So you're literally frying the testicles
that have just been removed.
Just right off the calf.
Doesn't get any fresher than this.
And that's like a Hawaiian cowboy snack.
Yes.
There's something quite awkward about
standing in front of a calf with its testicles.
These are, these are, these are, oh, I don't know.
Honestly, I just...
Right now, I'm 1,500 feet above the lava flows
of the Island of Hawaii.
You've got amazing volcanoes,
wild forests.
And then, of course,
surrounding that, the beautiful ocean.
And that means one exciting thing.
Incredible ingredients that aren't found anywhere else
in the world.
My journey begins on the west coast of Hawaii,
the Kona side of this largest and youngest island
in the archipelago that is the U.S.'s 50th state.
It's volcanic and primal.
And with the mainland 2,400 miles away,
it feels like its own country.
I'm on my way to a coffee farm to meet
Makani Carzino, a talented chef
who grew up on this very island and
is one of the biggest champions of
the finest ingredients Hawaii has to offer.
There she is.
Whoo!
- Good to see you, girl. - Good to see you.
What a journey!
Makani Carzino grew up fishing and hunting on the Big Island,
sparking her lifelong passion for Hawaiian food and culture.
She left for formal culinary training in California and
worked with some of the biggest names in fine dining.
After returning home to her roots,
she forged strong relationships with local farmers
and fishermen, and became a powerful advocate
for food sustainability on the Big Island.
You ready to get to work?
Normally, we have a coffee before we start work?
Mm, no.
We're gonna, we're gonna pick some cherry.
- Okay, great. - Yeah?
But we're talking about a coffee bean,
but it's just cherry red.
Yes.
I love coffee, but there isn't a coffee shop
or barista for miles around.
Fortunately, I'm at the source of what some say is
Hawaii's greatest export.
We're gonna gather some Kona coffee and...
Yeah.
We're gonna get a bucket on you.
Because I kokua you.
You kokua me. Right?
I'm gonna help you. You're gonna help me.
And then, the coffee tastes better.
I love that.
Let's go.
Right, so we're looking for the cherries, right?
- Yes. - Because that's...
Yeah, see this beautiful color.
Got you.
That's what we're looking for.
Got you.
And then, you're only picking these ones.
Hold on. You're picking one bean...
- So... - At a time?
Kona coffee is all handpicked.
Every bean is handpicked.
Handpicked.
That's crazy. I had no idea.
- Right? - They are beautiful.
Yeah.
And they are, literally,
cherry red, aren't they?
Dark, beautiful.
- They are. - Happy with that?
Yeah. You've mastered it.
- Beautiful. - Yeah.
What a process.
A labor of love.
Oh, my God.
Now, for the moment of truth.
I am desperate to taste it.
Cheer, huh.
Cheers. Thank you. So good to see you.
Good to see you.
Oh, my God. That's so smooth.
No bitterness. There's just a touch at the end,
but beautiful. Wow.
It's ono.
- Ono. - Ono.
As in?
As in delicious.
Delicious.
This is what it means to be pono,
to do things the right way.
What is that? What does it mean?
Pono is to love the land and all of
its righteousness, to really take care of it.
Pono is about connection.
There's a rhythm to all the people, all the things.
It's to be kind. It's to be honest.
And then, weave that into our food.
It's working with the artisans,
the farmers, the ranches, the people that care.
- Pono. - Pono.
Love it.
So at the end of the week,
I would like to challenge you to a cook-off with all
these beautiful people that live pono.
People that really understand how to work with nature,
work with the ocean, the land.
You're on.
This is gonna be a very tough challenge.
We got to get up to speed with pono.
We need to understand what that means.
No wastefulness and respect everything we do carefully.
I think I've got my work cut out, in a big way.
I have one week before my big cook.
And with pono in my sights,
it's time to dive into the Big Island.
Let's be honest.
I'm gonna have to find every trick in the book if
I'm gonna compete against Makani.
Fortunately, I've got a good one up my sleeve.
Let me tell you.
A few years back, I met the most amazing spearfishing champion,
Kimi Werner.
