Radio Mojo- the Podcast.

Award-winning chef Craig Miller is the owner of a restaurant in the idyllic setting of St Monan's, Fife. https://www.16westend.com/craig-millarWorking with small producers, farmers and fishermen, he brings a sense of place to a restaurant perched quite literally  on the edge of Fife's  scenic coastal route. "I'm not using local stuff just because it's local," says Chef , " We use it  because it's the best we can find."Here's a quick conversation with Chef Miller on  the importance of great ingredients and getting the small things right. Enjoy! 

Chef Roberta Hall-McCarron is an award-winning Scottish chef and the owner , along with husband Shaun McCarron, of The Little Chartroom in Edinburgh. About to open her second restaurant, she takes some time to chat about her menu, working in 'a tiny kitchen' and sourcing amazing local ingredients from fishermen, farmers and even a forager. "It's hard to believe that so many of our ingredients come from just down the road," she says.  Innovative and creative, Hall-McCarron's flavors speak of the Scottish land and sea ,with a passionate, seasonal embrace. 

David Gorman started exploring the world of Vegan food after he met his wife. By adjusting to adjusting to a meatless diet, he realized that the flavors he'd always loved didn't have to change. Vegan City is now open on Kapahulu Avenue and creating a stir. And Tim Golden joins us for a regular chat about beer.. Father's Day is just around the corner and the team at  The Village  have a ton of suggestions for Summer sipping - and for gift packs that appeal to novice and educated drinkers alike . 

Hawaii International Film Festival Creative Director Anderson Le on this month's HIFF offering, EAT. DRINK. FILM . Watch here and eat along with. some exceptional movies now through the end of the month.. And learn more about the marvelous Ulu ( breadfruit) at eatbreadfruit.com where you'll also find a bounty of recipes and  creative ways to introduce more Ulu into your diet. Enjoy! 

Once Kyle Reutner and the founding team at Ko Hana Rum discovered the depth of Hawaiian heritage sugar cane history , there was simply no doubt that they'd be able to share not just a distillery with Hawaii, but a sense of place and an agricultural industry that showcases sugar cane in a whole new light.  800 years before rum was being celebrated in Barbados, Hawaii already  had hundreds of varieties of sugar cane growing on the islands. Listen here for more on the incredible story of Ko Hana Agricole Rum 

We so loved the passion in this episode of both Jota Menoz of Off The Wall and Louis Castro of Castro's... ..If you want to hear  both owners speak with authenticity about what they do - and why they do it - then you need wait no longer ... Enjoy! 

There's a lot to love about this conversation with Heather Lukela - the talented baker/owner of Slice by HB Baking.. with a passion for baking that started early, Heather worked her way through some of the top kitchens in Hawaii before starting Slice - to critical acclaim. " Being furloughed during the pandemic gave me the opportunity to really launch the business," she says of the bakery she swore she'd never start. " Hell, no... I NEVER wanted to open a bake shop  or have my own place," she laughs. Lucky for us she changed her mind. You can find Heather and her ice cream slices within Jolene's Market https://www.instagram.com/slicebyhbbaking/

Thomas Obungen of Frolic Hawaii and Slug Media joins us to chat about Ice Cream Pies from Slice by HB Bakery - a pie shop with a twist from baker Heather Lukela.   What's not to love about that ?And Christian Self, the owner of Bevy Bar and TacoAko joins Jo for an ex-pat chat ( he's from Liverpool , England and she's from Fife, Scotland ) about the world of craft cocktails.  If you're a fan of craft cocktails and cool accents then you'll enjoy this episode! 

It's no secret that our favorite cook book of the year is Cook Real Hawaii, Sheldon Simeon's tribute to his beloved  Hawaii . It's a collection of recipes, born from his own multicultural background and the foods he grew up with on Maui, plus stories he's collected along the way. An awesome Father's Day gift if any of the men in your life love to cook... And Keaka Lee, owner of Kapa Hale joins us to chat about a culinary journey that's taken him from  the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, through stage-internships at Benu in San Francisco, Le Bernardin in New York City, Eleven Madison Park in NYC, & Café Boulud in NYC and from New York City's  Gramercy Tavern all the way home to The Pig and The  Lady. His food at Kapa Hale is a celebration of his journey and relationships with local farmers and growers. Enjoy!

