Michael Reiss
Editor, "Food and Wine Access"

What It Is:

The 11th annual "Cuisines of the Sun" culinary extravaganza will take fusion cuisine to a new level July 22-26, 2000 as superstar chefs, winemakers and foodies from around the globe gather for four days to enjoy world-class cuisine, superb wines and spectacularly themed events at the exquisite Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows in Hawaii.

"Cuisines of the Sun by Sub-Zero and Wolf Gourmet" is hailed by food editors and critics as one of the top culinary events in the world. Because of its intimate size (allowing interaction with the chefs and winemakers), hands-on cooking classes and large number of repeat guests, "Cuisines" is playfully dubbed A Summer Camp for Foodies. We consider it the ultimate four-day Hawaiian vacation.

This year's event, themed Global Fusion: Rocking the Gastronomic World, will blanket the map when it comes to fusion flavors. Says event coordinator Janice Wald Henderson, "'Cuisines 2000' pushes the envelope by looking at fusion two ways. One is the melding together of two distinctively different cuisines, such as Indian and French. The other is to regard fusion as combining the past and the present, marrying classic techniques and recipes with contemporary ingredients and cooking styles. So we're also showcasing modern Mexican and progressive Mediterranean food, for example. This year's event is definitely a no-holds-barred, ultra-delicious extravaganza. Count on superstar chefs, award-winning boutique winemakers, and wonderful surprises!"

Celebrity Chefs:

The 2000 extravaganza will feature reigning superstars Floyd Cardoz (Tabla, New York), Jean-Louis Palladin (Las Vegas' Napa and New York's Palladin), Rocco DiSpirito (New York's Union Pacific), Alessandro Stratta (Renoir at The Mirage, Las Vegas), Jim Botsacos (New York's Molyvos), Peter Gordon (London's Sugar Club), Guillermo Tellez (Miami's Mayya), Alan Wong (Alan Wong's in Honolulu), Claudia Fleming (pastry chef at New York's Gramercy Tavern),Stephen Durfee (former pastry chef at Napa Valley's French Laundry), Rick Tramonto (Chicago's Tru and Brasserie T), and Fran�ois Payard (Payard Patisserie & Bistro in New York City). Joining these superstars will be Mauna Lani Bay's own Pat Saito (The CanoeHouse) and Ryan Vargas, Executive Chef; Mark Okumura, pastry chef at Alan Wong's; as well as Dave "D.K." Kodama (new wave sushi wizard), of Honolulu's and Maui's Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar and Hiroshi Fukui (labeled Honolulu's "brightest new culinary star") of L'Uraku.

The Program:

Guests will sip such superlative wines as Australia's Leeuwin Estate, Napa Valley's Luna Vineyards, Central Coast's Babcock Vineyards and Whitcraft Winery, and Germany's Weingut Franz KŸnstler. Beers from Hawaii's boutique breweries will be served at the evening receptions, including Kona Brewing Company, Mehana Brewing Company and Sam Choy's Big Aloha Brewing Company.

Each year, "Cuisines" is coordinated and emceed by Janice Wald Henderson, one of the country's most prolific food and travel journalists. Hawaii's acclaimed Master Sommelier and television personality Chuck Furuya serves as host of the event's wine seminars.

The 2000 program includes such hot events as "Under the Ginger Moon," a feast prepared by the brightest East-West fusion stars in the world; "A Magical Night on the Med" highlighting sensational Mediterranean cuisine; and "A Night at the (Culinary) Opera," an enchanting final night gala. Throughout this evening, guests will be inspired not only by the symphonic cuisine of our guest chefs, but also by the beautiful voice of Dale Kristien, a.k.a. Christine DaaŽ, the Broadway and Los Angeles star of "Phantom of the Opera."

The Cost:

The all-inclusive "Cuisines of the Sun" package is priced at $2,215 single occupancy or $3,204 double occupancy, with taxes, including four nights in a luxurious Ocean View room at The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows and attendance at all "Cuisines of the Sun" events. "Cuisines" is also offered at $950 per person (excluding room) for the full four-day program, or $700 for guests wishing to attend the evening events only (excludes the daytime classes). Special room rates are available at $275 per night, single or double, both pre- and post-"Cuisines of the Sun."