We dived off the island of Maui.
And guess what?
She is back and I'm hoping she's gonna help me catch something
that will give me the upper hand in the final cook.
I'm meeting Kimi on one of the island's jagged
coastal lava flows.
Below the water line, I'm told it's teaming with life and
perfect for spearfishing.
Kimi.
Welcome back.
Good to see you girl. Oh.
So good to see you again.
First of all, how have you been?
How's the family?
I have a family now. That's the first big news.
Yes. A little three-year-old crazy child that I didn't
have last time I saw you.
Congratulations.
We've also been busy with another little addition
to the family.
Yeah, a lot has happened since the last time I saw you on Maui.
No kidding.
My mission this week is really to understand...
pono.
To embrace it.
It is absolutely relevant in what we're doing.
We're gonna be hunting for fish that nobody would ever
consider these trophy fish.
- Right. - You know?
And you'll never see them on a menu at a restaurant.
Got it.
They're not a fish that the tourists eat.
This is what the locals eat.
But the reason why I feel it's pono is because you don't,
you don't filet these fish into little rectangle pieces.
You eat them whole.
You're looking them in the eyes.
You're picking the meat off the bone.
And nothing goes to waste.
Just as we're ready to go,
we get some unexpected guests.
Wow.
Yeah.
Fantastic.
That is amazing.
I'm half tempted to grab a spear and add goat to the menu,
but we're here for fish and it's time to get in the water.
I've gone spearfishing many times in my life,
but when I go with Kimi it always feels like
it's my first time.
She can hold her breath for nearly five minutes.
I'm lucky if I can hold mine for one.
Finding the fish means diving down to the bottom.
And while it's a struggle to stay down for as long as
I'd like, it's an even bigger struggle spotting the fish
amongst all these lava formations.
It's a way harder task when you've got that manual spear,
you've got the surge of the water,
a couple of blacktip sharks, and she's just cool and calm.
I take my first shot and I'm not even close.
Kimi, on the other hand, is making it look like
a walk in the park.
Spearfishing with Kimi is just extraordinary.
There's a technique.
It's about the understanding, what to do, what not to do.
And she is an absolute machine.
Below the surface,
Kimi is spearing fish left and right.
First, a smaller black fish called Kole.
And next, a larger red species called Menpachi.
I feel like it's my first day in the kitchen,
and the fish seem to sense my inexperience.
While Kimi already has a belt filled
with fish, my belt is barely keeping my swim trunks on.
But I've spotted some fish below and
I'm not coming back up empty-handed.
These aren't the typical fish that we catch, generally.
They bury themselves in these little alcoves and
you've got to be quick.
But finally, success.
Between my meager catch and the bounty Kimi has caught,
my menu for the big cook is taking shape.
They're tiny but she wants to eat them whole.
The eyes, the fins, you name it.
There's no waste.
Lightly dusted.
Maybe shallow fry or roast them.
I'm not too sure yet.
But the good news is, we've got the catch.
Man, they move fast.
I'm so proud of your shot.
I'm not trying to be mean,
but I didn't have high expectations for you.
You taught me well.
- Yeah. - Good job.
Good job you.
Pono right there.
So pono. This is the fish of Hawaii.
To be respected and devoured.
- Back down? - Back down.
It was like Finding Nemo down there.
They were everywhere.
What an experience.
Again, pono.
Take what you need only.
Respect the ocean.
Makani said that pono isn't just about food.
It's a way of life.
So she's sending me to meet a knife-maker who can show me
how to bring pono to the table in a different way.
And, come on, let's be honest.
A knife is one of the most important tools
a chef can possess.
Now, I'm about to meet a guy who can hook me up with a blade that
I'm told is a real cut above the rest.
Neil. Hello, mate.
How are you?
Big Island local Neil Kamimura is
a third-generation blacksmith
and an award winning blade-smith.
The waitlist for one of his knives can be
as long as three years.
I'm hoping he'll show me how to make my own custom blade.
What a spot.
This is my son Maddox.
- Hello, nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
Now, Makani said get up to speed with pono.
Understand that word.
