dining, surf-side kitchen adds the juicy fruit to the Kapalua Gazpacho along with Maui onions, local bell peppers and fresh herbs organically grown in the resort’s two passionately-tended gardens.

The pleasure of savoring these herbs, produce and more may also be experienced through the hotel’s In-Room Dining services. A favorite is the seared Ahi Salad, which presents the vibrant flavors of local mangoes, papaya and fresh fish from the shores of the Pacific. Crisp green salads are garnished with a neighboring purveyor’s offering of Surfing Goat Dairy Cheese, locally-grown fennel and Maui Onions from the property’s garden.

The list of organic offerings travels into the evening with dinner menu items at the Alaloa Bar and Lounge, as well as the hotel’s fine dining venue, Banyan Tree restaurant. The fine dining venue incorporates many of the garden’s harvests in dishes such as Organic Chicken with Lemon, Fingerling Potatoes and Herbs; Steamed Striped Bass is prepared with Maitake-Ginger and Sizzling Scallion Oil; Cumin-Crusted Hapu Sweet Summer Corn, Harissa and Cilantro and Spring Pea Soup, with Smoked Ham Essence, Minted Peas, Crème Fraiche. Alas, no fine dining experience is complete without dessert.

Sweet kaui prawns with kiwi carpaccio

Part gourmand/part gracious host -- Chef de Cuisine of Banyan Tree, Jojo Vasquez, adds another level of intangible value to guests and locals as he works the award-winning dining room. Each night he’s at the helm of the kitchen, Chef Jojo effortlessly makes his way through the ambient space to personally chat about the dishes, the preparation, the ingredients and the inspiration. Loyal Ritz-Carlton guests across the globe find value in and have come to expect personalized service and ‘entrée’ if you will, to such engagement. Vasquez pairs his artistry with the pastry team in creating a dynamic Shooting Star dessert -- a chocolate lover’s dream come true – featuring a indulgent chocolate cake accompanied by locally-farmed star fruit, presented on a plate of delicately brushed basil paint. The passionate Executive Pastry Chef, Ashley Nakano, tantalizes palates with a crescendo of refreshing, house-made ice creams infused with garden-grown mint and basil. Among her specialties is the Warm Pineapple Cake served with Coconut Lavender Sorbet, artfully balanced on a tear drop plate. Ashley’s Lemon Grass Scented Raspberry is the perfect garnish for the popular Pineapple Crème Brulee finale.

Herbs and vegetables from our garden are not limited to our dining venues, but are also prominent in many of the hand-crafted cocktails and within sophisticated banquet menus. Recipes for salad dressings, imaginative rubs and decadent desserts have all been grown in our gardens overlooking the sparkling shores of D.T. Fleming Beach. This commitment to our land as our ancestors sourced it, has translated to an estimated 20% savings annually – while truly providing a memorable experience for our guests and a glowing sense of pride for our resort-family.

Providing value at the luxury tier continues to evolve, due to anticipating what truly inspires our guests today – either demonstrated or suggested -- and offering unrivaled experiences they will forever remember and yearn to return to discover what awaits them ahead. Such levels of creativity and sustainability continue to be a labor of love for The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua – and as a result, leave an indelible impression on our clients, our stakeholders and ourselves.

The AAA Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua showcases a stunning, fully-renovated destination resort offering 463 guestrooms, including 107 residential suites, boasting warm-hued wood floors, rich travertine bathrooms, flat-screen LCD televisions and Hawaiian-inspired artwork. The Waihua Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua beckons with treatment rooms framed by private garden showers, volcanic stone grottos, steam, sauna and whirlpool therapies, outdoor couple's hale (cabanas) and a fitness center and movement studio with spectacular ocean views. Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment program offers all interest levels an array of outdoor activities from land to sea, led by trained naturalists. The resort also features six restaurants, enhanced indoor/outdoor meeting space, an inviting children's pool and luxury cabanas. The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is nestled on 54 acres and enveloped by the 23,000 acre Kapalua Resort, renowned for two championship golf courses, award-winning restaurants and an historic pineapple plantation.

Long-time Ritz-Carlton veteran, Ian McPhee, was named Hotel Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua earlier this year. Bringing more than 29 years of extensive industry savvy to the role, Mr. McPhee leads the acclaimed resort’s Food & Beverage division -- including its six restaurants – in addition to Culinary, Meetings & Special Events, Spa, Retail and Rooms now under his guidance. In the span of his 14 years with the renowned brand, Mr. McPhee’s commitment has resulted in various leadership positions across the globe -- beginning with Banquets in Boston, then at the helm of operations and food and beverage divisions in Washington D.C., Georgetown, San Francisco, Osaka, Japan and ultimately settling in Maui -- where he has called home for the past year and one half. The breadth of property mixes also allowed Mr. McPhee to intimately oversee budgets, labor management and hotel standards. Mr. McPhee can be contacted at 808-669-6200 or ian.mcphee@ritzcarlton.com Extended Bio...

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