The Sponsors:

Mauna Lani Bay is pleased to announce the participation of the following sponsors of "Cuisines of the Sun:" Sub-Zero, manufacturers of premier wine storage units and refrigeration systems and owner of the exclusive Wolf Gourmet cooking line (1-800-444-7820 or www.subzero.com); Continental Airlines, the official airline sponsor (1-800-523-3273), Aloha Airlines, the official neighbor island airline sponsor (1-800-367-5250), Chefwear U.S.A., the Chicago-based designer chef clothing company; All-Clad Metalcrafters cookware; Waterford Wedgwood; and Valrhona Chocolate.

For More Information Contact:

"Cuisines of the Sun" information or reservations, call the toll-free "Cuisines Hotline" at 1-888-424-1977.

Detailed Schedule:

GLOBAL FUSION:
Rocking the Gastronomic World
July 22-26, 2000

SATURDAY, JULY 22
"Cuisines of the Sun" participants check-in.

"Under the Ginger Moon" 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Our extravaganza unfolds with an exotic East-meets-West bash. Feast on the fare of the brightest fusion stars in the world: James Beard Foundation award-winner Alan Wong of Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu; Peter Gordon of London's legendary Sugar Club (named Britain's "Best Modern British Restaurant" and "Best Pacific Rim Restaurant"); a Food & Wine "America's Best New Chef" winner Rocco DiSpirito of New York's Union Pacific; and Mauna Lani Bay's talented new executive chef Ryan Vargas and lauded CanoeHouse chef Pat Saito. Alan Wong's Restaurant pastry chef Mark Okumura creates desserts to make us swoon. And we sip winning wines from Australia's Leeuwin Estate, Napa Valley, California's Luna Vineyards, Santa Barbara, California's Whitcraft Winery and Babcock Vineyards, and Germany's Weingut Franz Kunstler.

SUNDAY, JULY 23

"Cooking Outside the Box" 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Get ready to be starstruck, for if any chefs can think and cook outside the box, it's these two. Meet cutting-edge wonder Guillermo Tellez of Miami Beach's sizzling-hot Mayya restaurant (recently featured in Bon AppŽtit). This former Charlie Trotter's chef de cuisine transforms Mexican food into haute marvels. And Floyd Cardoz of Tabla (formerly of New York's world-famous Lespinasse), whose stunning fusion fare brings even jaded New Yorkers to their knees, demonstrates the way to marry French and Indian flavors. Wine pairings include wonderfully textured Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay and the lush, intense Pinot Noir of Whitcraft Winery.

"In the Dough" 10:30 a.m. to noon
Roll up your sleeves; we're going to have a blast. James Beard Foundation winner for "Best Pastry Chef in America" Stephen Durfee -- he shot to stardom at Napa Valley's French Laundry -- will lead an unforgettable hands-on cooking class.

Free time to enjoy hotel and resort facilities.
noon to 7 p.m.

"A Magical Night on the Med" 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Picture yourself on the Mediterranean, savoring food and wine of unparalleled flair. Tonight we're dazzled by "Modern Meds" who put real magic into Mediterranean cuisine: superstar chef Jean-Louis Palladin of Las Vegas' Napa and New York's Palladin; Beard Foundation award-winner "Best Chef of the Southwest" Alessandro Stratta of Las Vegas' Mobil 5-star Renoir restaurant; Jim Botsacos of The New York Times multi-starred Greek restaurant Molyvos; French Riviera-born "Best Pastry Chef in America" winner Fran�ois Payard of New York's Payard Patisserie & Bistro (preparing a savory surprise); and "Best Pastry Chef in America" Stephen Durfee, formerly of Napa Valley's French Laundry. Our revered winemakers pour wines especially suited for such progressive Mediterranean fare.