She said that you've got the best knives in the world.
It would be a dream of mine if I could make a very own knife
ahead of the big cook for the end of the week.
Right. Let's look at some knives.
I'll show you some knives.
Thank you.
They are beautiful. My goodness me.
I don't know where to start.
You've been handling a knife for,
how many years you've been a chef?
- Decades. - Decades.
And you've never made one.
Why is that important?
You have access to the best manufacturer knives,
but these knives are alive.
These knives are inspiring.
A knife is in your hand every day.
Every single day.
And you don't know how one is made...
- True. - Traditionally.
I'm third generation born here.
My great-grandfather was a blacksmith.
If you make a knife with me,
you're gonna bleed and sweat all over one of them.
It will help you slowly understand the meaning of pono.
That's where I think the connection to the paying
the respect to the arts, paying respect to the land,
and paying respect to the people who live here.
The forge is lit. You're here.
I think we should just get to work and just make one.
I would love that.
The forge is running about
2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2,000. - Yeah.
What we will forge this out of is
1085 Hitachi steel from Japan.
And I think it's gonna make a wicked razor edge for you.
While my piece of steel is heating up,
Neil works on another piece to show me how it's done.
I mean, Neil is an absolute beast on that hammer.
Incredible.
What have I got myself into?
This guy is doing it proper.
It's from the soul.
I think that's what's the exciting part about the process.
I'll put this right here.
He's an artist.
A real artist.
My steel is glowing.
Time to act quickly, because I can only shape it
when it's red hot.
Now, you're gonna come out and
you're gonna come into this machine.
It's a hydraulic press.
And so, you're gonna put this piece in and you're gonna
take half-inch size bites.
One more.
Okay. Good.
And then, we'll put back in.
Back in. Straight in.
Yeah. And then, from there,
you're going to step over and swing down at this,
so that it pushes that in.
Because we're trying to forge a point.
Yep.
And so, focus on this point right there.
And then, position the hammer more like that.
Got you.
There you go. Perfect.
That's a perfect angle.
Okay, back in.
It's amazing how cold it gets quickly.
Man, you haven't got long, have you?
What you got, 30 seconds every time?
Yeah, you got 30 to 40 seconds.
Yeah. Little bit more angle.
Get that point.
The process is insane.
Because you've got to focus on the pounding on that steel,
the positioning of the hammer.
Spreading that steel out.
Getting it back up to temperature and then,
then starting off with that tip first and
then working backwards.
Perfect.
There you go.
Now it's starting to look like a knife.
- Man. - It's looking good.
Honestly, I'll never, ever take for granted
a knife ever again.
This is insane, that process.
If it was easy, everybody would do it, right?
Exactly. It's like we're both chefs.
I'm cooking with food and you're cooking with metal.
I mean, it's similar, right?
Tongs, fire.
Yeah, the blisters are starting to pop.
Go make, like, 400 more knives with me you got it.
.
It'll give you that pump.
You got that pump. Bro.
Turns out, Neil's got knives and guns.
So now that you've got the thickness,
you know, and the profile that we want,
we're gonna run it through this 1941 power hammer.
Are you gonna operate that thing?
It's older than my grandma.
It's gonna give you nice flat finish and
take out all your dents.
And then we'll add a little bit more dents for coolness.
Step on the pedal...
Feed it back.
Get it good. There you go.
Come on, baby. Mwah.
So now, we're gonna quench it.
Once we get up to 1,525 degrees,
you're gonna come out of the forge,
and then you come rapidly into the oil.
You're a pro, man.
It's a refreshing wake-up call.
Understanding what it means to make a knife.
Pono is in their blood.
There's a connect. There's a charge.
It's, it's from the ground up and it's,
it's starting to make sense.
Bro, you made this.
Man, it looks incredible.
Seriously.
I'm gonna grind it.
I'm gonna put a handle on it.
I'm gonna polish it.
I'm gonna sharpen it for you.
Is it possible to be ready for
the end of the week, Neil?
I guarantee it.
- You're so awesome. - I guarantee it.
Thanks, bud. Honestly.