Alice Chan, co owner of Rabbit Rabbit Tea Hawaii talks a little about the quality of tea in the company's range of drinks. Sourced from 100's of varieties from dozens of regions, Rabbit Rabbit Tea has picked just 8 teas for their Aiea and S King Street locations. Each of them unique. And all of them so good. And this Mother's Day - May 9th - Take your mom in for a delicious drink and she'll be gifted a free scoop of gourmet ice cream.Enjoy! 

Chuck Wakeman is passionate about being a butcher. With more than 20 years of experience  that started in Chicago ,and  included stints at Vintage Cave, Pig and Lady and Maui's The Mill House, Wakeman operates his Kakaako butcher  shop and deli just like a neighborhood butcher should. He's available for questions, happy to share his knowledge and recipes, skilled at the art of dry -aging and sausage making, ( to name just two of his many talents), and creator of one of the best burgers in Honolulu. We could have talked to him for the entire hour... but we ran out of time....  you can find out more about the Butcher and Bird  here,  and for a true artisanal experience, go visit Chuck and his team at their Kakaako location. If only every neighborhood had a Butcher and Bird! And in keeping with our meaty topic, we checked in with Pono Pork founder, Bob McGee. Bob's also been passionate about butchery and a strong advocate of the nose to tail movement for decades. At Pono Pork he's helping to educate his  growing customer base on the importance of using every part of the animal. Humanely reared pigs and a belief that no animal part should be wasted, make Bob one of our favorite guests.  Enjoy! Jo

We're devouring more than just good food this week. Paul Kan joins us to chat about the release of his new book, Hawaii Beer, A History of Brewing in Paradise. The Foreword is written by Tim Golden, highly respected cicerone and owner of Village Bottle Shop and Tasting Room . Sheldon Simeon's gorgeous Cook Real Hawaii is now in print - you can find it here -  and it's full of beautiful photos, recipes and stories of Hawaii. And Chris Ramelb of Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits waxes lyrical about two reds - Carignane- the controversial high yield grape  that Birichino winemakers Alex Krause and John Locke have curated to create Scylla. "It's   an old vine and super juicy, pretty, crunchy red fruit," says Chris, "  and probably one of the best red wine values in the world right now."  The other  wine we urge you to try and get your hands on is the fabulously named Car Car Domo Komo . " It's a one-off  wine and we likely won't see again," says Chris. "  Grab it while you can. At  Birichino - Alex Krause and John Locke have been making outstanding, somewhat quirky wines, since 2008 . These newest to the islands are not to be missed! Enjoy! Jo

In this episode, roving food reporter Thomas Obungen joins us to share his craving for a very special dish at O'Kim's Korean Kitchen . You can read more about the Korean inspired Paella ( or should that be the Spanish Inspired Korean Fried Rice ?) here. We also chat about the opening of Mhttps://mwrestaurant.com/W in their brand new location, and how restaurants are ever-evolving during these strange times. And Brion Zablan joins us to chat about the opening of a second Purve Donuts at Kuono Marketplace.  The new store offers a fabulous experience of tiny donut making in a fresh, fun environment. There has never been an easier way to support a local business than stopping by Purve at either the original Kona Street location, or this new space at Kahala. Oh, and if you're following the NCAA Basketball Tournament, then you;ll likely be in need of a box of donuts or two as the weekend proved to be a bracket shattering event!  Bobby has the scoop on that ... Enjoy ! 

