Honolulu residents decked out to head downtown with Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children for its grand Kapi‘olani Soirée. Held in Kaka‘ako’s colorful arts district at the Agora, the medical center’s largest annual fundraiser presented a fitting occasion for delicious fare—from MW Restaurant, Koko Head Café and Wahoo’s— cocktails, fellowship and the furthering of island health. Proceeds from the New-York-meets-Honolulu party support the continuation of Kapi‘olani’s more than 100 years of medical services throughout Hawai‘i and the Pacific region.

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Attuned to well-dressed gentlemen, Louis Vuitton opened the doors to its Ala Moana Center boutique one Sunday evening to commemorate the launch of its lavish, new men’s collection. LV maison’s Honolulu shop was filled with fashionable Louis fans, men and women to celebrate the brand’s latest luxury threads. Dale Ruff, vice present of stores for Louis Vuitton Hawaii Inc., was present, as were friends and patrons of the French fashion house.

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Neiman Marcus and Joyful Heart Foundation harmonized to Make Some Joyful Noise in an afternoon luncheon and fashion showcase spotlighting celebrity stylists Jordy Lane and Meg Heinzer. A fashionable crowd gathered at CUSP by Neiman Marcus, tucked away on level one, to survey the latest styles, socialize and savor small bites. Select designers donated a percentage of merchandise sales to Joyful Heart Foundation’s programs in Hawai‘i.

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Dec. 4

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | 733.0274

The kooky leg lamp from the 1940s holiday film favorite makes a kicking comeback in the musical stage presentation of A Christmas Story. You wont shoot your eye out, but we triple-dog dare you not to laugh as you watch Ralphie pursue the toy top-ping his Christmas list: an official Red Ryder^® Air Rifle. Through Dec. 20. diamondheadtheatre.com

Dec. 16

HAWAII THEATRE | 528.0506

Sing and hum along with Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Oahu Choral Society for a merry twilight showcase of traditional end-of-year favorites, including the Hallelujah Chorus, in A Classical Christmas. hawaiitheatre.com

Ballet Hawaiis The Nutcracker will enchant audiences this December (photo courtesy Ballet Hawaii).

Dec. 18

BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL | 745.3000

The internationally acclaimed Christmas production returns to Honolulu for a weekend of dazzling performances to enchant the entire family. Drift away to a magical land, and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairies, Ballet Hawaiis two-act presentation of E.T.A. Hoffmans storybook tale-turned-stage ballet: The Nutcracker. Through Dec. 20. ballethawaii.org

Conductor JoAnn Falletta, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Oahu Choral Society will showcase holiday favorites during Ode to Joy. Dec. 29-30 (photo courtesy Hawaii Symphony Orchestra).

Dec. 29

BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL | 946.8742

Continue seasonal festivities with conductor JoAnn Falletta, accompanied by The Oahu Choral Society, for Ode to Joy: Hawaii Symphony Orchestras evening and matinee performances of Bachs (arr. Shoenberg) Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major and Beethovens Symphony No. 9 in D Minor. Through Dec. 30. hawaiisymphonyorchestra.com

Jan. 21

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE | 536.4441

Kumu Kahuas 45th season continues with a thought-provoking stage drama. Get an intimate look inside a familial struggle with Hawaiis crystal meth epidemic in the world-premiere of the stage drama written by Hannah Ii-Epstein, Not One Batu. Through Feb. 21. kumukahua.org

MANOA VALLEY THEATRE | 988.6131

Colin Higgins cult-film-turned-stage-comedy livens up Manoa Valleys stage for the Hawaii premiere of Harold and Maude. Laugh and smile through a charming tale of mismatched love as an alienated, 19-year-old poor little rich boy falls head over heels for a quirky, free-spirited gal. Through Feb. 7. manoavalleytheatre.com

Jan. 29

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | 733.0274

The longest-running show of any kind in British theater history continues to captivate audiences in Diamond Head Theatres presentation of Dame Agathas The Mousetrap. Travel back to the 1950s for an intriguing part-drawing-room-comedy, part-murder-mystery of secrets, motives and hidden identities. Through Feb. 14. diamondheadtheatre.com

New Zealand artist Peter Wakemans Chica Under Glasson view at Bishop Museums Word of Wearable Art (WOW^®) (photo courtesy Bishop Museum).