- Yeah. - What a job.
For my next stop,
Makani is sending me to a ranch to get
an iconic Big Island ingredient
not many people know about.
Hawaiian beef.
So I'm heading north to meet some folks who are, hopefully,
gonna show me the ropes.
Dr. Tim.
- Hey. - How are you, sir?
I'm doing fine. How are you?
What a stunning place.
Dr. Tim Richards is one of the most respected big animal vets
on the Island of Hawaii.
2100-acre Kahua Ranch has been in his family
for four generations.
When I think of Hawaii, the last thing I think about is beef.
This is the other Hawaii.
This is the paniolo culture, the Hawaiian cowboy.
And we date back to the 1830s.
Wow. I need to understand the pono...
- That's... - Inside...
That's, from a chef's point of view, is, is,
is crucial for me.
And then, of course, some prize beef for the cook at
the end of the week that gives me the edge over Makani.
Pono is the, that inherent righteousness.
- Yes. - What is right.
Taking care of the people.
Taking care of the land. Taking care of the animals.
It's being respectful.
It's being mindful.
And it's about taking care of it seven generations from now.
Wow.
So we're looking at into the future.
I love that.
I know you had asked about getting some beef.
Yes.
But in order to do that,
I'm gonna make you work for it.
And so we're gonna get out there.
We got some calves to get in.
We got to get them processed.
This is our wagyu herd, as a matter of fact.
Wow.
And maybe we'll, we'll get some beef for you at
the end if I think you did good enough work.
Thank you, sir.
We're bringing in the calves to give them their shots,
mark them for herd identification,
and castrate the males.
This reduces aggression and makes them easier to handle and
lowers the stress of the herd.
It's all part of the normal life here for
the paniolos and cattle alike.
The way we handle our cattle is quietly.
Quietly.
And we don't make a lot of noise.
We try not to do any running whatsoever.
Right. It's all about humane handling.
Generally, everybody considers wagyu
to be over-pampered.
And they're massaged and all those Japanese traditions.
But this is real.
This is, there's nothing massaged here, is there?
No. It comes down to handling, too.
Because low stress handling, you,
you improve the quality of what you're producing.
Again, less stress.
- Less stress. - A faster process.
Right.
But a much more friendly environment.
Correct.
What we're trying to do is just to get them easy going forward.
Yes.
And so, we push and hold.
Push and hold.
It just feels so controlled and calm.
Unlike any other herding I've ever done before.
No one's screaming. No one shouting.
No one whistling. No helicopters hovering.
And wagyu.
I never thought I'd find wagyu beef here in Hawaii.
Man, you guys make it look so easy.
Oh,.
Within a few minutes,
the paniolos have worked their magic.
And without protest, the herd of cattle have moved into the pen.
Okay, we've got the animals separated.
Now, we're gonna show you what we're doing here.
Wow.
We're doing our first calf.
We have to make sure the processing is accurate.
We're gonna be doing some castrating.
Also, vaccinations and dewormer.
And then, it's your turn.
The paniolos work with the efficiency of
a seasoned pit crew.
And each calf is handled in what seems like the blink of an eye.
So what job am I gonna do?
What would you like me to do?
You're gonna be knocking the animal down
and hold it while we get our processing done.
Right.
What we try to do is catch them without
shaking them up too much.
See how he knocks it down and then he holds it in place.
These guys are taking the testicles off.
Now, how strong is he holding that there?
As your muscle.
Use your muscle.
These calves are a lot stronger than you think they are.
We'll get you in place.
Got you.
The cows are about to get castrated.
And somehow, I'm the one that's nervous.
But this is an important job.
It needs to be done with precision.
This one's yours. Okay?
Jump on him.
Okay, they gave you a small one on the first go.
It's a stern process but correct.
And more importantly, the speed, the essence of the injections,
it happens in a flash.
He's ready for a big one.
So, not the most attractive process,
but certainly the most correct.
What we've doing now is the next step.
We try to use everything on the animal.
And what we're doing now is we're cooking right here.
So you're literally frying the testicles
that have just been removed.
