Everyone loves flavorful candy on a stick and Ken Takahashi took the treats to a new level with his Burger Pops at last year’s Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range. Assigned grass-fed burger, Takahashi created something unique and fun to eat while “grazing” at Taste. Chef shares his recipe for making burger “lollipops,” tells how he got into cooking and details his use of grass-fed beef at Honolulu Burger Company.

Chef Ken Takahashi oversees the frying of Burger Lollipops by a Kona HawCC culinary student at last year's Taste.

From Hilo to O’ahu
Born in Sapporo, Japan, Ken arrived in Hilo at the tender age of five in 1967. He attended De Silva Elementary, Waiakea Intermediate and High Schools and graduated from UH Manoa with a BBA in international business. He opened Honolulu Burger Company in 2010 after getting into the culinary arts via restaurant management.

Takahashi explains, “I began in the restaurant business as a part time host at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Ajisai-tei restaurant.  There, I learned marketing and front-of-the-house operations, as well as rudimentary kitchen tasks from the chef.  Within a few months, I became marketing/ sales manager and was responsible for also managing their two other restaurants.  In order to effectively oversee the other restaurant operations, I had to learn how to cook and teach kitchen operations and cooking procedures to the culinary staff.  That’s where it all started.  After that, I opened a small hot dog, burritos and gyros stand called the Dog House at the King’s Village Shopping Center.

Besides loving food, Ken enjoys golf. He explains, “At last year’s Taste of the Range, I was able to sneak off with my friends from Hilo and almost finished 17 holes in two hours at Waikoloa Village Golf Club before it poured on us. Then I had to rush back to finish making our burger pops.”

Q and A

Q: How would you describe your cooking style and please give some examples.
A: Chop Suey!  I’m not ashamed to admit that through my career in the restaurant industry, I learned from whomever was willing to teach me.  My mom taught me traditional Japanese home cooking. I learned other cuisines from chefs at different restaurants that I was involved with. I picked up ideas from cookbooks, TV-I was a food network junkie when it first started- and I even learned how to make a great tzatziki sauce from a Greek taxi driver who didn’t like what I was using for my gyros. Finally, I experimented with tastes and ingredients in the kitchen-it was a lot of trial and error.

Q: Why do you use grass-fed beef?
A: At Honolulu Burger Company, our main goal is to use grass-fed beef as hamburger patties for burgers first.  We also started making loco mocos with it as well.  In addition, we use sliced grass-fed sirloin for our Teri and Philly Dip Sandwiches, as well as boneless short ribs and brisket for our braised short rib sandwiches.  I have experimented with mountain oysters but didn’t do too well….

Q. What are your favorite grass-fed beef cuts and why?
A: I really like all the different cuts because of the product quality.

Q: Do you let patrons know on your menu they are eating grass-fed beef?
A: Yes, our business plan revolves around the concept of eating local and grass-fed beef.

Q: What other local food products are your favorite and why?
A: The great thing about Hawai’i is that it is the true melting pot of world cultures, ideas and food!  We have such a diverse food culture that there is always a new favorite for me and it changes all the time.  (that’s why I’m so fat-Iove to eat all the time!)

Q: Are you participating in the 2012 Taste?
A: Yes!

Honolulu Burger Company is located at 1295 S. Beretania St. in Honolulu, 808-626-5202, www.honoluluburgercom.com.

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe: Big Island Beef Burger Pops

Makes 16 Pops
Perfect for parties and pupus

1 lb grass-fed burger (1 oz per pop)
Ingredients for your choice of stuffings (see below suggestions):
- Chopped mushrooms and shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped jalapenos and shredded cheese
- Crumbled blue cheese and crumbled fried bacon
16 won ton wrappers
16 wooden sticks
Oil for deep frying pops

Get the oil hot in your fryer 350 degrees. Roll 1 oz. of burger around your choice of stuffing combos, covering all the stuffing with burger. Stick the lollipop sticks in the meatball.  Moisten the wrapper edges.  Wrap burger ball in won ton wrapper. Make sure to wrap the won ton pei around the stick and give it a twist to make sure that it adheres to the lollipop stick at its base.  Place the pops, burger side down, in deep fryer basket and lower into deep fryer (try not to get the stick in the oil-to make it easier to handle don’t get oil on the sticks). Fry till golden brown. Raise basket and carefully remove pops and place on paper towels to drain and cool. Serve with bowl of condiments for dipping: mustard, ketchup, mayo, chopped pickle, etc.

