We wanted to take a moment to share a huge MAHALO to all of you who joined in our Grand Opening celebration during Kīhei’s 4th Friday on August 26. Although we opened our doors back on July 13, we wanted to wait on the “big reveal” so we could really dial-in our goals of giving you fresh food, quickly and consistently.
And it was totally worth the wait! What an amazing celebration. Tons of friends, family and health-savvy customers showed up to support our store and our vision. We honesty felt blessed ourselves that our concept was so welcomed by the Maui community.
We were humbled to have a Hawaiian blessing, which to us signifies the true beginning for a local business. Our blessing was beautiful and powerful, performed by the incredible Kumu Kimokeo Kapahulehua — he spoke of mauka and makai, the ‘aina, the sun and how it nourishes the local produce we eat and gives life to us. He spoke of our business as an ‘ohana, one that not only included us and our families, but our employees as well as the dedicated and hard-working farmers that grow the produce. It was really special to us. We felt like we were really bringing that circle of life — land, water, sun, food, sustenance, ‘ohana — to the community.
We also featured a mini-farmers market to showcase our partner farms and educate the community about where their food comes from. Kumu Farms from Waikapū and Oko‘a Farms from Kula brought all kinds of produce, such as kale, spinach, root veggies, papaya, citrus, star fruit and avocado, along with unique items like durian, mangosteen, rambutan, and purple carrots!
Most importantly, we wanted people to meet the farmers, get to know them and learn about all they’re providing to our island. We have a special bond with the farmers, and hope others can share in that connection. It turned out to be an awesome, easy way to buy local, organic produce, and we got such a great response from customers, we’re planning to keep the trend going! So look forward to another farmers’ market outside Fork & Salad during Kīhei’s next 4th Friday, on September 23.
We’ve also introduced a way for you to learn the farms even more personally. We’ve produced a series of short videos called “Know Your Farmers” that gives you a tour of each fascinating farm in action. We have three farms featured so far, with more to come. We wanted to take the idea of “eating local” to the next level, move beyond simply a farm name or photo on a menu to give you a look at the farm itself and experience the passion behind the produce. Each farm is different and now you can see it for yourself!
Check those videos out on our Farms page, or scan a QR code on your mobile device while you’re at the restaurant. Watch one while your salad’s getting made, and see the dedication behind all those ingredients you’re enjoying!
If you made it to our event, you may have noticed a video camera documenting the Grand Opening action and interviewing people, so stay tuned for a full, visual recap on our big event in the weeks to come!
Local nonprofit Grow Some Good was on-hand at our celebration, sharing its programs and encouraging home gardens with free plant and seed giveaways. We’ve established a charitable partnership with Grow Some Good, where we’ll donate $1 of every Beet & Goat Cheese salad purchased, starting September 1 and running through March 2017. You can learn more about that and how you can help via our other restaurant, Three’s Bar & Grill, in this article on MauiNow.com.
Finally, we’re excited to bring the beer garden back to 4th Fridays. It’s a fun way for people to get together, chill and enjoy a beverage during the town party. It’s outside on our patio, so the kids can run around and the parents can hang out and talk story. We offer $5 Maui Brewing Co. beers and $6 glasses of wine, so be sure to join in the fun coming up in a few weeks!
Whether you were among the 550 people who took part in our party or you couldn’t make it that night, we welcome you to join us at Fork & Salad ANY day of the week between 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. We’re stoked to now be open on Sundays, and just a reminder that we’re OPEN on Labor Day too! #EatLocalEatHealthy