Just, right off the calf.
Doesn't get any fresher than this.
And that's like a Hawaiian cowboy snack.
Yes.
We refer to them as laho.
Western United States they talk about them
as Rocky Mountain oysters.
- May I? - Go ahead.
- Okay. - Give it to him.
Wow. What have you dusted it with?
Garlic s-, that's it?
In all honesty, it's never gonna get any fresher than that.
And this is the understanding of pono.
- This is... - This is pono.
This is being respectful of what we are doing
out here, stewarding the animals.
Yes, sir.
The using everything of the animal.
I understand when a,
when a steak is ready or medium rare.
How do we know a, a testicle is cooked?
Basically, what happens, we pull it out
and we take a bite.
And, "Oh, okay, they need a little bit more."
There's something quite awkward about
standing in front a calf with its testicles.
Young man, I'm deeply sorry but, uh,
Dr. Tim made me do this.
Yep.
Is this Michelin star lahos?
These are incredible Michelin star lahos.
Please.
These are, these are, these are, oh, I don't know.
I mean, honestly.
No I mean, I...
Help me out.
Oh, my God.
It's, it's minutes old, isn't it? It's...
Correct.
While I understand and appreciate
the pononess of it all, I'm not sure anything will ever prepare
you for putting a freshly cooked bull testicle in your mouth.
It's spongy.
But from a chef's point of view,
I just, I don't know.
Man.
Good.
Honestly, I just, oh, my God.
Not my average snack, but great balls of fire.
Well, you sort of got the approval
from the cowboys.
Thank you, captain.
You're welcome.
- Sir. - Okay.
Dr. Tim.
Anyone stepping on the Island of Hawaii automatically
thinks about poke, tuna,
fish in abundance.
But you don't really start thinking about
Hawaiian wagyu beef.
So this is something that I know I can keep up my sleeve as
a bit of a treasure added to the final cook.
I got my hands on a very special beef,
but that's not the only coveted meat found on this island.
Now, for my next stop.
I'm meeting a hunter who said he has a huge problem.
But it's a tasty problem that involves pigs.
Feral pigs.
I'm hoping he'll help me get my hands on some tasty pork,
so I can use it as a centerpiece for my final cook.
Local outdoorsman Danny Bolton knows the island
and knows where the pigs are.
He warned me to arrive quietly.
Otherwise, the pigs will know where we are.
Hey, Danny.
How are you, bud. Good to see you, man.
- Hi. Yeah, how's it, bud? - My God, what a spot.
Yeah, it's gorgeous.
Seriously, this is incredible.
And the dream is to have a stunning pig...
Yes.
For the end of the week for the big cook.
They are incredibly destructive.
Yeah, they can be.
So the big thing, too, is that they'll,
they'll tear up the ground.
Mm-hmm.
And then, that takes away all the root base,
which washes the dirt down into the rivers,
and then, eventually, out into the, into the ocean.
And that covers the reef and kill the coral off.
Damn.
So, it, it's a good thing to manage them, right?
Like, there's a lot of people who count on
this pork as a resource to eat.
Got you.
So we don't want to totally wipe them out completely
So take what we need.
Take what we need.
Are they difficult to shoot?
They can be.
Their eyesight's not the best but their noses are
hard to trick, right?
They, they can smell you from...
.
Are, are you...
- What's wrong? - Well, I don't know.
Dude, you wearing cologne or is that sunscreen?
No, it's sunscreen..
Some, and that's gonna help?
It could help.
Cow on my face.
I think you'll be all right.
We'll just have to, we'll just have to play the wind right.
Got you.
But we're gonna have to be paying attention to
which way the wind's blowing.
Sure. What are we gonna shoot with?
- Bolt action. - So...
I'll be using a high-powered rifle because
we'll need to make a shot from 200 to 300 yards away.
If we try from any closer,
there's a chance we'll spook the pigs.
Amazing. Amazing.
Well, I didn't know there was a, a cutoff time.
You're not allowed to shoot past 7:30.
Is that right?
Yeah, it's usually half an hour
past sunset, right?
Got you.
