Kauai Pokefest crowns winner as chefs serve up ono poke
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Oahu chef Justin Firmignac from Haleiwa Joe’s is the newly crowned Kauai Pokefest champion! Firmignac and his team got the highest score for their Alii Momona poke made with fresh ahi and Dungeness crab.
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“I still don’t believe it. I’ve worked so hard for this,” he said.
Firmignac and more than 20 professional and amateur teams served up their original poke recipes to big crowds at the 6th annual Kauai Pokefest at Koloa Landing Resort in Poipu Saturday.
This year, celebrity judges included world-famous chef and Food Network legend, Emeril Lagasse.
“I’m looking for the real style of poke; the temperature, the fish, a little bit of the creativity,” Lagasse said. “We’ll see who’s the winner!”
Lagasse was joined by returning judges Master Chef Ronnie Rainwater of Las Vegas fame, two-time Top Chef Finalist Chef Sheldon Simeon and the Godfather of poke, beloved Hawaii Chef Sam Choy.
“I think the best poke is right here in Hawaii, not only in Honolulu, but there’s a lot of other places on the island and there are so many unique chef creations. They’re doing a great job and the quality of the fish has only gotten better.”
Chef Simeon said across the festival, there were Korean, Vietnamese and Thai-inspired dishes, just to name a few.
“I think the food really means a lot when they’re pulling from their roots,” he said.
Chef Rainwater added, “These contestants are getting the most fresh premiere local fish that you can get. As long as you treat those ingredients right, you’ll usually come out ahead.”
Previous winners were back with new tantalizing dishes.
“I’m making a warm shrimp poke, so I have pumpkin purée with confit tomatoes, and I made the shrimp head oil,” said 2025 winner Chef Mark Oyama.
Meanwhile, 2024 winner Don Gusman served up limu kohu, limu olipoa and limu manuwea with fresh ahi as throwback to his Maui roots.
The mouthwatering spread really was a feast for the eyes.
Kristy Kahanui of the Lawaia Fish Company created the Kauai Catch Crudo, and said all of the ingredients in her creation was caught or grown on Kauai.
“We call it ‘Oh No You Didn’t!’ Because we got ono and ahi mixed together. Two meaty fish,” said Chef Chan Berrengue of Kapakahi Grindz.
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Berrengue once again teamed up with Meghann Matsuda of Red Eye.
“Each fish represents one of us because we are two different businesses put together, and we also have an opihi shooter,” said Chef Matsuda.
“I already tried the opihi shots. [The] opihi shots were really tasty,” said Hanepepe resident Alfred Farias.
“I love my Hawaii poke. They take sea asparagus and mix it with limu kohu and oh, it’s so good,” said Kapakahi resident Terri Workman.
“It’s really good! Ono! Especially with the chili pepper water!” said Waimea residents Raelene and Diandra Malama.
Aaron Bambling, Koloa Landing’s general manager, said the Kauai Pokefest gets bigger and better every year.
“It’s amazing. It’s getting stronger. Last year there was about 900 people. This year we’re a little over one thousand,” he said.
Each dish at the festival was made possible by 1,000 pounds of fresh ahi donated by Kauai Fresh Fish.
“And all of it was caught in Hawaii waters, and that’s what’s so rewarding for me as a fishmonger here in Hawaii, is supporting these local fishermen,” said Cadena Ragsdale of Kauai Fresh Fish.
This year, money raised from the Kauai Pokefest will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We can potentially screen this disease and it’s events like this that help allow us to really move the needle,” said LJ Duenas, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Reel Aloha Poke and Fish Company by Manao Alu came in third, and Hawaiian BBQ poke bowl by Franco Abero III came in second.
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