On View

MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER | 242.7469

Nani I Ka Hala: Lau Hala Weaving in Hawaii and Ho Mai Ka Hala: Bring Forth the Hala
Through Dec. 20

BISHOP MUSEUM | 847.3511

World of WearableArt (WOW^®)
Through Feb. 1

HONOLULU MUSEUM OF ART | 532.8700
At First Hawaiian Center | Dropping In, Drawing a Bead + Dreaming of Nature Wendy Kawabata | In the Land
Through Feb. 5

All events subject to change

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii members gathered at The Kahala Hotel & Resort for an elegant Executive Roast & Toast cocktail reception and dinner program honoring exiting chamber chairman Dennis Francis, president and publisher of Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Guests toasted to and then “roasted,” Francis, who concluded two years of service on the chamber board; Gabe Lee, American Savings Bank executive vice president, will succeed him. Hailed the “voice of business” in Hawai‘i, chamber members represent more than 200,000 employers in the islands.

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Every year, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific patrons and friends gather for an elegant food-and-wine fête to support patients and their family members. Halekulani’s ocean-side environs hosted REHAB Foundation’s 2015 The Joy of Food and Wine, where the highlight was just that: gourmet cuisine and crus. Handcrafted cocktails, decadent bites and, naturally, bottles from the finest vintners—curated by Southern Wine & Spirits—were paired to the gala menu, making the annual event another successful evening of culinary excellence. Proceeds collected from the jubilant get-together will go to REHAB’s Creative Arts Program, capital campaign and other patient-and-family programs and events furthering the health and wellness of Hawai‘i residents.

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Whether it’s waves, wine or Waikiki, George Szigeti manages to come out on top.

Former pro surfer George Szigeti has caught plenty of rogue waves in life and business, but he’s managed to ride most of them to the top.

The second of six children born to Dezo Szigeti, a gardener, and Florence Szigeti, a housekeeper, Szigeti’s rise to the helm of Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is a ride he never could have imagined as a young kid growing up in austerity.

“It was very humble,” Szigeti says. “We lived on a California ranch, where my father did repair work. My mom scrubbed thousands of floors to make ends meet. I would have never thought that I would be sitting here today with the great team that is HTA because I could not have envisioned that such a path would have been open to me.”

But Szigeti’s playground extended beyond the ranch to Los Angeles County’s affluent beach cities of Malibu and Santa Monica, where California dreamers go to ? nd fame and fortune. At age 12, Szigeti found his panacea in surfing, a sport he grew to love as soon as he climbed atop a borrowed board, courtesy of his friend Dave Rochlen. He was soon surfing every morning in Malibu and Santa Monica, and hitchhiking 20 miles to school.

By age 17, Szigeti had risen to the No. 10 surfer in the international circuit. Competition took him to Hawai‘i, where he had to wash cars to keep his head above water. Unfortunately, he was also on his own.

“My father was old school. He came from Hungary, and when I turned 16, he considered me a man. He kicked me out,” Szigeti says. “? ere wasn’t enough food to go around. Even today, my wife teases me that I’m the fastest eater she’s seen. Growing up one of six kids, I had to be, or there wouldn’t have been any food.”

Despite being forced to be independent at such a young age, Szigeti was able to graduate from Santa Monica High School.

“I spent a few nights in my car, and then couch-surfing, until I got on my feet. Surfing was my guiding light. It kept me out of trouble,” he says.

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Surfing connections kept Szigeti under Dewey Weber’s sponsorship until the age of 22. It also opened the door to earning income as a model, and to a job at Chuck’s Steakhouse, which was filled with surfers.

The support helped Szigeti work his way through UCLA, where he majored in psychology and sociology (because the school’s famed business program did not yet exist).

“I wasn’t making a lot of money, but I really enjoyed my time slinging steaks,” Szigeti says. “Then, when I graduated, I was fortunate enough to get recruited to work for E&J Gallo Winery, which along with Procter & Gamble was one of the most sought-after companies by graduates of that time.”

Six months later, Szigeti earned a promotion to district manager, and eventually was asked by Ernest Gallo himself to move to O‘ahu to become the company’s first Hawai‘i state manager.

“I was really driven because being on my own at such I young age, I developed a real fear of failure. Gallo moved me back to Hawai‘i in 1982 to be its first state manager,” Szigeti says. “Thirty-six years later, Hawai‘i has become my home. My wife, Sandra, who is a flight attendant, and I live in Honolulu. Our daughter, Alexis, graduated June 2015 from Santa Clara University.”

After E&J Gallo, Szigeti became sales manager for McKesson Wine Partners.

Its sale in the early 1980s wrecked career havoc for many, but led Szigeti to a job as vice president of sales and marketing for Better Brands. He became president and CEO of Better Brands in 1997, and served in that role for 15 years until the company morphed into Young’s Market and its top leadership changed. Visitor industry connections that he made during his food-and-beverage tenure in Hawai‘i led to an opportunity to take over as president and CEO of Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA).