Because they don't want you shooting in the dark.
No.
There's potholes everywhere around here.
I know.
You think it's smooth and then, bang,
you go down.
The divots where the pigs have been rooting are hard evidence
of how destructive they can be, and are just another indicator
that the numbers need to be kept in check.
Got you. They're up there, right?
Got you.
We'll get over there.
There's a big ridge.
We've got about 40 minutes left.
Pretty, pretty emotional.
It's a very strange thing to get that close to your staple,
but you don't want to do it, but you've got to do it.
They're super destructive, so you need to get this thing
taken down properly, effectively, and cleanly.
Yeah.
Finally, I've got my hands on the prize.
No cellophane, no supermarket, nothing pre-wrapped.
Just amazing wild boar at its absolute best.
Now, I've just got to do it justice.
It's the last day before my final cook and I'm heading east
past to the largest volcanoes on Earth to learn about a dish
that's part of every Big Island celebration.
Lau lau.
Now, they say it's really delicious.
I can't wait to taste it.
It's a 75-mile drive to the Hilo side of the island.
The wettest part in the United States.
Where I'm meeting up with Kawika Lewis,
a teacher of local food sustainability.
I'm hoping he'll show me what goes into lau lau.
Kawika.
Hey. Hello, Gordon. How you doing?
What a beautiful spot you've got.
- Aloha. - Aloha.
- Aloha, aloha. - Good to see you, man.
Lau lau means leaf leaf, right?
Lau is leaf but they,
they say it twice to, because of its goodness,
because it's that good.
I'm dying to get my hands on some.
Right. The main ingredient is the taro leaves.
Yes.
But as you can see,
this area got destroyed by wild pigs.
Really? This...
- Yes. - Entire patch.
This entire patch.
So let's go down the road and go pick some taro leaves.
Kawika gives me a machete and gloves.
Something tells me we're not just picking taro leaves.
We, we have to go through here to get to them.
- In here? - Yeah.
- Serious? - Yes.
So we're gonna enter right over here.
Got you.
Bloody hell.
This is a bush, man.
- Yeah, huh. -.
So you cut. This the side to side cutting.
Got you.
There you go.
You got it, Gordon.
Man, this is crazy.
I hope those gloves are helping you out.
How come you got no gloves on?
Well, I'm used to it.
And here it is.
It's like a little sacred garden here.
Yeah. This is a taro plant.
Wow.
But we will, we will be harvesting the leaves.
Got you.
They're like the wrapping that encases
all of the ingredients.
The rule of thumb is the number three leaf.
Right.
You see, like, we got the youngest one,
so that would be one.
This is number two.
And then, will be the next one.
So we go for this one here?
Yes. There you go.
Put a little bit more muscle in there, Gordon.
Got you.
These are beautiful.
Looks like you were a taro farmer in...
Oh, oh, my God.
The before life.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
Taro leaves harvested.
It's time for the second leaf in our lau lau.
Okay, we'll pick some of the ti leaves.
Ti leaves?
Yeah, ti leaves.
It's kind of like a nature's tinfoil.
So we're gonna wrap the lau lau in...
- Yes. - These leaves.
What we're gonna do is start with the lower one.
Straight down. There we go.
- Wow. - Straight down.
And so that is the tinfoil.
Yes.
They're robust, aren't they?
Super robust.
The land just keeps giving.
It gives, and it gives, and it gives.
This place is alive.
Let's go ahead and go make some lau lau.
Lau lau.
Now I understand why it means leaf leaf.
Wow, look at this spot.
This is beautiful.
- Aloha. - Hey, aloha.
Hey, Gordon.
- This my son Makana. - Nice to see you.
- All right, nice to see you. - Good to see you, man.
Aloha.
What a pleasure, honestly. That was a...
- Oh, you got some... - Forage and a half.
Gifts for us. Great job harvesting.
Yes.
Got all these leaves together.
Leaves everywhere.
Now, I've stuffed a lot of things in my life,
but never quite like this. Okay?
So what have we got here?
We got some pork here.
We got some pork fat.