MONDAY, JULY 24

"Miso Modness" 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
For this exhilarating hands-on class, our "teachers" are Peter Gordon, who put London's Sugar Club on the map, and Rocco DiSpirito, of New York's Union Pacific -- both are darlings of the East-West fusion food movement. Gordon is a household name in the U.K and Down Under, as a restaurant chef, best-selling cookbook author and food columnist. In 1999, DiSpirito was named to Food & Wine's "America's Best New Chefs" list; in 2000, he received his second nomination for the Beard Foundation's "Best Chef: New York City." And we'll also enjoy the purity and sophistication of Weingut Franz Kunstler's t Rieslings.

Free time to enjoy hotel and resort facilities. 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

"Secrets from the Cellar" 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Do you ever fantasize about the treasured bottles the world's foremost winemakers store in their private cellars? We're invited into the VIP caves of Walter Babcock of Babcock Vineyards; Gunter Kunstler of Weingut Franz Kuntsler; Chris Whitcraft of Whitcraft Winery; John Kongsgaard of Luna Vineyards; and Tricia and Denis Horgan of Leeuwin Estate to sip their most precious bottles (either in limited release or unavailable to the public.) World-renowned Beard Foundation winner of "Best Chef in America" (and at age 28, the youngest French chef to win 2 Michelin stars) Jean-Louis Palladin prepares jewels created just for this food-and-wine pairing.

"Rocking Out in a Global Kitchen" 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Get ready for a sizzling soiree under the stars, as Beard Foundation 2000 nominee for "Best New Restaurant" in America (and one of Food & Wine's "America's Best Chefs") Rick Tramonto and this years winner of the James Beard Foundation's prestigious award for most outstanding pastry chef in America Claudia Fleming of New York's Gramercy Tavern; Floyd Cardoz of New York's trendy Tabla; and Guillermo Tellez of Miami Beach's marvelous Mayya deliver their global take on gastronomy. Joining these superstars are special guest chefs Dave "D.K." Kodama of Honolulu's and Maui's Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar (whose new wave sushi made him the winner of Zagat Hawaii Restaurant Survey's highest food rating in the state), and Hiroshi Fukui (labeled Honolulu's "brightest new culinary star") of L'Uraku. Our esteemed winemakers deliver a powerhouse of innovative offerings.

TUESDAY, JULY 25

"Culinary Med-itations" 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
"Med Masters" Alessandro Stratta of Las Vegas' Mobil 5-star Renoir restaurant (Beard Foundation "Best Chef of the Southwest" winner and Food & Wine "Best New Chef in America"), and Jim Botsacos of New York's acclaimed Molyvos (named one of America's "Best Restaurants" by Esquire and one of New York magazine's "Best Restaurants of 1999"), thrill us with tweaked-for-today Mediterranean and Greek cooking. And we'll look at two of California's finest contemporary Pinot Gris from Luna Vineyards and Babcock Vineyards.

"The War of the Whisks" 10:30 a.m. to noon
Our adventurous chefs love this outrageous improv class. Rick Tramonto of Chicago's Tru, Alan Wong of Honolulu's Alan Wong's Restaurant, Fran�ois Payard of New York's Payard Patisserie & Bistro, and Jean-Louis Palladin of Las Vegas' Napa and New York's Palladin are teamed with noted food journalists as partners in culinary crime. We sip wine and soak up the scene. It's a rousing good time for all.

Free time to enjoy hotel and resort facilities. noon to 7 p.m.

"Prelude to the Performance" 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
We revel in the splendor of a tropical sunset, with clever cocktails and heavenly hors d'oeuvres prepared by our extraordinary chefs.

"A Night at the (Culinary) Opera" 7:45 p.m. to .....
A great dinner is like a great opera; it's a gala performance that's etched in our memories forever. For one last enchanted evening, our amazing chefs create a symphony of flavors worthy of a standing ovation. And who awes and inspires us with song? Dale Kristien, aka Christine DaaŽ, the Broadway and Los Angeles star of "Phantom of the Opera."

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26
Guest departures or additional stays.