Julie Arigo, general manager of Waikiki Parc Hotel, says Szigeti’s tenure at HLTA was a success. He increased membership by 24 percent to 680 members, which now includes more than 160 hotels representing 50,000 rooms statewide. Szigeti’s efforts also helped the organization’s fundraising efforts hit $1.87 million in 2014, which was a record year.

Szigeti is perhaps best known for encouraging the industry to partner with Institute for Human Services and Mayor Kirk Caldwell to work on homeless solutions, including getting Waikiki’s compassionate disruption, or sit-lie law, passed. The law gives police the ability to move homeless squatters so that Waikiki’s streets and sidewalks are kept clear for public use and enjoyment. Under Szigeti, HLTA wrote the first $100,000 check for an expanded homeless outreach to help Waikiki’s down-and-out residents.

He left HLTA in May to become HTA’s president and CEO, a role many in the industry expect he will excel in, given his leadership in for-profit and nonprofit community organizations that support business and travel for Hawai‘i. He was recently recognized at Na Mea Makamae o Waikiki, the gala fundraiser for Waikiki Community Center, where he was carried in on a surfboard.

Currently, he serves on the steering committee for the Hawai‘i Bowl and Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. Previously, he has served as chairman of Hawaii Food Industry Association, president of Hawaii Liquor Wholesalers Association, and as board member for Hawaii Foodbank, Hawaii Restaurant Association and Hale ‘Aina ‘Ohana, which supports Hawai‘i’s young chefs.

With a new dream team of HTA chief operating officer Randy Baldemor and Marc Togashi, HTA vice president of finance, beside him, Szigeti says the organization is updating long-term strategies to maintain tourism growth and momentum.

“We are starting a new chapter here at HTA. We are looking at how we can be a more forward-thinking organization,” Szigeti says. “We also want to look at ways to better utilize technology, as we see how important it will be for tourism across the globe.”

Szigeti says his philosophy of business management is one that seeks collaboration and partnerships that support the greater good for all, instead of individual interests. It’s an approach he has honed riding the highs and lows of a three-decade business career in Hawai‘i.

“I learned to remember to smile, to listen, to stay balanced and to make good friends. I believe that it takes a team to live the dream,” Szigeti says. “Good and bad times are a part of life, but no matter what you have, [I learned] to treat others like you want to be treated.”

Bishop Museum’s DeSoto Brown is the keeper of some of Hawai‘i’s most treasured art and artifacts.

Curious, inquisitive, a seeker of information and a reader of anything and everything, DeSoto Brown might have become a professor or a detective. Lucky for the historical wealth of Hawai‘i, he became a sleuth for culture and history.

“As a kid, I read everything, even old phonebooks,” Brown says.

He saw history in everything in print, and didn’t want to see it disappear. Of course, at age 10, he didn’t imagine that he would become an archivist, collection manager and historian of the world-famous Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu.

The thrill of historical discovery is in his genes. Brown is the great-grandson of John Papa ‘I‘i, the 19th-century Hawaiian historian, writer and adviser to Hawaiian kings.

Brown says, “I started by chance. By the time I was 10, I knew I had to save things, that somebody had to save things.”

In his teens, he says he was saving the history of the 20th century. By the 1960s, he was wondering what Hawai‘i was like before cars, before television and before he was born. In the 1970s, he zeroed in on images that informed the world about Hawai‘i: art by commercial artists presenting the fantasy of a lovely maiden leaning against a palm tree, strumming an ‘ukulele in the moonlight.

“Postcards, magazine ads, travel posters, many thousands of each, were probably discarded. They were ephemera, not important enough to save, like a hard-cover book would have been.”

He describes the era as lucky because some of the images survived and lived on, bound into few bound books he found in the state library and archives and in the University of Hawai‘i library.

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“Today,” he says, “people need to see these.” He suggests we think how they changed the Hawaiian Islands.

Brown attended Punahou School, and graduated cum laude in communication arts from Hawai‘i Loa College in 1978. Some time spent in mainstream retail might be considered his graduate-level study. “It wasn’t a career, but I did visual marketing for the Andrade stores.”

Now only a memory, the stores were the trendsetters for an era of retail history. Another pivotal moment was Brown’s opportunity to catalog all the photos, taken in the ’50s and ’60s by well-known Hawai‘i photographer Lawrence Hata. The collection was a window into life in the isles.

Brown published his first book in 1982, called Hawaii Recalls: Selling Romance to America. Another five books followed, plus nine or 10 as coauthor, dozens of magazine articles and half a dozen video productions.

