Provenance Technique Library

Modern Hawaiian Techniques

7 techniques from Modern Hawaiian cuisine

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Modern Hawaiian

Breadfruit Flour — Modern Application

Modern Hawaiian

Breadfruit flour is the modern adaptation of ancient ʻulu: breadfruit is dried and ground into a gluten-free flour used for baking (pancakes, bread, cookies). The flour is nutty, slightly sweet, and naturally gluten-free. The breadfruit flour movement connects to the broader Hawaiian food sovereignty effort: using Hawaiian-grown starches to replace imported wheat and rice.

Ed Kenney — Farm-to-Table Hawaiian

Modern Hawaiian

Ed Kenney (Town, Mud Hen Water, Kaimukī Superette) represents the next generation of Hawaiian food: hyper-local sourcing, seasonal menus, and the philosophy that Hawaiian food IS the terroir. His restaurants prioritise ingredients grown within the state of Hawaiʻi, often from specific farms. Where first-generation HRC chefs proved Hawaiian food could be world-class, Kenney proves it can be sustainable.

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Lee Anne Wong — Koko Head Cafe

Modern Hawaiian

Lee Anne Wong (Top Chef, Koko Head Cafe) brought Hawaiian brunch to national attention. Her cornflake-crusted French toast, kim chee fried rice, and mochi-crusted fish represent the playful, multicultural, unapologetically Hawaiian approach of the second HRC generation. Wongʻs contribution: proving that Hawaiian food can be fun without being frivolous.

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Mark Noguchi — Community-Centred Hawaiian

Modern Hawaiian

Mark Noguchi (formerly Pili Group, now Heʻe Nalu) represents the community-centred future of Hawaiian food. His focus: food sovereignty, feeding communities (not just restaurants), and using food as a vehicle for social change. He works with Hawaiian farmers, fishers, and cultural practitioners to build food systems, not just menus. His approach is the Provenance thesis made personal: the chef who understands where food comes from builds systems that sustain both food and community.

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Poi Doughnuts — Modern Hawaiian

Modern Hawaiian

Poi doughnuts are a modern Hawaiian creation: the traditional poi (fermented taro paste) is incorporated into a yeasted doughnut dough, producing a purple-tinged, slightly tangy, tender doughnut. The poi adds moisture and a subtle taro flavour. Kamehameha Bakeryʻs poi glazed doughnut is the benchmark. This is the modern Hawaiian approach: take the most ancient ingredient (taro/poi) and put it in a modern format (doughnut).

Fried Dough →

Poke Bowl — The Modern Format

Modern Hawaiian

The poke bowl (rice base, poke on top, garnishes) is the modern format that took poke global. It was not traditional — ancient poke was eaten with poi or alone, not on rice. The bowl format was popularised in the 2010s and exploded worldwide. In Hawaiʻi, purists resist the format (poke doesnʻt need rice). On the mainland, the bowl IS poke. The tension is real: the format democratised Hawaiian food globally but risks reducing poke to a generic “bowl” format stripped of cultural context.

Taro Hummus — Modern Fusion

Modern Hawaiian

Taro hummus: cooked taro blended with tahini, lemon, garlic, and olive oil to produce a Hawaiian-Middle Eastern fusion dip. The taro replaces chickpeas, adding a purple colour and an earthy, slightly sweet flavour. This is the kind of creative modern Hawaiian preparation that uses the ancient ingredient in a global format.