Jason Takemura has an understanding of classic flavors and an ability to translate their qualities into locally inspired dishes that transcend the average plate lunch or bento. His Bamboo Catering menu features everything from  Adobe Glazed Sous Vide Pork Belly, through Shiso Wrapped Shrimp and Corn Dumplings, to Sake Soy Glazed Boneless Short Ribs and Furikake Mochiko Chicken. His fish dishes ( steamed whole fish, panko crusted fish, grilled island catch with luau sauce, to name just a few) are expertly cooked and travel seamlessly whether you're ordering a casual dinner at home or planning a giant graduation party ( with COVID restrictions in mind, of course!). " After culinary school,  I worked my way down  the California Coast so i have a lot of California cuisine experience which I meld with my local knowledge... and we try to bring the two together, " he says.  The result is wonderful food, delivered by a friendly and professional staff . Perfect for a quiet night in, or a wedding or graduation party, Bamboo delivers . For catering inquiries, call David @  425 3037 . And over in Kapolei, Jake Saito and his team are simply mad about pasta... hand made daily at the fun, fast paced Mad BeneAnd finally in this episode, sommelier Christopher Lord has a passion for wine that he wants to share with anyone who'll listen.  His big  idea  is a sommeliers lounge, a   place where oenohphiles can gather,  and where those looking to learn about wine  more can take a class or two. " I fell in love with wine at a young age, " he says "  And I see a place where people can come together with a library, tasting rooms... a place to learn, to practice and to share knowledge.." We'll drink to that idea! Slainte! 

Thomas Obungen has a pop up you won't want to miss... and it may only be around for a month. Check out his take on Ten Ten Tempura - but be warned... it's only here for a month. And we chat about the good news that is Iliili Cash and Carry . Our text messaging went a little wild at the mention of the return of the pizza makers behind Z Pizza and Prima... it's been a long wait, but they're back!And chef Eberhard 'Hardy' Kintscher, the long time chef at Michel's at the Colony Surf joins us to chat about their elegant take out and the fact that dining in is even better in their spacious, re-modelled, gorgeous, beachfront restaurant.. Enjoy!

Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits talented young sommelier, Chris Ramelb, loves sports and knows his wines. We think there's no one better to make recommendations for Super Bowl Sunday. Check out some of his wine picks in this episode, including this wonderful Lambert -des- Seyssel - a champagne at a non champagne price, and Big Island Brewshouse's Overboard IPA - a double gold medal winner at the US Open Beer Championship. And Dk Restaurant Group owner, DK Kodama takes a few minutes out of his busy schedule to catch up with Jo. Discover the origins of his famous Crab Truffle Ramen.... Enjoy!

Fendu Boulangerie Owner Niel Koep joins us to chat about the 'Sourdough Revolution' , his love of baking, and how Lockdown led customers to a greater appreciation of his profession. And Kenwei Chong, owner of La Gelateria shares how COVID forced his business to change, and the effects of selling directly to retail customers has encouraged new flavors of gelato. Enjoy !

At the amazing Otto Cake, on 12th Avenue, Kaimuki, owner and baker, Otto , creates more than 276 flavors of Hawaii's favorite cheesecake. So how to choose ? " We always tell people to start with the original, plain" he says, " If you have a cheesecake without anything on it, and it tastes like cheesecake then that's what you want, " says Otto. And veteran director of film and TV Bryan Spicer joins us to chat about the rebranding of Sight and Sound Production and how he turned a local TV and Film Equipment rental house into a full service production company. In addition to promoting Hawaii - most recently by remote viewing of Hawaii online to potential clients- his goal is to nurture local talent. "I have more than 30-years of experience, " he says, "I'd like to pass some of that on." Enjoy!

We're not in the business of predicting things, usually... but reading through the advanced copy of Sheldon Simeon's new book "Cook Real Hawaii" we're betting that this is an award winner for best new cookbook of 2021. Photographed with a sensibility that captures the soul , culture and sheer joy behind cooking local food, Sheldon Simeon, ( with help from Gareth Snyder) has done a masterful job of relaying his love of Hawaii's food and culture through recipes and storytelling, The result is a well recorded, beautifully photographed history of the cultures that have made Hawaii's food unique. If humility and joy can shine through a book, then Cook Real Hawaii has achieved that. Sheldon's simple storytelling and well-researched ( and at times, complex) recipes showcase a Hawaii a world away from the commonly held image of pineapple pizza and poi. Cook Real Hawaii is a book that should find its way into every true cook/food lover's home , and while it certainly will look good on a coffee table, our guess is it isn't leaving the kitchen..Publishing date is March 30th. pre-order here.