Always taking what is called a “busman’s holiday,” Brown loves to travel to see cities, towns and museums with Hawaiian contents, as well as observe how they report their own history. On one day in England, he did a sweep of three museums. At the Captain Cook Museum in Whitby, he saw the bound volumes of Hawaiian kapa. He says that back in the day, kapa was an English curiosity, as was a place that didn’t make fabric, had no looms and created yardage from plants. The books date to the 1700s, when kapa was cut in tiny squares and glued to 100-percent rag paper pages—which are non-acidic and thereby long-lasting antiquities. Brown says that his cab driver in Liverpool may have been the most creative guide. “He played Gerry and the Pacemakers’ Ferry Cross the Mersey as he showed me docks, the first public toilet and the one 19th-century building left.”

Brown says Hawai‘i has remnants of the past; they are just sometimes harder to learn. He recommends a drive up Tantalus to Round Top lookout: “The freeway, the new buildings still leave a clear view of ‘Iolani Palace, the historic buildings, Aloha Tower. Think about how only a hundred years ago, Waikiki and Honolulu were separate cities. Or, take a walk downtown and see the remnants of the city.”

He remembers hanging out with his dad, going to Alexander Young Hotel (now Bishop Square), riding the click-clack wooden escalator at Liberty House (now Macy’s) and First National Bank, now First Hawaiian Bank, with a giant scale to tell your weight. “They had a hook on the side, so women didn’t have to weigh with their handbag.” The scale is still there. Before the last of the Chinatown stores were torn down or updated, he wandered the shelves, and found World War II paper stickers at a store named Li Fong.

Where does DeSoto Brown want to go next? Berlin and Havana—one modernized, the other frozen in 1959. Meanwhile, he educates—himself and everyone who is searching for history—at Bishop Museum’s Archives. If we want to know anything, need to confirm even the smallest factoid, we know where to go and whom to ask. If DeSoto doesn’t already know, he knows were to look.

All photos courtesy DeSoto Brown Collection

Two red carpets rolled out to host the grand 2015 Hawai`i European Cinema Awards Gala at Moana Surfrider. The black-tie film fête brought France’s great Catherine Deneuve, who flew in from Paris to accept the Christina Hassell Lifetime Achievement Award for her impressive 120-plus films. Ergo, the affair’s signature beverage, The Hunger, was a potable ode to Deneuve’s 1983 cult vampire flick with David Bowie. Gala invitees subsequently comprised a who’s-who roster among film, fashion, art, culture, business, politics and media characters. After rolling up in various high-end autos and walking the red carpet, guests mingled about Moana’s Diamond Lawn under the stars, sipping effervescent flutes of Moët & Chandon, and tasting through petite plates per refined restaurateurs. After fueling through Azure, Stage, MW and Tiki’s Grill & Bar fare, company remaining continued to celebrate at the star-studded after party long into the night. Merci beaucoup to yet another dazzling Hawai’i European Cinema. We eagerly await the 2016 soirée.

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Bollywood Ja Ho! Waialae Country Club transformed into a Bollywood-themed bazaar in a dazzling fête for supporters of the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of O’ahu. The organization’s annual fundraiser featured Bollywood-themed entertainment, courtesy of the Bollywood and Indian folk dance troupe Aaja Nachle, a traditional Indian dinner, wine auction and prize drawing. Proceeds from the FCJC gala will support the healing of children victimized by physical and sexual abuse.

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Palama Settlement gathered with friends and supporters for a third year of its Malama Palama Gala. Held inside Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s sweeping Monarch Ballroom, a cocktail reception and decadent dinner kicked-off the festivities for the Palama Settlement’s honorary program. Emme Tomimbang, producer and veteran broadcaster, and Francis Keala, former Honolulu Police Department Chief, were honored that evening for their support of the settlement and its actions to empower the community.

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Two superior chefs—one local, one visiting—sharpened their cutlery in a supreme culinary soirée set in O`ahu’s opulent five-star restaurant. Guests and affiliates of Park Lane luxury residence enjoyed La Mer’s sumptuous open-air environs and the gastronomic talents of Thomas Keller—a three-star Michelin chef and James Beard Foundation honors tucked under his well seasoned apron—and Vikram Garg—Halekulani’s own haute cuisine visionary and talented executive chef—in a grand Park Lane fête. Approximately 100 VIP guests of Park Lane and the internationally acclaimed guest chef feasted on multiple courses paired to beverages in a luxuriously celebratory evening of high-end real estate development and fine cuisine. Foodies in attendance were particularly satisfied to learn that the upscale dinner with Keller is just one of three of Park Lane’s planned star-chef soirées. We hope Park Lane invitees brought their appetites. Innovative, upscale construction projects and sumptuous feasting will certainly carry on in Honolulu …

