The islands of Hawaii have to tackle wildfires every year during the long dry spell between May to September. This year, however, the devastation is unprecedented. Starting August 8, the ferocity of wildfires in the county of Maui, which is close to central Hawaii, caused exponential damage and displaced thousands of people.
The chefs in the country have sprung to action to mobilise funds for food donations. Hawaii’s top chefs, like Sheldon Simeon, Hui and Lee Ann Wong, have been regularly posting on their social media profiles to raise funds and provide food to those in need at Maui.
One of the chefs who lost their restaurant to the blazing wildfire is, Lee Ann Wong. In a post on her Instagram profile, @leeannwong, the chef shares, “I haven’t had time to stop and process or even grieve the loss of the restaurant and hotel.” Her team created a GoFundMe page to raise funds to rebuild he business, and the link is on the bio of her Instagram account. Meanwhile, she has been coordinating food donations for evacuees. In an Instagram post, she said, “We are looking for stews, hearty soups, and things like curry, etc , packed with lots of vegetables and protein to nourish those who need it the most.”
Another chef who goes by Hui has partnered with the global non-profit organisation World Central Kitchen to cook food in bulk for those in need.
An Agence France-Presse(AFP) story, Hawaii star chefs mount massive operation to feed fire survivors, reports, "The team of chefs and dozens of volunteers prepare and package about 9,000 meals every day.”
Chef Simeon shared a recipe of a soulful dish, Hawaiian gravy burger on rice, named Loco Moco on his Instagram profile @chefwonder, and urged his followers to donate. "Some of our chefs have lost their homes (in the fire), and they're right here right alongside us cooking for their community. Just gives you a sense of what the 'aloha' spirit is," Simeon said to the international news agency AFP. Here's the link of the recipe.