HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I—What happens when great chefs are inspired by art? People can find out at Palette, the Honolulu Museum of Art’s spring benefit to support its education programs, exhibitions and collection.
The museum invited five chefs to explore its collection, select an artwork and create dishes inspired by their choice. The stellar results will be served April 6 at a new event where guests can taste the art. All galleries will be open, including the special exhibition Abstruction: The Sculpture of Erick Swenson, and museum curators will give micro talks about the art that inspired the chefs.
Palette offers different ways to experience the evening of art and food—guests can choose between a mobile evening of sampling at chef stations or a seated dinner service with full-plate offerings and a chance to meet the chefs. See below for full options.
The chefs, artwork and dishes are:
Lee Anne Wong, Koko Head Café
Art: Plum Estate, Kameido, 1857, woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige
Small bites: Tomato salad and organic chicken breast with ume sauce
Full plate: Glazed pork belly with roasted turnips and ume sauce
Kevin Lee, Pai
Art: Chinese tortoise shell ink brush, brush holder and scrolled stand
Small bites: Citrus-cured salmon and mentaiko mousse with ikura and sourdough toast, and shiitake mushroom gougère
Full plate: “Carrots and Grains”—roasted baby carrots with spicy carrot miso, lentils and quinoa, and carrot-top pesto
Robert Paik, Honolulu Museum of Art Café
Art: Waterfall—No. III—‘Īao Valley, 1939, oil on canvas painting by Georgia O’Keeffe
Small bites: Chilled pea soup with black pepper crème fraîche and fresh mint, roasted pork tenderloin with carrot puree and carrot-top gremolata
Full plate: Chilled pea soup and black pepper lavosh with lemon ricotta and roasted zucchini
Wade Ueoka, MW Restaurant
Art: The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830, woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai
Small bites: Ahi poke nacho with avocado salsa on a wonton chip, kalua pig pa‘i ‘ai cake with lomi tomato
Full plate: Steamed Kona kampachi with seafood dumplings
Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant
Art: Water Lilies, oil on canvas by Claude Monet
Small bites: Strawberry matcha shortcake and Valrhona turtle tart
Full plate: From childhood to Tokachi, a journey of lifelong memories
• Strawberries and Cream (yuzu semifreddo with li-hing strawberries, hibiscus comsommé, and strawberry-yuzu sorbet
• MW Doughnuts (tokachi kinako)
The evening also includes music by DJ Tittahbyte and a photo booth with Hokusai’s Great Wave as a backdrop.
TICKET OPTIONS
Individual tickets: $200 ($250 at the door on April 6): Includes access to five chef stations, hosted bar, and the museum galleries. Does not include seating. Can be purchased at myhoma.org/palette
Tables:
Bronze Table—$1,500
A reserved table for four (4) in one of the museum’s beautiful courtyards, with self-serve access to chef stations and full bar.
Silver Table—$5,000
A reserved table for ten (10) with bites from each chef station delivered to the table, includes four (4) complimentary bottles of wine. $4,000 tax deductible.
Gold Table—$7,500
• VIP entrance and reserved table for ten (10) with full-plate portioned servings from each chef station and wine pairing.
• Includes four (4) complimentary bottles of wine.
• Valet service for table purchaser/host for one (1) vehicle.
$5,200 tax deductible.
Platinum Table—$10,000
• Sponsorship recognition for Palette on official museum website and social media, member's magazine, and menu card.
• Meet celebrity chefs.
• VIP entrance and reserved table for ten (10) with full-plate portioned servings from each chef station and wine pairing.
• Includes four (4) complimentary bottles of wine and two (2) complimentary bottles of champagne.
• Valet service for guests and host for five (5) vehicles total.
$7,600 tax deductible.
To purchase tables, people can contact Mark Chavez at 808-532-8781 or mchavez@honolulumuseum.org.