Retailers, Restaurants and Resorts
Retailers are listed in bold.

Info is subject to change. List is alphabetized and divided into geographic areas for convenience. Check with resorts as to which restaurant serves grass-fed beef. To have your biz put on this list, email ferng@hawaii.rr.com. Updated 4-17-2012. Mahalo!

EAST SIDE
Honoka’a-Hamakua
JJ’s Country Market, Honoka’a-775-7744
Tex Drive In, Honoka’a-775-0598

Hilo
Bueno Burrito-930-6565
Café Pesto-969-4858
Don’s Grill-935-9099
Hilo Bay Café-935-4939
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel-935-9361
Island Naturals Market & Deli-935-5533
Keaukaha Market-935-5535
KTA Super Stores: Puainako St.- 935-3731, Keawe St.-935-3731
Kuhio Grille-959-2336
Kumyo’s Okazuya-933-1335
Nori’s Saimin & Snacks-935-9133
Sack ‘n Save-935-3113
Verna’s Drive In-935-2776

East Hawai’i-South
Da Store, Hawaiian Beaches (Pahoa)-965-8192
Foodland, Kea’au-966-9316
Island Naturals Market & Deli, Pahoa-965-8322
J Hara Store, Kuristown-966-5462
KOA Shop Kaffee, Mountain View-968-1129
Kaleo’s Restaurant, Pahoa-965-5600
Malama Market, Pahoa-965-2105
Pahoa Cash & Carry-965-8216
Verna’s, Kea’au-966-9288
Verna’s Too, Mountain View-968-8774
Volcano Store, Volcano Village-967-7210

Ka’u
Island Market, Na’alehu-929-7527

WEST SIDE
North Kohala/Kawaihae
Kahua Ranch-882-7954
Kohala Burger & Taco, Kawaihae Shopping Center-880-1923
M. Nakahara Store, Hawi-889-6359
Takata Store, Hawi-889-5261
Zest Restaurant, Hawi-889-1188

Waimea
Allen’s Table-885-6268
Earl’s Waimea-887-1800
Healthways II, Parker Ranch Center-885-6775
KTA Super Store-885-8866
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows-885-6622
Merriman’s-885-6822
Paniolo Country Inn-885-4377
Red Water Café-885-9299
Village Burger, Parker Ranch Center-885-7319

Kohala Coast/Waikoloa Village
Eddie Aikau Restaurant/Surf Museum, Waikoloa Kings’ Shops-886-8433
The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i, Kohala Coast-885-2000
Foodland Farms, Shops at Mauna Lani-887-6101
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Ka’upulehu-325-8000
Island Gourmet Market, Waikoloa Queens’ MarketPlace-886-3577
Merriman’s Market Café, Waikoloa Kings’ Shops-886-1700
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Kohala Coast, 882-7222
Napua at Mauna Lani Beach Club, Kohala Coast-885-5910
Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill, Waikoloa Kings’ Shops-886-4321
Tommy’s Bahama Restaurant & Bar, Shops at Mauna Lani-881-8686
Waikoloa Grill and Bar, Waikoloa Beach Resort-886-8797
Waikoloa Village Market, Waikoloa Highlands Center-883-1088

Kona
13 Palms, Keauhou Shopping Center-324-1555
Annie’s Island Fresh Burgers, Kainaliu-324-6000
Choice Mart Super Market, Captain Cook-323-3994
El Maguey, Old Industrial Area, Kailua-Kona, 329-0636
Harbor House, Honokohau Marina-326-4166
Holuakoa Café, Holualoa-322-2233
Humpy’s Big Island Ale House, Kailua-Kona-324-2337
Island Lava Java Bistro & Grill, Kailua-Kona-327-2161
Island Naturals Market & Deli: Kailua-Kona-326-1122, Kainaliu-930-7550
Keauhou Beach Resort-332-3441
Kona Natural Foods, Crossroads Center, Kailua-Kona-329-2296
KTA Super Stores: Kailua-Kona-329-1677, Keauhou-322-2311
Mahina Café, Captain Cook-323-3200
Mi’s Italian Bistro, Captain Cook-323-3880
Oshima Brothers Store, Kainaliu-322-3844
Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, Keauhou Shopping Center-333-3434
Sandy’s Drive In, Kainaliu-322-2161
Ultimate Burger, Kailua-Kona-329-2326
Vista Restaurant at Kona Country Club, Keauhou-322-3700

