Grow Some Good Dinner at Capische? Raises $2,000

June 25, 2013September 22, 2013 Kirk Surry Leave a comment

An inspired mix of 50 local school garden fans returned for an encore Grow Some Good fundraising dinner at Capische? restaurant in Hotel Wailea, July 20. World-class chefs Brian Etheredge and Christopher Kulis showcased school garden-grown ingredients in a six-course dinner with wine pairings, during an exclusive sunset event on the restaurant’s beautiful garden terrace, widely considered to be one of Maui’s most romantic places to dine.

Guests enjoy extraordinary food, wine and breathtaking views in an intimate setting to benefit more than 2,000 South and Central Maui students participating in Grow Some Good garden and sustainability programs.

Current programs that benefit from these funds include Kihei Elementary School, Kamali’i Elementary School, Lokelani Intermediate School, Kihei Charter Intermediate School, Wailuku Elementary School and all the ohana that fill these schools with our future local grown leaders

World Class Chefs + 1,000 Students Celebrate School Garden Harvest Fest

May 7, 2013May 10, 2013 Kirk Surry Leave a comment

For three full days, April 24-26, world-class chefs led garden recipe workshops with more than 950 students in nearly a quarter-acre of garden space in the heart of the Kihei Elementary School campus. Kindergarten through 5th grade students and chefs prepared Asian stir-fry and gourmet veggie pizzas using ingredients grown and harvested from the school’s Pizza Garden and Gardens of the World. Students chopped, peeled and spiced their garden delights before chefs tossed them into a giant wok and wood-fired pizza oven and served it up in a pop-up café to celebrate the school’s annual Harvest Fest.

Now in its sixth year, Kihei Elementary School garden, managed by Grow Some Good, has become a model program for integrating sustainability and nutrition into curriculum while inspiring future farmers, chefs, scientists, teachers and entrepreneurs on Maui. “We have observed children who are shy or those who don’t do well in the classroom, blossom just like the plants they are cultivating,” says Halle Maxwell, Kihei Elementary School Principal.

Grow Some Good is a nonprofit community program dedicated to creating hands-on, outdoor learning experiences that cultivate curiosity about natural life cycles, connect students to their food sources, and inspire better nutrition choices. In addition to helping establish food gardens and living science labs in local schools, the organization provides resources and curriculum support through community partnerships in agriculture, science, food education and nutrition. For more information about Grow Some Good, visit GrowSomeGood.org.

MAHALO TO OUR CHEFS!

Chefs Christopher Kulis and Brian Etheredge of Capische? and Il Teatro

Owner/Chef Eric Mitchell of The Outrigger Pizza Co.
Chef Peleg Miron of Spago at Four Seasons Resort
Chefs Nicholas Porreca and Chris Galiciano of Four Seasons Resort Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante
Owner/Chef Dan Fiske and Chef Kristin Etheredge of Private Maui Chef
Private Chef Jana McMahon

MAHALO to Elyse Ditzel of Whole Foods Market Kahului for donating extra local produce to the Harvest Fest!

And, as always, MAHALO TO OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS who make these special events run smoothly and inspire greater nutrition for our keiki!

– Nio Kindla, Terry Huth, Kathy Becklin, Dania Katz, Eric Ulman, Ray and Laura Van Wagner, Connie Mark, Jordan Lauren Claymore, Wyatt Gouveia, Anthony LaBua, Sierra Knight and Ruby Ayers… you are AWESOME! We couldn’t do this without you!

Grow Some Good Benefit Raises More than $18,000!

March 10, 2013April 22, 2013 Kirk Surry Leave a comment

Mahalo nui loa to more than 250 friends of Grow Some Good who attended our school gardens benefit last Saturday at Hotel Wailea. We are thrilled at the incredibly warm reception received from the community and excited to grow some more good in the neighborhood!

World-class chefs prepare amazing cuisine from school garden ingredients at "Maui Chefs Grow Some Good - A Sunset Taste of School Gardens" March 2, 2013. Left to right: Chefs Brian Etheredge (Capische? & Il Teatro), Dan Fiske (Private Maui Chef), Peleg Miron (Spago), Christopher Kulis (Capische? & Il Teatro), Kristen Etheredge (Private Maui Chef), Samuel Faggetti (Four Seasons Resort Maui), Nicholas Porreca (Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante), and Eric Mitchell (The Outrigger Pizza Company) — Left to right: Chefs Brian Etheredge (Capische? & Il Teatro), Dan Fiske (Private Maui Chef), Peleg Miron (Spago), Christopher Kulis (Capische? & Il Teatro), Kristen Etheredge (Private Maui Chef), Samuel Faggetti (Four Seasons Resort Maui), Nicholas Porreca (Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante), and Eric Mitchell (The Outrigger Pizza Company)

The benefit was our first annual event and raised more than $18,000 to assist school gardens serving nearly 2,000 students on Maui. Special thanks to Marty Dread and Maui’s world class chefs who harvested produce with our students, then kept the crowd entertained while they feasted on delicious cuisine prepared from school garden ingredients. Not only do these chefs raise funds for school gardens, they also mentor students during recipe workshops to improve nutrition choices with localicious recipes!

Premiere chefs participated from Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante, Capische? & Il Teatro, Spago, Private Maui Chef, and The Outrigger Pizza Company. Featured sponsors: First Wind, Maui No Ka ‘Oi Magazine, Four Seasons Resort and Hotel Wailea. Thanks to your support, Grow Some Good is expanding our programs to reach more keiki on Maui.

Check out photos by Peter Liu on Flickr.

Photography: Peter Liu PeterLiu47.com For those of you just getting to know us, Grow Some Good is a nonprofit community program dedicated to creating hands-on, outdoor learning experiences that cultivate curiosity about natural life cycles, connect students to their food sources, and inspire better nutrition choices. In addition to helping establish food gardens and living science labs in local schools, we provide resources and curriculum support through partnerships in agriculture, science, food education and nutrition.

Dig into all the good things growing in our schools! Check out our volunteer page for more information or donate online. You can also join keep in touch via Facebook and Twitter.