Happy New Year everyone! Now that we've got THAT year behind us , we're headed into this one with enthusiasm and renewed energy. This week we caught up with Tiki's Grill and Bar co- owner Bill Tobin to talk about lessons learned from 2020 and to chat a little about his consulting company Restaurant Leadership 365. "We're trying to share best practices and help people be good leaders," says Bill. On the food side this week, we spend a little time with Chef Anthony Rush , co owner of Senia and the soon to be opened Podmore . if you follow Chef on Instagram, you already know he has a passion for pastry - in particular the kind of pastry that can be crafted into some of the most intricate and beautiful Beef Wellington's you'll ever see. His motivation? "I think its just the satisfaction of seeing something that's never been done before.," he says. Enjoy!

Our monthly visit with Thomas Obungen was all about his favorite spots of 2020. Thomas is an avid foodie who spends his time in search of the new and the not-so-ordinary. One of the places he found great food this year was, surprisingly, at Ohana Hale Marketplace. We heartily agree that Nana Ai Katsu is indeed one of the best food finds of 2020. Tim Golden of Village Bottle Shop and Tasting Room, joined Jo to chat about a favorite topic - beer. Whether it's gifting or getting, the Village has everything you need, with up to 800 different beers, gift baskets and a passionate staff to help you make great choices. And it wouldn't be the holidays without thinking of those in need. Ron Mizutani, CEO and President of Hawaii Foodbank joined us to talk about how 2020 was the most challenging year in Foodbank history - but also one of the most rewarding in terms of outreach and community involvement. "The pandemic changed the face of hunger," says Ron. You can donate or volunteer here. Merry Christmas, everyone,

With the opener for UH basketball and the final UH football game of the season, it's an exciting weekend for sports fans who've had so many challenges and disappointments this year. Bobby shares his thoughts on a busy sports weekend.In the food world, Martha Cheng , food editor for Honolulu Magazine joins Jo to chat about the local food scene and some of her favorite food gifts of 2020. You can find more of Martha's articles here . Among the deliciousness of local offerings include Manoa Chocolate Bean-to Bar offerings and a regional look at chocolate around the islands. For beautifully packaged, fresh and healthful gifts, The Slow Island Company have turmeric in elixirs and tonics that will have you rushing to take a sip - and they make perfect mixers for holiday cocktails. Enjoy!

We needed something to sweeten the show this week as we're taking a bit of a somber tone with guest Ryan Tanaka - the president of Island Business Management and the driving force behind the National Commercial Rent Study.... So, after you've gone here to give your valuable input, and here to read the previous two studies... you can head here for some seriously sustainable sweet and sassy donuts. Enjoy!

Keoni Chang, Foodland's CFO ( that's Chief Food Officer), joins us to chat about the opening of Kahala Mkt - where customers are sure to be impressed - overwhelmed even - by the sheer amount of food options in this relatively small space... "We've gradually adjusted over the years with our food concepts at Foodland.... and the store with 'et al' as the restaurant is the next phase in what we're doing... there's a really nice curation of conventional, natural and organic products ... including the full service restaurant," Keoni explains. And our favorite Master Sommelier, Chris Ramelb of Southern Glazer's Wines and Spirits brings us sparkling suggestions for the holiday, including some incredible wine finds - the like of which you may never see again, "We always love to support local, and this Lokelani prosecco from Maui is wonderful," says Chris " And we're sure listeners will love this incredible Sommariva Prosecco as the perfect start to the holiday. " And, one of our favorite wines of all time - Saracco Moscato - is undoubtedly one of the best Moscato d'Asti's you'll ever taste - and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. And here's the news you don't want to miss .... Two of Ramelb's favorite producers - Reynvann and Force Majeure ( both out of Washington ) are being offered for the next few weeks at a really incredible price. He says he can't quite believe he's still seeing them on the shelves... Not for long, Chris.... Happy Thanksgiving!

