Sicilian Soul, Pacific Flair
Chef’s flavors cross oceans at Montage Kapalua Bay
by Chris Amundson and Ariella Nardizzi
Chef Justin Purpura’s earliest culinary memories are steeped in Sicily – even though he grew up in Baltimore. At just 4 years old, he was in the kitchen with his grandparents, tossing dough and pinching ravioli, absorbing the Old World traditions that would shape his life’s passion.
Today, as Executive Chef at Montage Kapalua Bay, Purpura brings those childhood flavors full circle, blending Italian soul with Pacific flair on every plate.
Since joining Montage Kapalua Bay in May 2024, Purpura has embraced his return to Maui – a place he hopes to call home for good, alongside his wife, daughter and son. “We love it here. I want to be here for the rest of my life,” he says.
Purpura’s career has long gravitated toward luxury hospitality. He studied at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, then spent 17 years with Four Seasons – including on Maui, honing his craft under passionate mentors and developing a deep understanding of what defines a world-class experience. Even back in 2011, Montage was on his radar.
“I’m a hotelier. I love luxury hotels,” he said. “When Montage was still a young brand, they were already five-star, Forbes-rated, guest-focused. When the opportunity came to be part of that, I was excited. This place feels special.”
Montage International, which launched its flagship property in Laguna Beach in 2003, expanded to Maui in 2014 with the opening of Montage Kapalua Bay after a $15 million transformation of the former Residences at Kapalua Bay. The brand has carved out a niche in high-end hospitality by focusing on understated elegance and heartfelt service. At Montage Kapalua Bay, that ethos flows into every dish Chef Purpura sends from the kitchen.
Signature creations like his sweet corn agnolotti and ahi crudo marry precise technique with island terroir. The agnolotti uses imported Caputo flour filled with Kahuku corn, then crowned with Keāhole lobster. The crudo channels his Italian roots with a caper – truffle vinaigrette that evokes both Mediterranean and Pacific influences.
Purpura’s journey deepened in Santa Barbara, where Italian mentors taught him how to elevate rustic recipes through precision and pride. Yet, his core philosophy remains simple in Maui. “A happy cook makes happy food, and happy food makes happy guests,” he said. “When you’re doing what you love – and doing it in a place you love – it shows.”
At Cane & Canoe, Purpura continues to shape a culinary experience that’s both rooted and inventive, blending local freshness with Italian tradition. On his days off, he plays golf and enjoys time with his family.
But in the kitchen, he channels the rhythm of hand-rolling pasta into something more than technique – a connection to memory, heritage and the enduring joy of feeding people well.
Caper-Truffle Ahi Crudo
Ahi shines in this fresh, coastal dish dressed with a caper-truffle vinaigrette that nods to Chef Purpura’s Mediterranean roots.
Ingredients
16 oz ahi
2 oz chopped capers
2 oz diced shallots
1 oz finely sliced chives
1 lemon, zested
¼ cup lemon-infused olive oil
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup truffle oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Thinly slice ahi and arrange on a serving plate. In a medium bowl, combine capers, shallots, chives, lemon zest, lemon oil, olive oil and truffle oil. Season with salt and pepper, then stir until well mixed. Drizzle vinaigrette over ahi and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Sweet Corn Agnolotti & Lobster
Sweet corn sourced from Kahuku and rich Keāhole lobster from Kona make up Chef Purpura’s signature dish – a Pacific twist on traditional agnolotti pasta.
For the agnolotti
9 oz semolina flour
4 oz egg yolk
1 whole egg
Use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to combine pasta flour, egg yolk and whole egg on low speed for 3 minutes. Continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes on medium speed. Remove dough, cover and rest for 1 hour.
Divide dough into manageable portions. Use a rolling pin or a pasta sheeter to thin dough until it is about 1/16 inch thick. The rolled pasta should be about 4-5 inches wide.
For the sweet corn filling
5 corn ears (Kahuka or locally available sweet corn)
2 gelatin sheets Salt and pepper, to taste
Remove corn kernels from each ear. Purée in a blender with 5 cups of water and strain until you have 4 cups of corn juice.
In a saucepan, bring corn juice to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring continuously. Let thicken.
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze to remove excess water. Add gelatin to corn juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove from heat and let mixture cool completely. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe along the middle of the pasta sheet in one long line, leaving 1 inch of space at both ends. Fold pasta sheet over the filling and firmly press both sides of the pasta together. Then, pinch the pasta into 1-inch sections and trim excess pasta at the top. Cut through each pinched section to form individual agnolotti.
In a large pot, boil agnolotti in heavily salted water for 5 minutes. Strain the agnolotti.
For the beurre monté sauce
1 Tbsp water
2 lb cold butter, cubed
½ tsp truffle oil
Salt, to taste
Cut cold butter into small, uniform pieces and chill. In a small saucepan, boil water. Gradually whisk in cold butter, one piece at a time. Ensure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir continuously until all butter is emulsified. Add truffle oil and salt to taste.
For the lobster
2-2 ½ lb Keāhole lobster tails (shell-on)
or 1 ½-1 ¾ lb cooked lobster meat
Fresh chives, to garnish
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lobster tails and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the shells turn bright red and the meat is opaque. Remove and cool slightly, then extract meat and cut into bite-sized pieces.
In a saucepan over low heat, add lobster meat to the beurre monté and warm for 2-3 minutes to coat evenly. Add cooked agnolotti and gently warm together for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper
as needed.
Plate lobster atop the pasta in a shallow bowl. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Serves 10
Braised Wagyu Short Rib
This deeply flavorful, slow-cooked dish combines tender Wagyu beef with pickled shallots, smoked potato purée and bright, earthy broccolini. A rich demi-glace sauce ties it all together.
For the short ribs
2 ½ lb Wagyu boneless chuck rib
1 Tbsp molasses
1 rosemary stem
4 Tbsp demi-glace
Salt and pepper, to taste
Trim silver skin from short ribs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot cast iron pan on all sides until browned. Cool, then vacuum-seal with molasses, rosemary and demi-glace. Cook sous vide at 140° for 48 hours.
Cool for 30 minutes (10 minutes at room temp, 10 under cold running water, 10 in an ice bath). Portion into four. Vacuum-seal with reserved liquid and reheat at 125° for 30 minutes.
Sear portions to form a crust. Deglaze pan with remaining liquid and reduce to sauce consistency.
For the smoked potato purée
5 Yukon gold potatoes
½ stick butter
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup wood chips
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Boil and strain potatoes. Smoke for 5 minutes in a covered perforated pan above a burning chip pan. Rice the potatoes, then blend with warmed butter and cream. Season to taste.
For the pickled shallots
8 cups Champagne vinegar
4 cups sugar
2 peeled red beets, chopped
5 shallots, thinly sliced
Bring vinegar and four cups water to a boil. Add beets and sugar. Remove from heat and pour hot mixture over shallots. Cool to room temp.
For the pickled mustard seeds
8 cups Champagne vinegar
4 cups sugar
4 cups water
1 cup shaved yellow mustard seeds
Boil and strain seeds five times. Boil vinegar and water, dissolve sugar, pour over seeds. Let cool.
For the broccolini
12 stems broccolini
Trim to 2-inch lengths.
Blanch in salted water for 30 seconds.
To plate: Place short rib on dish. Spoon sauce over top. Add pickled shallots and mustard seeds. Pipe three swirls of smoked potato purée, and lay broccolini on top.
Serve hot.
Serves 4