To Purchase Beef in Bulk
Hawaii Beef Producers, Pa’auilo-776-1109 or JJ’s Country Market, Honoka’a-775-7744
Kahua Ranch, North Kohala-882-4646
Kulana Foods, Hilo-959-9144

To Locate Hawaii Ranchers Hawaiian Red Veal-885-5599

Island Caterers Using Grass-Fed Beef
Chef Kanoa Miura
Chef Devin Lowder
Chef Olelo pa’a Faith Ogawa
Kohala Coast Catering, 880-1541
Sodexo at University of Hawai’i Hilo, 974-7303

Taste of the Hawaiian Range Tips for Purchasing Big Isle Grass-Fed Beef

• The Difference in Meat Cuts
• Dry-Aged or Wet-Aged?
• Purchasing Meat in Bulk

Save the Date
9.21.2012 for Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range at the Hilton Waikoloa Village

Maui No Ka Oi

Chef Scott Lutey (far right) and team give the shaka the 2011 Taste

Born and raised on The Valley Isle, Chef Lutey is a local boy who “loves to free dive and surf.” He credits his grandmother, who did a lot of cooking when he was growing up, for igniting his flame for the culinary arts. “I always remember the fish-steamed uhu or fried akule. If the opihi were big, she would put them on the grill.”

After graduating from Maui’s Lahainaluna High School, Lutey attended Kapiolani and Hilo Community Colleges. He earned his culinary chops at numerous restaurants and hotels on Maui and Kaua’i before coming to the Big Isle to serve as executive chef at Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Café. On the way, the Hawai’i native earned numerous awards and accolades, including being named a James Beard House “Featured Chef” and Angostura “World Class Taste” grand prize winner.

The four-time Hale ‘Aina Award winner has been at Eddie Aikau since it opened in July 2011 and has been wowing patrons with his innovative menu that relies on a wide variety of local foods-everything from Waipi’o Valley taro and ti leaf to Hula Girl Honey.

Q and A

Q: How would you describe your cooking style?

A: Simple.  I try to enhance the flavors and presentation of local products, like with our Watermelon Salad or Waimea Tomato Salad.  I try to present the foods in interesting ways, with different textures and layers of flavors.

Q: Why do you use grass-fed beef?

A: I use grass-fed beef because I support the local farmers and ranchers of course.  But a big part of it is flavor.  GFB has no hormones or the other chemicals they pump into other cows.

Q: What are your favorite GFB cuts and why?

A: The filet, because the flavor is very clean.  Sometimes other beef, packaged meat, has a “bloody” flavor.  The grass-fed filet doesn’t have that.

Q: Do you let patrons know they are eating GFB on the menu?

A: Yes, absolutely!

Q: What other local food products are your favorite and why?

A: My favorite is still the fish.  You can get meat all over the Mainland, but there’s nothing like the fish here in the islands.  Asa, our fresh fish provider, came in with a beautiful, fresh mahi and cut it just this morning.  Why come to Hawai’i and not eat the fish?

Q: Are you returning to participate in Taste?

A: Yes!

Eddie Aikau Restaurant and Surf Museum is located at the Kings’ Shops in the Waikoloa Beach Resort, 808-886-8433, Facebook. Read the Recipe Renovator blog on the 2011 Taste and get Chef Scott’s Spicy Bloody Mary Mix recipe.

Serves 2

Chef Lutey's Kalua Big Island Beef "taste" at last year's event

Grass-fed local Beef Tenderloin
2-6 oz. medallions
1 t. fresh black pepper
1 t. alae salt
4 oz. Big Island Goat Cheese

Tomato Relish
1 cup ripe local tomato small diced
1/2 cup roasted garlic chopped
1 T. chopped fresh Basil
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. 12-year balsamic

Season medallions on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill to desired temperature. Top with cheese. In a small bowl, mix tomato relish. Use favorite accompaniment and top with tomato relish.

3 lbs grass-fed beef shortribs OR slice chuck roast into stew thickness
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 cup catsup
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1T sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 T vinegar
1-1/2 T sherry
3 T shoyu
1-1/2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T cornstarch or flour
1/4 cup water

Brown shortribs with salt and small coating of flour. Place remaining ingredients except cornstarch and water. Simmer for 90 mins or until tender. Mix cornstarch and water to thicken sauce as necessary. Serve over rice or noodles.

That’s what the Hawai’i Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative Committee (GLCI) says in its effort to promote the sound management and skillful use of Hawai’i's grazing lands.

What’s a Grazier?

