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Chef Grant Sato

Kapiʻolani Community College culinary arts instructor Grant Sato is the winner of Global Taste of Korea Hawaiʻi Regional Contest, which was held on Monday, July 13.

The competition, sponsored by the South Korean government, was one of 17 regional preliminary competitions held in 16 countries worldwide calling for chefs to create dishes that highlight the unique tastes and attraction of Korean cuisine. The Hawaiʻi competition was also sponsored by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Honolulu.

Korean dish

Chef Grant Sato presents his dish before the judges.

Chefs were provided with cooking equipment, utensils and ingredients such as beef, bell pepper, sesame oil, jap chae noodles and shiitake mushroom, to name a few. Along with the provided ingredients, every chef was permitted one special ingredient.

“My special ingredient that I used in the competition was 100 percent pure Hawaiian Crown Pineapple Juice that I reduced to a syrup and used in place of refined sugar in my dish,” said Sato. “I wanted to showcase a truly local product and create a dish that nurtures your body, soul and spirit!”

Going international

Along with a $500 prize, Sato has won a trip to Korea to compete in the International Global Taste of Korea competition to be held from August 20-29. Sato looks forward to representing Hawaiʻi as he anticipates the upcoming competition.

“I feel assured in my cooking skills and my knife cutting skills, so what I want to do now is do more research on Korean culture,” added Sato. He hopes that learning more about Korean culture and language will help him understand the traditions and flavors that make Korean cuisine unique.

The international competition will feature 17 contestants from 16 different countries. The grand prize winner will receive an award of $10,000.

—By Kapiʻolani Ching

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