Kevin Hanney, the owner of 12th Avenue Grill, Diamond Head Cafe and Chop Chop Rotisserie in Waikiki, chats about his new deli - opening Wednesday November 18th as part of his 12th Avenue restaurant revamp. "We've split the restaurant in two and have created a Deli Cafe - and will be serving sandwiches and salads, hot dishes, take-home dinners... and we also have a great outdoor seating set up so you can grab deli food and eat here too." Expect long lines and lots of excitement as Kevin and his team bring dishes that include house made pastrami, porcetta panini, pastrami French toast, tuna melt with ( house made) Koko Head Foods smoked Ahi spread, burgers made with Maui Cattle Company beef , fresh ground ahi burgers lamb. burgers.....salads... home made Burrata... ...and there will be breakfast too.There's a new Italian exec chef on board who is also a Master Cheesemaker... so look for house made burrata and a celebration of cheese... in fact just expect more of the greatness we've come to know and love from Kevin and his creative team... we can't wait!

Chef Keith Kong joins us from Basalt, Waikiki as the restaurant prepares to open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. And for those of you who don't want to cook ? There's Thanksgiving in a box of course... the menu features oven roasted turkey and all the trimmings. Book now as they're sure to run out soon.

Hideo Simon, co-owner of Pint and Jigger and Square Barrels, joins us to chat about his new restaurant, HeiHo House. Think upmarket neighborhood Izakaya with craft cocktails and excellent beers on tap. And Thomas Obungen chats about his favorite new food finds, including the newest food truck in town- La Birria Tacos. Located at Pearlridge Mall, this little Mexican food stop has already caught the attention of devout foodies. Get ready to stand in line! Enjoy

Kurt Osaki and Sherry Menor McNamara came up with a big idea and the result is the Restaurant Card ; Jo MacFarlane an award-winning Scottish Candle Maker is full of great ideas for entrepreneurs, and her new book, Ask and Act ,is an inspiration ; and Chris Ramelb is out to change your views on Merlot starting with this gorgeous recommendation from Broadside. Enjoy! Southern Glazers Wines & Spirits Hawaii Wine and Spirits Distributors

Melissa Chang joins us in this episode to remember Ed Morita, a gifted pastry chef, blogger, food photographer and leading light in the world of culinary social media. Ed passed away recently and is remembered in this blog , and for a wonderful example of his generosity when sharing baking tips - read on. Who knew that resting cookie dough could reap such rewards. Stu Simmons, the CEO of Seafood Connection is pivoting as his high end customer base of resorts, hotels and restaurants has been reduced by the pandemic. His response is to open up the wholesale business to the public. Go here for the full menu of luxury seafood items sourced from around the globe. And Chef Mark Freiberg of The Green Apron chats about the debut of his healthy, balanced keiki boxes- find them at ChefZone. Enjoy!

We loved this conversation with co founder of Maui Nui Venison Jake Muise as he talks about the history of Axis Deer in Hawaii, their completely free range and undisturbed lifestyle contributes to the high quality of the venison. If you aren't familiar with this huge Maui success in sustainability, you should enjoy this episode. And Ryan Tanaka Joins Jo to Discuss the Rent Relief Program that's he's spearheaded. Want to help save our small businesses ? Please consider sending in a testimonial NOW..Email : (808) 224-5418ryan@ibmhawaii.com( And Yes, Ryan gave us permission to print his contact info!)

In this episode, Thomas Obungen of Slug Media share tips and insights into increasing your social media presence. For restuarants, this is a critical time where social media can be a life-line. The Slugs have all the advice you need https://www.slug.media/

In this episode Jo chats with CEO and President of Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, Sherry Menor McNamara about the devastation the second Hawaii lockdown is wreaking on small business. https://www.cochawaii.org/Chris Ramelb http://www.southernglazers.com/location/hawaii/brings us relief in the shape of some amazing wine values and Thomas Obungen of Slug Media https://www.slug.media/shares ideas for small business on how to improve their social media presence.