Founded in 2006, the statewide organization is a partnership of graziers-the word collectively defines people who manage grazing animals and utilize grazing lands to produce animal products, by-products and ecosystem services. They farm grass.

Since its founding, GLCI works in coordination with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-Pacific Islands Area, the Hawai’i Cattlemen’s Council, the Hawai`i Sheep and Goat Association and other partners to further the grazing industry’s contribution to natural resource and ecosystem conservation while continuing to promote economically viable ranch operations.

Since its inception GLCI has been busy educating the public on the importance of well-managed grazing lands.

Need for Good Grazing Lands

Hawai'i GLCI Desmond Auweloa (photo credit)

Grazing lands comprise nearly a quarter of the state’s 4.11 million-acre land mass. The most noticeable benefit of well-managed grazing lands is beauty-everyone appreciates open space and vistas. It’s also easy to understand that healthy pastureland is food security as a properly grazed ranch translates to high quality meat, especially when processed locally.

However, well-managed grazing lands also offer other benefits: they reduce the risk of wildfires, modulate sedimentation (slow erosion), recharge groundwater, sequester carbon and control the introduction and spread of invasive species. A pasture of healthy forage conserves soil, habitat and wildlife resources.

Hawai'i GLCI Loretta J. Metz (photo credit)

“Well-managed grazing lands are associated with healthy watersheds, which are vital to Hawai’i's future,” says Lori Metz, GLCI technical advisor and the state’s grazing land management specialist for NRCS-Pacific Islands.

She explains that properly managed land helps with catching rain. Healthy forage, with a thriving root system, keeps water in the soil longer, making precious precipitation easier for growing pasture grass to absorb.

“Land covered with a crop of forage also checks soil erosion during hard rains,” Lori continues.

While carbon sequestration (the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere) is most often associated with trees, it’s also done by grass. Lori says grass captures carbon and stores it in its roots. “Carbon translates into healthier plant structure and high quality forage,” she adds.  That means healthy pastures help fight global warming.

HI-GLCI offers periodic workshops and field trips on its website that are geared for graziers and food producers. However, the organization will be offering info soon for the public on its ecosystem services. Visit www.grazinglandshawaii.org or phone 885-5599 (Hawai’i Island). Find more info on how grass-fed beef benefits our environment on past Taste It blogs:

Graze Anatomy: ‘Plant’ a Cow to Reduce Global Warming and Americans name ranching a top ‘green’ profession

A Midwest Upbringing

Chef Michelle Yamaguchi of 'Umeke Market wowed the crowd at last year's Taste with her Kim Chee Meatloaf. A former journalist, the busy mother of three is returning to Taste in 2012

Michelle Yamaguchi says she grew up “eating the most amazing fresh fruit and vegetables.” The produce was sourced from mother’s family, who operated a farm in Wisconsin. They planted and tended a garden with lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and squash. She also helped preserve food typical to Midwesteners: canning tomatoes and peaches, and making berry preserves.

Michelle says her days spent with food on the farm spurred her interest in the culinary arts, which is her second career. Michelle has a journalism degree and first worked as a reporter for Pacific Business News. However, she is glad she traded in her notepad for a stockpot and loves working as chef/manager for ‘Umeke Markets’ two locations. In her spare time, the busy mother of three enjoys hiking “anywhere and everywhere.” In the summer, she heads to the beach and loves snorkeling at Three Tables on the North Shore.

Q and A

Q: How would you describe your cooking style?

A: My cooking style is simple, healthy, practical and imaginative. Meatloaf, for example, is pretty basic comfort food, but we’ve done it Kim Chee Style and with a Hoisin BBQ Sauce that people have fallen in love with! I’m also a huge advocate of whole grains and we make a wide variety of grain salads: quinoa, barley, millet.

Q: Why do you use grass-fed beef?

A: That’s an easy one: taste. When you start with a great product, it’s hard to go wrong. Start with fresh garlic, salt and pepper …. I’m also big on fresh herbs. Avoiding the use of hormones and antibiotics as much as possible is important to our customers.

Q: What are your favorite GFB cuts and why?

A: Because we’re a much more casual dining experience, we keep it simple and real. We work mainly with the ground beef right now. Burgers, meatloaf, local moco …

Q: Do you let patrons know they are eating GFB on the menu?

A: We make it a point to let customers know what we’re serving and why, especially the healthy meat options. Many of our customers return regularly for that reason alone. That and the food is really good.

Q: What other local food products are your favorite and why?