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Waikiki Community Center’s annual benefit, Na Mea Makamae O Waikiki, illuminated Coral Ballroom in a dazzling soirée. Themed Waikiki Lights, the venue’s sea-plant shaped, swirling lights elegantly shone down upon a vast crowd, who reveled in a silent auction, multicourse dinner and program. A twilight gala of food, fun and entertainment in ode to Waikiki, its people and its culture, proceeds accrued to the center’s programs and services tailored to children, families and senior citizens who live and work in Waikiki. Of mention are the evening’s Kahiau Awardees: Bob and Kay Hampton, Waikiki Beach Activities chairman of the board and Media Matters, Inc. president, respectively; Peter Shaindlin, Halekulani Corporation COO; and George Szigeti, Hawai`i Tourism Authority president and CEO.

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Hawaii’s Modern Masters celebrated its 10th-annual festival of mode and masterpieces at Luxury Row. Presented by Cedar Street Galleries, a grand reception was held in world-class shops dotting Kalakaua Avenue. Those in attendance conversed with the talented artisans, sampled small bites and sipped champagne while surveying more than 350 modern and historical original works.

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Four Seasons Resort Hualalai welcomed epicureans to its luxury environs to host its annual food-and-wine celebration: Chef Fest. The four-day lineup featured noteworthy get-togethers, including: Chef Fest Grand Tasting, the opening event; mixology and interactive cooking classes; blind wine tasting with Roberto Viernes; formal dinners and beach cookouts; and a grand gala and after-party to cap off the gastronomic gathering.

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Kumu Kahua Theatre returns the favor, coming to the aid of The ARTS at Marks Garage.

In a case of life imitating art, creative collaborations headline a cultural renaissance for Chinatown, 14 years after the arts at Marks Garage first led the charge.

This second act comes with an ironic twist. The main player behind the campaign to save the struggling ARTS survived its own money woes in 2010. Kumu Kahua Theatre was on the brink of closure, but turned its financial picture around through community donations.

Fast-forward five years. When the 45-year-old theater’s younger neighbor, The ARTS at Marks Garage, suddenly lost two grants equal to a year’s rent, Kumu Kahua stepped up with a sponsorship to keep The ARTS alive.

A call to Kumu Kahua’s Donna Blanchard, managing director, from Marks’ anxious Rich Richardson, executive director, sparked the win-win advertising agreement.

“Even though I am proud, I opened up my mouth in the interest of protecting the space,” recalls Richardson, who also heads the Hawaii Academy of Performing Arts and Chinatown Artists Lofts.

Blanchard says her “aha moment” to sponsor Marks came while having a Deschutes IPA with a friend at Downbeat Diner & Lounge on Hotel Street, formerly a red-light district. Her support for local businesses comes through loud and clear as she laments the loss of two restaurants across from Hawaii Theatre: Brasserie Du Vin and Soul de Cuba Cafe.

“There’s a battle going on in Chinatown every day for the sort of people we’re able to attract and keep in the area,” Blanchard explains. “We have to have good reasons for people to come downtown, go shopping, get a drink after a show and stay in the neighborhood. I really don’t think we could do that without Marks Garage.”

The artist-run, non-profit gallery is credited with revitalizing Honolulu’s gritty Chinatown. Exhibit A for Marks’ mission “to transform our community with the power of the arts and establish Honolulu’s Chinatown as the creative capital of the Pacific” is First Friday.

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The gallery walk on the first Friday of every month attracts thousands of artists, businesspeople and hipsters to Honolulu’s cultural hub. The sight of patrons strolling Bethel Street and Nu`uanu Avenue to visit 30 participating galleries, restaurants and boutiques is a stark contrast to the historical stereotype of drug dealers and prostitutes ruling these same streets.

Headlines from international publications tout the turnaround. In 2005, The New York Times wrote: “In Honolulu, Arts Revive Chinatown’s Fortune.” Los Angeles Times produced a feature story in 2008, dubbing the area “Honolulu Hip.” Last year, National Geographic honed in on the epicenter of the local arts scene, saying: “Th ere may be no better place than ARTS at Marks Garage for an overview of what local artisans and artists are producing, from photography and watercolors to music and theater.”

“We provide an informal town square, a place to meet and mingle in the joyful setting of the arts,” Richardson says. “In the past 14 years, 300,000 people have had a good time here creating, collaborating and celebrating.”

Kimberly Lau is one of them. “I think we’re all a patron of First Friday,” says the Spire Hawaii Manager.

Her Bishop Street accounting firm is part of a hui of local businesses supporting Marks. Lau describes the gallery’s ripple effect this way: “They’re not only helping bring arts into the local community, but they’re [also] helping at-risk kids with after school mentoring programs, businesses with incubator and provide living spaces for artists.”