Kevin Hanney joins Jo for a conversation about what it's meant to be tackling COVID from beyond the kitchen, and Denise Yamaguchi introduces the first Talk Story Session ( August 20th at 4 PM) with Chefs including Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Ming Tsai, Nancy Silverton Stephan Pyles and Roy Yamaguchi. Get your tickets here https://hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/events/talk-story-covid-conversations/And we find out about fine dining bento boxes from Mugen https://www.espaciowaikiki.com/dining-at-mugen/

This week we chat local beers with Cindy Goldstein of Hawaii Craft Brewer's Guildhttp://www.hawaiibeer.org/ and Chef Marc Freiberg joins us to explain what's in this month's Chef Zone Chef Box ( it's a good one!) as well as talking about his catering company - much of the menus are plant based and super healthy.https://greenapronhi.com/ Dylan Butterbaugh, co owner of Manoa Chocolate Company joins Jo to talk about the wonders of chocolate and a collaboration with Old Pali Road Distillery https://manoachocolate.com/And we continue our support of Hawaii Foodbank with updates on the online food drive.... it's not to late to donate to this year's annual ( virtual) fundraising campaign. https://hawaiifoodbank.org/virtual-food-drive/

When Eric Dill joined Jo to chat about making Old Pali Road Whiskey he also shared how the distillery had made the decision in April to shut down production and ramp up hand sanitizer production for local first responders. The decision, despite the fact it impacted their business, was an easy one for the U.S Marine Corps veteran and his business partner Lt Col Ian Brooks. "It's what we do," he says modestly. " Ian and I have been to places where civilizations have broken down so we thought if we could help at the ports, with Matson, and with first responders then we would." Distilling for 18 hours a day, they provided gallons of essential hand sanitizers until supplies were replenished. "Its in our DNA , if there's a problem we can help with then its just what we do, I guess. " https://www.koolaudistillery.com/about/

Ron Mizutani is having some sleepless nights. As the Hawaii Foodbank, President and CEO, he's seen the need in our community rise by levels that are unprecedented. "We went from providing 900,000 lbs of food in March to $3.8 million pounds of food in June," he says. "The need is overwhelming." We can help, though, as this year, Foodbank Annual Drive is online : https://hawaiifoodbank.org/ Food Drive Day is August 15th, but you can donate anytime. Please do...On a lighter note, Tim Golden shares his knowledge and love of beer for our regular catch up on what to drink this weekend... https://www.villagebeerhawaii.com/Enjoy!

Moumen-el-Hajii is a well-known face on Hawaii's culinary scene. Today he takes a few moments to chat with Jo about creating meals for home cooks, his lifelong love of baking bread and how adapting is part of a creative chef's life https://www.instagram.com/moumencater/?hl=enBob McGee also joins to update us on Ponopork https://www.ponopork.com/ and the impact its having around town, and Don Murphy introduces weekly specials at Murphy's - including Liver and Onions... you won't find that delicacy on many menus this week. Enjoy...

Guests at Vino currently might be limited to 10 at a table and COVID dining restrictions, but once inside ( or on the patio) they are in for a treat. Chef owner DK Kodama is in the kitchen and first lady of wine, Ivy Nagayama, is waiting tables - and recommending wines, of course. Ivy joins Jo to chat about the most popular menu items at all three restaurants and on upcoming special events. For information on Ivy's Wine Dinners, Tequila Dinners, Mexican Dinner and more : dkrestaurants.com ; https://www.instagram.com/vinohawaii/?hl=enChris Ramelb of Southern Glazers Wines and Spirits joined us for his bi monthly round up of the city's best wine offerings - this week it's all about drinking to take the heat off. Chris's recommendations are always a mixture of great value and amazing quenchability ( if it wasn't a word, it is now) .... and he's highly recommending we go in search of Vinho Verde a wine that originated in the historic Minho province in the far north of Portugal. These delicious, crisp and unpretentious wines are perfect for any summer evening when the temperature is high and a crisp glass of wine beckons...

Entrepreneur and local business owner, Poni Askew joins us to share her amazing journey through a plant-based lifestyle that started at the request of her son. Join us to hear how to begin your own journey, and how a 'flexitarian' diet may be just the thing you've been looking for! Chris Ramelb https://www.instagram.com/masterisksomm/?hl=en produces some stellar recommendations for Father's Day wines - both to drink and to gift and we chat with beverage Director of Karai Crab https://karaicrab.com/ about the re-opening of our favorite crabby place to dine. Enjoy!

As we head into another month without tourism and with restrictions in dining rooms across the State, restaurants continue to get creative with menus that offer incredible value and extremely high quality. It's a trend that may continue long after our restaurants are up and running - and one we are thankful for. With Father's Day approaching, we chat with owners of Over Easy https://www.easyquehi.com/Feast https://www.feastrestauranthawaii.com/ and Chuck Furuya joins us to speak about the wine - and food - offerings at Vino https://dktogo.hrpos.heartland.us/Enjoy !

