2024 Poke Fest is a Wrap!

A huge mahalo to everyone that came out in support of the 2024 Poke Fest! We set a record for attendance (nearly 800 people) and served over 800 pounds of fresh ahi at this year’s festival.

Congratulations to all 21 professional and amateur chefs that competed this year. This was the closest competition we’ve seen yet. Below are the top-5 winners as judged by everyone that attended (and scored) as well as our panel of expert judges.

A stone pot of rice porridge topped with herbs and seafood, with small side dishes of sauces on a bamboo mat.

1st Place Winner

  • Dish: Throw Back
  • Chef: Don Gusmam
A colorful seafood “nest” of black noodles with tomato topping, sliced eggs, prosciutto, and herb garnish, plated on a white base.

2nd Place Winner

  • Dish: Da Kona Moku Poke
  • Chef: Turquoise Santos
Close-up of a gourmet dish: crunchy meat/pâté with herbs, edible pink flowers, and sauce dots on a plate.

3rd Place Winner

  • Dish: Poke Surprise
  • Chef: Grecean Manuel
A plated gourmet meal: seared purple sweet potato and salmon tartare with cucumbers, herbs, and smoke drifting above the dish.

4th Place Winner

  • Dish: Smokin’ Good
  • Chef: Kauai Kookie
A plated dish with meat, green herb sauce, lime wedges, and purple flower garnish, finished with decorative bits on top.

5th Place Winner

  • Dish: Surf & Turf
  • Chef: James Badua