Maui’s Anything but I‘a Poke Contest Invites Home Chefs to Get Creative
by Ariella Nardizzi
Canoe crops such as ‘ulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro), niu (coconut) and ʻuala (sweet potato) are among many delicious local ingredients Maui Nui residents can top their poke bowls with for the Anything but I‘a Poke Recipe Contest.
Maui Visitors Bureau now invites home chefs to bring anything but i‘a (fish) to the table. Participants are encouraged to support Maui’s rich agricultural history and local farmers through flavorful culinary creations from beloved family recipes.
Michael Takamura with Maui Ocean Center created this contest to educate people that poke is more than raw fish and sauce. In Hawaiian, poke means “to cube.”
“We want this opportunity to showcase using other elements to create poke without depleting our resources of marine life,” Takamura said.
All recipes must be submitted by March 7. A panel of judges from Maui Ocean Center will judge all recipes based on taste, creativity of ingredients and appeal for how it inspires other home chefs around the island.
Executive Chef Enrique “Henry” Tariga of Seascape Restaurant Ma‘alaea will then bring five finalists’ recipes to life. The winning poke bowl will be featured on the restaurant’s menu in May. The winner will also be swept away to Las Vegas for a luxurious trip.
Whether topping with untraditional meats like venison or beef or opting for a sweet take on the rice bowl with other Maui-grown plants like pineapple or banana, the judges look forward to sampling delicious entries that pay homage to Maui’s local crops.
To learn more about the Anything but I‘a Poke Contest, please visit the Maui Tourism website for rules and submission guidelines. Mahalo to the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau, Maui Ocean Center, and the County of Maui Office of Economic Development making this event possible. I mua!
The winning recipe from the Anything But I‘a Poke Contest will be featured on the menu at Maui Ocean Center’s Seascape Restaurant throughout May 2025.