Thomas Obungen joins us to chat about H Mart - "I feel like I've been writing about them opening for years," he says... and we chat with local restaurant owners Don Murphy https://murphyshawaii.com/ Rick Nakashima http://www.rubytuesdayhawaii.com/ and Kevin Hanney http://12thavegrill.com/ about tomorrow's first day with COVID distancing in place... we can't wait to see you all back in your favorite restaurants. Enjoy!

It's National Burger Day today, and we're joined by Thomas Ray, co owner of Square Barrels as we get granular about what makes a great burger. http://squarebarrels.com/Oahu Fresh has seen its business bloom since COVID 19 and the desire of people to have food deliveries from local farms and we chat with them about how it all workshttps://www.oahufresh.com/about/ and we give a shout out to one of our oldest okazuya restaurants Fukuya Deli https://fukuyadeli.com/Enjoy!

In different ways, all of our guests this week are serving the community. Amanda Corby Noguchi and husband Chef Mark "Gooch" Noguchi ( surely one of our best loved Hawaii chefs) lead the way in community-based service and are truly inspirational in their approach to bringing food wherever there's a need. Check out some of their projects here https://www.chefhui.com/ and volunteer if you have the time.DK Kodama's restaurant group opened for take out this week - to joyous appreciation of its many loyal customers. Take-out includes abbreviated menu items from Sansei , DK Steakhouse and Vino https://dktogo.hrpos.heartland.us/, along with some excellent wines that you won't find in stores And Kyle Reutner of Kohana Rum joined us to talk about how the Distillery sprung into action to make hand sanitizer for front line workers during the early days of lockdown... we'll drink to that https://www.kohanarum.com/homeEnjoy!

Chris Ramelb has a skill for finding the most sumptuous wines that drink far beyond their price range and on today's show he's sharing some excellent blended wines that should enhance your 'safer at home' weekend including the marvelous Tanuta La Pergola Il Cogetto , and Chateau St Michelle's Limited Edition Red Blend https://www.ste-michelle.com/csm/wine-shop/all-wine/2017-limited-release-red-wine-blend/5637163331.p. you can find out more here; http://www.southernglazers.com/portfolio/ Denise Yamaguchi and her team at Hawaii Food and Wine Festival launched the Kokua Restaurant Worker's Fund https://hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/kokua-restaurant-workers-fund/and speaks about the need for donations with Jo and Grant Chuggy Bear Shindo of Slug Media https://www.slug.media/ offers solutions for restaurants that need help with their social media prior to re-opening... And of course our restaurant give-aways in support of our local industry continue.. Enjoy!Jo

We're talking about people we love and the local food they make ... Grant Sim, owner of Big G's catering is preparing Plate Lunches daily, available from REAL, a Gastropub... they are generously portioned and so incredibly delicious and Grant is one of the humblest, hardest working and nicest chefs in the industry... listen in for how to order ..Millicent Borja of FitNFresh https://www.instagram.com/fitnfreshhi/ joins us to talk about her meal prep solutions that suit your work outs - and how she's catering to parents who want their kids to eat healthy during home schooling days.. and Carlos Jorge, owner of HI CRAFT KITCHEN talks about his incredible sandwiches, soups, salads and weekend specials, and the merging of fine dining into the craft of making comfort food.. https://www.instagram.com/hicraft_kitchen/?hl=enAnd we're delighted to let you know about Pono Pork and their first week of CSA meat boxes.... YAY! Founder Bob McGee says "think of it like the animals decide what you get..." lamb , pork belly, pork sausage, bone broth and more, all locally raised and humanely harvested... https://www.ponopork.com/ to place your orders for next week... Enjoy!

