our mission:
our reason:
our approach:
Chef Hui creates vital connections between people, food, farmers, and well-being. We strengthen communities by building resilient local food networks that nourish bodies and minds, especially when our neighbors need it most. Through these connections, educational resources and activities, and access to culturally rooted nutrition, we're cultivating healthier individuals and more sustainable connected communities across Hawai'i.
In our efforts to repair Hawaiʻi's food system, many organizations have successfully built better markets, distribution channels, and processing facilities—yet the most broken element remains the connection to one another and to the story of our place and people. The rich narratives of our farmers and food producers—their challenges, innovations, cultural knowledge, and deep connection to place—rarely reach the people consuming their food. This disconnect doesn't just diminish our appreciation; it undermines the very sustainability of local agriculture and our collective food security.
Chef Hui uniquely bridges these gaps by leveraging the power of food professionals, cultural knowledge, and community networks to create systems that simultaneously address immediate nutrition needs while building lasting food resilience. Our work spans four interconnected pillars:
Pillar 1: #FeedthePeopleHI
We transform surplus and local ingredients into nutritious meals, simultaneously addressing food insecurity, reducing waste, and strengthening community ties. By connecting food resources with those who need them most, we create an efficient food system that benefits everyone—from farmers with excess produce to families facing food challenges.
Pillar 2: Roots & Recipes
We empower Hawaiʻi's communities to reconnect with their food heritage and develop practical culinary skills for healthier, more sustainable living. Through engaging digital content, hands-on education, and cultural preservation, we bridge generational knowledge gaps while addressing modern food challenges.
Pillar 3: Ke Pākaukau
We cultivate a resilient culinary community where knowledge flows freely between established chefs, emerging talents, cultural practitioners, and food producers. This network preserves irreplaceable cultural wisdom while fostering innovation and professional growth.
Pillar 4: Emergency Feeding & Community Resilience
We stand ready to mobilize food resources rapidly during crises, utilizing our established networks, systems, and expertise to feed communities when they need it most. Our preparedness model transforms the chaos of disaster response into coordinated action while building community resilience before emergencies occur.
ABOUT OUR LOGO
Our logo represents our mission to maintain a sustaining connection with our community. The pōhaku kuʻi ʻai (poi pounder) at the center, hits the papa kuʻi ʻai (poi pounding board) and creates the lines that radiate around and out from it- representing the motion of the pounding.
The pōhaku kuʻi ʻai symbolizes the Chef and the papa kuʻi ʻai is the greater community. The motion (kuʻi) in this represents the constant support from that chef to the community. Much like the motion, the support is consistent, steady and paced.
While poi is simple and humble in appearance, creating it takes practice, expertise and skill. Kalo was the staple food of old Hawaiʻi and it is symbolic in its ability to connect us all. It is these values of connection, sustainability, agriculture, and kuleana that represents Chef Hui. We hope as we serve our community it continues to have a ripple effect just like this image represents.
Chef Hui is more than just a couple chefs coming together. It is a mobile collaborative of stakeholders from all walks of life ready to step up and step in where they are needed. As part of the Chef Hui our hope is to provide a support system for any and all dedicated to a more robust and equitable food system while having some fun along the way.
Support our work
When you donate to Chef Hui, you're fueling a powerful, community-led movement to strengthen Hawai‘i’s local food system from the inside out.
By connecting chefs, farmers, food producers, and nonprofits, we break down silos and create a collaborative network that feeds people and supports local livelihoods. Your contribution helps us provide fresh, nutritious meals made from rescued, donated, and locally sourced ingredients—prepared with care by culinary professionals and dedicated volunteers.
With your support, Chef Hui can expand our reach, support more local farmers, and deliver even more meals to communities across Hawai‘i. Together, we can create a resilient and deeply connected food system that feeds us all.
Chef Hui
2023 Annual Report
Read the full report here