A: I love, love, love the organic kale we use from Ko Farms. Our raw ‘Umeke Kale Salad continues to be a customer must-have. This ultra-healthy super food has been largely ignored by the masses and chefs alike and considered little other than as a lowly garnish. As of more recent, our Kale Smoothie is also a top seller, easily surpassing the famed Acai Bowl and Acai Smoothie, among others.

Q: Are you returning to participate in Taste?

A: Yes, 2011 was our first year participating in the Taste of the Hawaiian Range and we’re absolutely thrilled to be invited to return. It was a fantastic event – from the hotel and kitchen staff, to the other vendors and volunteers, to the event guests – Big Island folks especially. They showed such appreciation for both our efforts and the event in general. Much aloha!

‘Umeke Market is located at Bishop Square in Downtown Honolulu, 808-522-7377 and across from Kahala Mall at 4400 Kalaniana’ole Hwy., 808-739-2990. http://www.umekemarket.com

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe: Kim Chee Big Island Beef Meatloaf

Makes one loaf of meatloaf

2 lbs. grass-fed Big Island ground beef
11/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 small onion, diced
2 T. garlic puree (crushed garlic)
2 t. paprika
2-3 t. dried hot red pepper, depending upon how spicy you like it (can substitute with cayenne pepper)
1/2 cup Korean BBQ Sauce (recipe below)
2 large eggs
8 oz. kim chee
1 t. sea salt
1 t. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly mix together all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. Place mixture into a loaf pan and pat the top about 10 times to make sure it’s even inside. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, spread Korean BBQ Sauce evenly over the top and bake for another 10-15 minutes, making sure the top doesn’t burn.

Korean BBQ Sauce

11/2 cups ketchup
1 T. Sesame oil
1 T. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (shoyu substitute with less sodium)
2 T. garlic puree
1-2 Hawaiian chili peppers minced
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. sugar
1 T. ginger puree

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients well.

Preparing tastes of tender beef sandwiches at Taste 2011 was Chef George Gomes of the Mauna Kea Beach Resort and his team of Hawaii Community College culinary students.

Get out your calendar and put a big red circle around Friday, Sept. 21 for the 17th Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival. Come celebrate our locally produce food and meet Hawai’i Island’s hard-working, food producers—including ranchers who produce healthy and humanely raised, grass-fed beef.

Event organizers report 33 restaurants have already committed to participate and their chefs will be dazzling diners 6-8 p.m. with delectable dishes using pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb, goat, mutton and wild boar—plus a cornucopia of fresh island fruit, veggies, honey, spices and beverages.

Culinary adventure seekers can taste and enjoy all the cuts of grass-fed beef—everything from tongue to tail—prepared expertly by Hawai’i chefs.  Enjoy familiar cuts like sirloin tip and ribs, plus beef cheek and the infamous “rocky mountain oysters” or bull testicles. All beef is aged for 21 days and 100 percent finished on grass.

Saddlemaking by Ka Hana No'eau was one of the 2011 fun educational booth enjoyed by attendees like Monty Richards of Kahua Ranch.

While tasting, “grazing” attendees can visit Hawa’i's food producers at gaily decorated vendor booths and talk story with island residents who make a living growing our food. Taste also affords local food producers the opportunity to hookup with isle chefs and wholesale buyers. The event sprawls both inside and out—last year’s Taste boasted 80-some stations offering your choice of tastes and ag-related information.

Students from Hawaii Community College in Kona and Hilo assist chefs and local food producers at their culinary stations and booths. The future chefs also attend pre-Taste seminars on using grass-fed beef.

Chef Babian of Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is leading this year's Cooking Grass-Fed Beef 101 class.

Pre-Taste hoopla geared to the public and local culinary students is the informative Grass-Fed Beef Cooking 101 class. This year’s guest presenter is James Babian, executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. The class includes sampling and Chef Babian will share how his resort best uses grass-fed beef on its award-winning menu.

Tickets prices for the evening Taste and Cooking 101 demo will be conveniently sold at Taste Of The Hawaiian Range starting June 1. Taste tickets remain priced at $40 presale and $60 at the door, while the fee for the cooking demo is $10.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a modification of policies and procedures to participate in this event should contact Jeri Moniz at 808-960-8411 as soon as possible and no later than Sept. 14.

Watch for event updates and ticket giveaways on Facebook at Taste of the Hawaiian Range. See you Friday, Sept. 21 and come hungry! Stetsons, boots and cowgirl duds are welcome—but not required.