Lofts resident and Barrio Vintage co-owner Jonathan Saupe calls Chinatown the “best art hotspot in the entire state.” His Nu`uanu Avenue boutique supports local arts by displaying new works in the window. “The art scene is such a big part of our store and the neighborhood” explains Saupe, “where young local business owners and artists can experiment and thrive together.”

“You have to have support from businesses,” stresses Blanchard. “It’s difficult for an arts organization to survive here.”

A critical collaboration is a marketing blitz to create awareness that both organizations need help. Charisma Industries designed new websites and social media campaigns for Kumu Kahua and ARTS, including a push for donations from “1,001 friends.”

“Rebranding, new design and a greater push towards promotion and public outreach is especially important now,” according to James Charisma, agency president. “Kumu Kahua Theatre and Th e ARTS at Marks aren’t a temporary or pop-up effort. These groups are in it for the long haul, and their success and survival depends on the support they receive.”

“There is developing a vast conspiracy of kindness,” Richardson says, with renewed optimism. “I see lots of shiny goodness on the horizon.”

“This place has so much heart,” Blanchard adds. “I believe we can set a standard for collaboration.”

With the forces of art and aloha at work, Chinatown’s vibrant arts scene is poised for a comeback.

To make a donation, visit artsatmarks.com and kumukahua.org

All photos courtesy Denise de Guzman

Four Seasons veteran and award-winning chef Martin Knaubert takes his knives to Ko Olina.

For culinary guru Martin Knaubert, the title of executive chef carries with it an immense weight of community and environmental responsibility. This course of action he speaks of pertains to the farm-to-table movement that has garnered prominence in cities across the world, and he views it as a way to add quality to the food he serves.

Some say the Michelin-rated, award-winning chef takes an unorthodox approach to creating dishes, preferring to highlight the base flavors each ingredient holds, which means natural, fresh ingredients are a must-have in his restaurants. His gift lies in his ability to combine elements in their purest forms to create unrivaled flavors that truly are works of art. His forte lies in seafood, and in the process aims to bring out the flavor without adding too many components.

“I just love cooking with seafood, fish [and] simple vegetables,” he says.

Knaubert is the new executive chef of Four Seasons Resort O`ahu at Ko Olina. (photo courtesy Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts).

Instead of looking at what potential finished product lies at the end of his creative journey, he totally engrosses himself in the ingredients themselves, and seeing how he can harmoniouslyyet often unexpectedly combine them to conceive something great.

“It’s really very intuitive,” he says, modestly. To accomplish this task, he has made it his goal to incorporate as many local ingredients as possible in the dishes that adorn Four Seasons O`ahu’s restaurants-to-be.

He understands that local farms will not be able to completely supply his restaurants.

“But if I can get 60 to 70 percent farm-to-table, I will be really happy,” he adds.

He recalls 10 years ago, when the way of thinking revolved around how much luxury a single plate could exude, and compares it to growing up on a farm in Germany. “It’s very important for chefs to

get back to their roots of what’s important,” he explains. “It’s important for chefs to really showcase responsibility.

“When I remember farm-fresh eggs at my grandma’s house, that was a huge difference than what you buy in the supermarket,” he continues. “People have forgotten what actual food tastes like.”

His hometown kitchen was where his love of cooking emergedthe smells fascinated him, watching his grandma piece together dishes so delicious and wholesome that they stuck with Knaubert to this day. However, Knaubert departed from that life path upon heading off to university to focus his educational aspirations toward sociology, geography and anthropology.

“It was quite a turn,” he admits, but one that would steer him back on course to becoming one of Four Seasons’ most decorated chefs.

You see, Knaubert worked in restaurants to pay his school tuition, but quickly realized that his “second career” was where his passions lay.

“I remembered growing up with the best food in the world, and I wanted to recreate that,” he says.

And as far as switching career paths, not a day has passed that Knaubert has regretted his decision.

After stints in four continents, in cities from Chicago to Beijing, Knaubert has racked up a number of savory accolades, including the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2014 at Deca Restaurant + Bar in Chicago. And now his culinary genius will go to work for O`ahu. While he only has been here for a short period, he already touts the shrimp trucks along North Shore and Chinatown’s manapuas as memorable meals. But most of all, North Shore Goodies’ Chocolate Peanut Butter has him completely enamored.

For Knaubert, a Four Seasons veteran of nearly two decades, the chance to execute his visionin Hawai`i, no lessis a dream come true.

“Not many chefs have this opportunity,” he adds. “I truly believe with Ko Olina and the west side of O`ahu, we will be very important to the community. This restaurant is not only for guests; everybody should come. Nobody should feel intimidated.