Chocolate-Chip-Gelato -ice-Cream-Sandwiches anyone ?... enjoy hearing Kenwei Chong who shared what is now our go-to breakfast , and dessert! We chat with Thomas Ray about his passion for the industry and applaud his efforts to keep things interesting at Square Barrels . We have gift cards to give away - our own effort to contribute to the restaurant industry - and so much more in this episode.. Enjoy

Looking for great Mexican Food ? https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-jalisciense-waipahu Look no further than this little food truck in Waipahu.. Liz Hata from Burgers on Bishop https://www.yelp.com/biz/burgers-on-bishop-honolulu-2joins us to share her most popular dishes (most of them sold out daily) and we're giving away fabulous Hawaiian plates from Basalt in our weekly support of local restaurants. Enjoy!

Today's show is full of positive news; While the Foodbank is facing unprecedented challenges, they have a way of making our donation dollars go a really long way $10 buys 25 meals... https://foodbank.publishpath.com/Default.aspx?shortcut=online-donation&OriginalDomain=www.hawaiifoodbank.org. Pieology Pizzeria https://pieology.com/home is giving back by reducing the price of a thin crust pizza to just $8.08, La Tour Cafe http://latourcafe.com/menu/ takes their favorite dishes online where you can order and then pick up at all locations, and ChefZone https://www.instagram.com/chefzonehi/?hl=en continues to create amazing deals for Ohana members, while continuing their support of our beloved restaurant industry. Oh, and we had a contactless delivery of some scrumptious wines this week. Try these lovelies out and see if you agree: https://www.pennerash.com/our-wines/https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/ojai-2014-pinot-noir-santa-barbara-county/

Despite a rise in the sales of Cheetos and Spaghettio's https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/business/coronavirus-processed-foods.html, we're trying to keep it all about the best of eating, drinking and living in Hawaii. Christopher Ramelb is on a path to rediscovering budget wines from great producers https://www.instagram.com/masterisksomm/?hl=en and Thomas Obungen shares his latest mom and pop finds https://www.instagram.com/thomasohhh/?hl=enElmer Guzman offers some amazingly good value family meals that reflect his local roots mixed with his New Orleans experience in a crab boil you assemble at home https://www.instagram.com/pokestop/?hl=en and RIch Stula co-owner of Teddy's Bigger Burgers share how the crew at Teddy's are weathering the storm https://www.teddysbb.com/Slainte!

In this episode, more from our restaurant friends who are all adapting their menus to suit online ordering, delivery and curbside pick up . Keith Kong, Executive chef of Basalt https://www.basaltwaikiki.com/, joins us with a fabulous offer ( Prime Rib Dinner for $20 less $15 per cent!), Dr Chad Sato https://www.infinitebodyawareness.com/ brings ideas for relieving stress and offers new online consultation and we send kudos to Central Pacific Bank for leading the way in helping our local restaurants. And our good news of the week is that CHEFZONE has ample supplies of most staples, including rice and pasta, fresh produce and lots of protein. Membership is free. You'll find more details here : http://chefzone.com/ And yes, Bobby couldn't avoid making fun of my home sewn face masks... I did get better as the week went on..and strapped for materials cut up a Whole Foods shopping bag yesterday, which did make an excellent mask, with a pocket for a filter...pictured attached so you can all see my enthused , imperfect attempts! Enjoy!

The most sobering Radio MoJo Plus in these most distressing times. We talk with restaurant owners, Rick Nakashima of Ruby Tuesday, Gyu-Kaku and Rainbow Drive In, and with Dylan Ching, Regional VP for TS Restaurants Oahu and Kauai about how they are adapting their restaurants to move with these incredibly uncertain times. And Ron Mizutani , CEO of Hawaii Foodbank joins us to update everyone on the dire situation at Hawaii Foodbank- and how hoarding and preparing for the worst, has left the shelves empty not just in the supermarkets, but at the foodbank as well. Denise Yamaguchi stopped by to give us a quick update of the new website featuring local restaurants and their newly adapted menus - you can find all those details here: https://foodagogo.org/You can donate anything you can here : http://www.hawaiifoodbank.org/donateAnd check out the new to-go menus from Duke's and Ruby Tuesday here : https://www.dukesmaui.com/menus/to-go/; https://www.rubytuesday.com/ruby-tue-go; https://www.gyu-kaku.com/kalihi/And stay with us Thursday mornings as we bring you news of what's happening in the food world .