Louisiana Food Prize is proud to announce that their premiere private dining experience, the Society of the Golden Fork, is back for 2020. A new crop of local chefs will be battling it out to be crowned the Food Prize Champion during Prize Fest, September 30 – October 4. Throughout the dinner series, each week’s competing chef will be interviewed to give more background on their experience. This week, we’ll be chatting with Chef Sione Maumalanga.
Chef Maumalanga believes in building real community through great food and sharing Hawaiian culture. Relying on the work ethic embedded in him by his family during his childhood in Tonga, he founded Ono’s Traditional Hawaiian Cuisine food truck. Over the years, he’s amassed a dedicated following that believes in the flavors and strong brand he’s established for his highly identifiable Hawaiian cuisine.
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LA FOOD PRIZE: Tell us who you are, and where we can find you.
CHEF MAUMALANGA: Aloha! My name is Sione Maumalanga, I’m from Honolulu, Hawaii, and you can find me in the food truck sometime soon! We’re currently figuring out scheduling, but I’m looking forward to being back in the truck serving you delicious food very soon.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What do you think is the most exciting part about getting to participate in the Golden Fork dinner series?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: This is my second year now, and I think what I learned from the last round will allow me to bring a more creative influence to the table in the competition. I’m excited to show off a different style of cooking, from my palate to yours.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What is one feeling you hope people walk away with after experiencing your food?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: I hope they walk away after enjoying different flavors they haven’t been introduced to yet.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What is one thing you wish more people knew about your culinary skills?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: I’ve been a baker for over 10 years! I have that in my back pocket and I’m really hoping to showcase that aspect of myself as a chef this time around.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What food trend has you most curious at the moment?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: At the moment, I’m focused on Filipino cuisine being the next big thing. This is also why I think Hawaii has the best of both worlds, because Filipino food has influenced Hawaii dramatically.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What food trend would you like to see die?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: Honestly, I’m not really sure – I love everything!
LA FOOD PRIZE: If you could turn ANY location in Shreveport into a pop-up dinner venue what would it be and why?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: I think Well + Fed would be a great challenge and honor to try and create a vegan and gluten-free Hawaiian dinner!
LA FOOD PRIZE: Why do you feel events like the Society of the Golden Fork are important for culinary professionals and the community?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: I think the Golden Fork brings our community together through awesome dining experiences, showcasing different flavors, and teaching people about diverse cooking techniques.
LA FOOD PRIZE: What can we expect from you in 2020?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: You’ll definitely see new techniques and cooking styles from me, like new menu items and flavors to highlight the melting pot of Hawaiian cuisine with all the cultures there.
LA FOOD PRIZE: Finally, what would you like to say to your competitors in the Golden Fork?
CHEF MAUMALANGA: I want to say thank you for last year! I learned a lot from the competitors. For this year, it’s good luck to everyone and I’m gonna bring all I’ve got to the competition.
ABOUT OUR DINNER SERIES
The Society of the Golden Fork brings 18 local chefs together for two private dinner sessions of 9 chefs each, filled with unique, off-the-menu experiences. Our program encourages participating chefs to flex their skills and test drive new culinary concepts before a limited audience of dialed in food lovers. However, it’s not just a private dinner club. Our chefs are in competition, further pushing them to develop thoughtful and exciting flavors that will make their meals memorable. Members of the Society of the Golden Fork judge each meal based on Taste, Presentation and Showmanship.
The four chefs from each session with the top scores move on to the semifinals, where they compete LIVE in front of a screaming audience to become our Battle for the Golden Fork contestants at Prize Fest in the fall. They’ll duke it out in the grand finale “Chopped-style” showdown for $5K, the title of Food Prize Champion, the Golden Fork trophy and bragging rights for the year.
Want to get in on the action of the Society of the Golden Fork series? Email Steven Knight at steven@prize.foundation for more info and to get on our waiting list for spots in the dinner series.
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