“I think it’s very important for the [public] to see that we built our restaurants based on this community,” he says. “It’s a giving back.”

Registered nurse-turned-CEO Art Gladstone now helms both Straub Clinic & Hospital as well as Pali Momi Medical Center.

Art Gladstone, the chief executive officer of Straub Clinic & Hospital and Pali Momi Hospital, is great at putting out fires—literally.

Before choosing a career in health care, Gladstone worked as a forestry firefighter in Alberta, Canada. Through that position, he met his wife, Michelle, and one of her family members introduced him to the idea of becoming a nurse, just a step beyond the emergency medical technician (EMT) career that he was already pursuing.

“I didn’t like being an EMT; it was too much boredom, followed by a little bit of excitement, then boredom,” Gladstone says. “I looked into psychiatric nursing, and decided it sounded pretty good.”

Gladstone worked as a psychiatric nurse at Ponoka Hospital, and after transferring to Red Deer College’s Registered Nursing Program, became the very first male registered on the gynecological floor. While Gladstone became a nurse when it was an unconventional decision for a man, he said his parents, who were from Pincher Creek—a small town of about 5,000 people in Southern Alberta, Canada—supported his decision. Gladstone says they saw nursing as a respectable job with opportunity for growth and stability.

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The fifth and youngest child of a mechanic, Jack Gladstone, and a homemaker, Frances Gladstone, who served as the housekeeper for the Catholic Church, Gladstone says he grew up valuing hard work. At 11, he took over an older brother’s newspaper route; and by 14, he was working as a janitor for the small Catholic school. His ambitions took him to Mount Royal College in Calgary, where his cross-country coach put him on this current path by talking him out of becoming a physical education teacher/coach.

“I ended up working in forestry for three years, and then [I turned] to nursing,” Gladstone says.

In 1990, he interviewed at hospitals across O’ahu, ultimately settling on Pali Momi.

“Art is well respected as a leader in our organization. Many of the staff at Pali Momi remember him working alongside of them when he was a staff nurse, and many are very proud of his accomplishments,” says Brigitte McKale, vice president of patient services and chief nurse executive at Pali Momi Medical Center. “He is very personable, and manages to stay calm under pressure.”

After occupying progressively advanced leadership roles at Pali Momi, Gladstone moved into Straub Clinic & Hospital, where he did the same. In April 2013, he was named CEO of the 159-bed facility, which boasts more than 400 physicians and 1,916 employees. He took on the same role at Pali Momi on July 1, 2015. The 128-bed Pali Momi has 398 physicians on staff and some 1,190 employees.

Patty Boeckmann, chief operating officer, Straub Clinic & Hospital, says Gladstone’s sincerity and adherence to the organization’s mission have impressed her.

“Art can, at one minute, be picking up litter from the halls of the hospital, and the next, chairing a board,” she says. “He can be talking story with a housekeeper, and the next, transition fluidly into a conversation with a physician about a critical need.”

Under his leadership, Boeckmann says Straub has achieved six years of recognition for “Excellence in Patient Experience,” in addition to three years of recognition for safety from Healthgrades. Gallup has recognized the company four times as an outstanding place to work, and Consumer Reports has called it the safest hospital in Hawai`i.

“There are more awards and recognitions. But Art consistently reminds us that the reason we do what we do is not [about] the rewards, but to support and satisfy our missions,” she says.

Mary Boland, dean of the University of Hawai`i School of Nursing, says Gladstone’s nursing experience has made him an ideal health care manager.

“Nurses by nature are not usually ego-driven. They are about meeting people where they are, and taking them beyond where they often didn’t believe that they could go,” Boland says.

Chip Hammond, who serves as the Straub Clinic & Hospital board chairman, says he most admires Gladstone’s ability to lead.

“He encourages effort and ideas from his team, and trusts them to implement them,” Hammond states.

Gladstone says the secret to his team’s success is ensuring that everyone—from the housekeeping and maintenance staff, to physicians and beyond—are focused on delivering the highest-quality care.

“We need to make everything about the patients,” he says. “I don’t ask people to memorize our mission; I ask them to figure out how they can help make patient care the absolute best.”

Boeckmann says Gladstone sets a positive example by bringing an obviously strong moral framework to daily decisions. For example, she recalls a recent instance, where a patient needed a very rare and costly procedure.

“Art used his moral compass to make the decision that we needed to go ahead, even though, at that point, our ability to be paid for that procedure was in question,” she says. “His comment to me was, ‘Under similar circumstances, if it were my family member, I would want them to have every opportunity available.'”

