Localicious Hawaii, a monthlong campaign put on by the nonprofit Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, kicked off last week at more than a dozen Big Island locations.
Now in its fourth year, the statewide event is an offshoot of a similar campaign launched by HAF and the Maui County Farm Bureau.
“I think the one thing that is amazing is how many restaurants do buy local, and it’s not just high-end; it’s local mom-and-pop places,” said HAF executive director Denise Yamaguchi said. “That’s one thing the campaign brings attention to.”
The campaign aims to make a connection between restaurant customers and the farmers, ranchers and fishermen who fill their plates. But its underlying goal is supporting the future of agriculture in Hawaii: kids.
Each restaurant has a special Localicious item on its menu. For every dish sold this month, one dollar gets added to the HAF Veggie U. fund. The fund supports a fourth-grade curriculum focused on science and farming.
Veggie U. was first developed in Ohio and now is used across the country, including 170 classrooms in 60 Hawaii schools.
Five elementary schools on the Big Island participate in Veggie U.: Pahoa Elementary, Hilo Union School, Kahakai Elementary, Honaunau Elementary, Hookena Elementary and Kalanianaole Elementary.
“It’s a way for agriculture to be introduced into the classroom,” Yamaguchi said.
At the three Sweet Cane Locations, diners can order cassava fritters — light and flavorful, with chimichurri sauce on top — with a side of greens salad, sauerkraut and lilikoi dressing.
Sweet Cane owners Jackie Prell and John Caverly recently started growing cassava, a starchy root native to Africa, at their Pepeekeo farm. The cafe has participated in Localicious since the event first expanded to include the Big Island.
“We’re up to 173 restaurants this year,” Yamaguchi said. The first year, 60 restaurants participanted.
Moon and Turtle Cafe in downtown Hilo was a new restaurant itself when owners Mark and Soni Pomaski joined the Localicious campaign. The decision was an easy one: Mark previously worked with Roy Yamaguchi of Roy’s Restaurants. Yamaguchi, along with Honolulu chef Alan Wong, were co-chairs of Localicious when it first launched and remain active in the event.
“People might not be as familiar with it (the campaign) as on Oahu, but people are definitely receptive and excited to learn about it,” Soni Pomaski said Friday afternoon, while Mark was at the farmer’s market picking up ingredients for the daily menu.
She said she enjoyed seeing how many more businesses decided to take part each year.
“It’s great to see that — throughout the state — that so many people are thinking about this way of shopping and eating and cooking.”
To see a video of cassava fritters being made, visit http://bit.ly/2lMhsXN.
For more information visit http://www.localicioushawaii.com.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.