We got some uala or sweet potato,
and then we got some butterfish.
Wow.
Now that I know what's in a lau lau,
it's time to make one of my own.
There you go.
- Okay, nice piece of... - Nice piece of pork.
Pork. Little bit of fat.
- Some fat. - Two fat?
- Sure, definitely. - Yes.
A little bit of...
- Why not? - Sweet potato.
And then, some black cod.
- Yes. - Little salt.
Little bit of salt. There you go.
Yeah. Oh, man. That's a professional.
And then, from there, we're gonna...
You've done this before.
We're gonna, we're gonna wrap that up.
Like, almost like a, a burrito, right?
- Yeah, sure. - That's right. Exactly.
This is our own version of a Hawaiian burrito.
Traditional hot pocket.
Damn. Sorry, that fell out of there.
So now, we got your wrapped goodness,
so now we will place the...
- Across. - The ti leaves.
With a criss cross.
And we'll put it down.
And then, we'll start off with the closest one.
That one up?
- Yeah, hold that up. - Yeah, rolling up.
So we kind of squeeze them all together.
Yep.
Because we want to keep it tight.
And you're gonna use that as a lace.
It's a bit like tying up a Sunday roast
but with a leaf.
If I can pull this off in my final cook,
I stand a much better chance of winning over the locals.
It's ohana or family.
Everybody sharing their mana and, and
keeping their good intentions.
And you said ohana.
Ohana means family, yes.
All right.
Wow, yeah, that's great.
You must have done this before.
The lau lau go into the steamer for
three to four hours.
Fortunately, Makana has some already cooked and ready to eat.
I am not exaggerating when I say it's like unwrapping
a hot, steaming, meat present.
Look at all the goodness.
Get it all kind of, get it all together.
There we go.
Sorry, it's the cheffy in me.
There you go.
Mm.
Oh, wow. Wow.
The lau lau, that was beautiful.
And it was just so juicy.
It's got me thinking, ahead of the final cook,
don't get too smart.
Don't overthink it.
And more importantly, do it justice.
I'm so excited for these wad technique.
Yeah.
That has certainly given me
some great inspiration.
What an amazing experience this past week has been.
The Island of Hawaii has really lived up to its nickname,
the Big Island.
It's just teeming with ingredients.
But ingredients like no other.
Makani may think she's got the home team advantage,
but I can't wait to show her everything I've learned.
What the hell?
Where is Makani?
I mean, seriously?
How can I be here first?
I know it's island time.
Makani! Aloha!
Right. Marinade.
Let's go.
Ha, what?
Where have you been? How come I'm here first?
I found the most beautiful shell.
And look at.
You've been, you've been looking for shells?
There is always time for shelling.
And look.
Ah, yes. I am...
Neil finished your beautiful piece.
Oh, my God. Thank you.
It's hard to imagine that just a few days ago
what I'm holding was just a chunk of metal.
Truthfully, getting my first glimpse of a knife
I made is more exciting than unwrapping a lau lau.
My Lord.
That is a sexy knife, sir.
- Look at that. - Beautiful.
A first for me.
I've had incredible knives across my career,
but I've never, ever got to make one.
Good luck, girl.
Oh, by the way, you're late, let's go.
Okay, let's go.
- Can we cook, please, madam? - Yes, we're cooking.
Geez, you're so bossy all the time.
We're cooking.
Makani comes across like this
amazing yoga teacher.
Super calm.
Underneath that calmness, there's a ferociousness.
Gordon, make no mistakes.
I'm being nice to you, but I'm still taking you down.
Oh, my God.
Oo.
Are you, are you in bare feet?
- Yes. - No...
Come on. Take your shoes off.
- Oh my... - Come on.
Look at, we're at the beach.
It's 95 degrees today and she turns up barefoot.
There's a feisty, tenacious chef underneath that skin.
So what was the best part of your week?
Understanding the real pono.
I get it. Take what you need.
Respect the land.
Treat it. Bless it.
It will look after you.
Yes.
You said what goes on on this island,
but the place is teeming with ingredients like no other.
Yes.
Lau lau.
.