Gladstone says it’s important to keep people at the heart of decisions, especially when hospitals throughout the nation are rapidly changing to accommodate new requirements and reimbursement programs. From his own experiences in patient care, Gladstone has learned that, often, it’s the little things that make the most difference.

While serving as the after-hours and weekend manager at Pali Momi, Gladstone says he developed a tight relationship with a patient—who he now calls “Mr. H”—who was a Japanese man frequently admitted to the hospital—first, for an aortic aneurysm, and later, cancer. Mr. H endured many lengthy hospital stays before transitioning to hospice.

“I still remember my last day with him. He told me, ‘I’m going home,'” Gladstone recalls. “Six hours later, he passed away. The coolest thing is that the family asked me to be the master of ceremonies at his memorial service. I still keep in touch with them. It has to be all about our patients; they have to come first.”

The Consular Corps of Hawai`i gathered at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s Monarch Room for its annual Inaugural Ball. R.J. “Zap” Zlatoper, Honorary Consul of Slovenia and Dean of the corps, served as master of ceremonies as guests were entertained by the Royal Hawaiian Band. Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald performed the installation of officers and awards were presented to Dean Emeritus Patricia Y. Lee, Honorary Consul and Dean Emeritus Jeffrey D. Lau and former Governor George Ariyoshi.

[See image gallery at www.hiluxury.com]

Plastic Fantastic? is on view at Spalding House through July 10. Pictured: Verity, 2011 by Aurora Robson, plastic debris (PET), aluminum rivets, tinted polycrylic and mica powder (courtesy of the artist).

Apr. 16

HILTON HAWAIIAN VILLAGE, CORAL III-V | 550.8457

Hawaii Pops Orchestra presents Classically Jazzed, Concert and Dance, an evening filled with music that combines elements of classical with jazz and pop. Conductor Matt Catingub is joined by violin virtuoso Amy Schwartz-Moretti and the incomparable Loretta Ables-Sayre. hawaiipops.org

Apr. 26

BLUE NOTE HAWAII | 777.4890

Multi-Grammy Award-winning Hiroshima brings its eclectic brand of music to Hawai`i. Through May 1. bluenotehawaii.com

May 8

NEAL S. BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL | 946.8742

Hawai`i Symphony Orchestra takes the stage with pianist Soyeon Kate Lee, under guest conductor John Nelson . This installment of the Halekulani Masterworks series, Brahms 4, features Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni and Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor. hawaiisymphonyorchestra.org

May 19

MANOA VALLEY THEATRE | 988.6131

Equus follows a psychiatrist as he deals with a teenaged patient with a pathological religious fascination with horses. This psychological drama is a Drama Desk Award and Tony Award winner. (Note: contains adult language and brief nudity). Through June 5. manoavalleytheatre.com

Art in a Time of Chaos is on view at Honolulu Museum of Art, April 28-Aug. 21. Pictured: Mounted Drummer, China, Northern Qi dynasty (550-577), 571, painted pottery, Shanxi Museum Collection (Honolulu Museum of Art).

May 20

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | 733.0277

Based on the Billy Wilder’s The Apartment, a film that starred Jack Lemmon, Promises, Promises tells the tale of Chuck Baxter, who’s been lending out his spacious apartment to his bosses for some afternoon delight. This musical, set in 1968 Manhattan, is rife with witty humor thanks to Neil Simon, and crowd-pleasing tunes by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Through June 5. diamondheadtheatre.com

May 22

NEAL S. BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL | 596.7858

Hawaii Opera Theatre stages Verdi’s epic masterpiece, Il Trovatore, a story of love triangles, honor, hidden identities and revenge. May 20, 22 & 24. hawaiiopera.org

May 26

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE | 536.4441

In Kumu Kahua’s #Iambadatthis, a world-premiere play by Susan Soon He Stanton, audiences meet Emily, who is super-connected via her various electronic devices. However, when she returns home to Hawai`i after trying to make a go of it in New York, she learns that rebuilding her life may mean getting unplugged. Through June 26. kumukahua.org

Plastic Fantastic? is on view at Spalding House through July 10. Pictured: Verity, 2011 by Aurora Robson, plastic debris (PET), aluminum rivets, tinted polycrylic and mica powder (courtesy of the artist).

On View

HONOLULU MUSEUM OF ART | 532.8700
Contact 2016 Through April 17 (at Honolulu Musem of Art School)

Plastic Fantastic?
Through July 10 at Spalding House

Art in a Time of Chaos: Masterworks from Six Dynasties China, 3rd-6th Centuries April 28-Aug. 21

BISHOP MUSEUM | 847.3511
Lele O Na Manu: Hawaiian Forest Birds Through July 31

MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER | 242.7469
Art Maui Through April 23