Oh my goodness.
What a lovely way of bringing such
humble ingredients together.
While Kawika used cod in his traditional lau lau,
I've decided to use some of the local fish I speared.
Makani, I'm wrapping my lau lau.
What are you wrapping over there?
What is that?
So I'm using banana leaf today and
I'm wrapping, this is gonna be for the Menpachi
that you and Kimi got.
She's amazing, by the way.
Yeah, but look at these.
They are beautiful.
I'm so impressed with you.
They are so good.
So how are you gonna cook the fish?
So the fish is gonna get steamed in banana.
I love that.
I'm gonna wrap these bad boys
and get them on the grill.
What are you doing with the pork?
Pork is going with a Kona coffee rub.
The wagyu. Beautiful.
- Yeah. - Really beautiful.
I'm excited about these steaks.
The standard of that beef is just incredible.
Beau-ti-ful.
Whoo, I'm excited!
It's gonna be delicious.
And then, of course,
chow down on that little delight, the,
the little fried testicles.
Yes. How was that?
- Disgusting. - Now you're manly.
Do you want to, like, beat on your chest
and do all the things?
I, no, no, not honestly.
How sweet are those incredible pineapples?
Oh, I love the high sugar, low acid.
Yeah. Great for caramelizing, um,
especially in the wok.
So that one's going with the rice?
Yes. Sort of fried sticky rice.
That's gonna be delicious.
This is whale season, too.
Where are they?
Well, let's call them in.
You want to do a little chant?
- Chant? - Yeah.
Oh, no. I can't.
Ho mai ka 'ike 'ika,
kapa lua e.
E ola.
Thank you.
E ola is like let it live.
Let, you are definitely letting it live girl.
Let me tell you.
With the guests soon to arrive, and perhaps some whales too,
things are starting to heat up, quite literally.
Man, it's hot down here.
What are you doing to me today?
I think we're melting.
I am sweating like a monk watching porn.
That's really hot.
Yeah.
Sorry. Sorry. Language.
That language, please.
I get seriously offended.
I love what you've done with that pork.
So you're shredding that pork, right?
Yes.
So this is the kalua pig in a little bit of dashi.
Love that.
What's going on with your pork that you hunted?
I'm using the ribs.
And now, I'm just gonna glaze them with a really nice
sort of barbecue glaze.
I'm excited for this meal.
Yes, likewise.
- It's a feast. - They are here.
My new friends from the week have arrived.
- Aloha mai. - Aloha.
- E komo mai. - Aloha.
- How are we? - Good. We doing good.
Nice to see you.
While Dr. Tim couldn't make it, he sent his sister Coot who runs
the ranch with him instead.
So, my beef better be on point.
How's that knife?
Oh, my God. Are you kidding me?
Seriously, it is absolutely sublime.
Amazing.
That I'm never gonna let go of.
Honestly, seriously.
Hand them down to your kids.
Yeah, oh, my goodness.
- Easy. - Thanks, bud.
I'll let you enjoy your lunch.
- Yeah. - All right, bud.
- Thank you. - Good to see you, bud.
The blisters are healing, by the way.
With the guests hungry and waiting,
it's time to focus and pull all our dishes together.
Imua. 'Onipa'a. Okay.
What does that mean, please?
Keep going. Don't give up.
Thank you. I'm not...
- Never give up. - Gonna give up.
Whoo!
You ready to rock it?
I, I am ready.
- How are you feeling? - It's super shaka.
I'm excited. Excited.
Are you always this happy?
It's not too late to take your shoes off
and free your toes.
I cannot.
- It's so hot. - I, honestly, I cannot.
How are you cooking with shoes on?
They've never had a suntan in their life.
Trust me. They're not gonna start now.
God, these ribeye. It's the coffee rub, girl.
I'm telling you.
It is. Okay, how are you looking?
I'm ready to plate.
How do you remain so calm?
I mean, if you want to panic,
can we just run out that way?
I'm all down for that, too.
I just love the energy.
Now my lau lau. They look beautiful.
I'm gonna sort of slice mine like a little Wellington.
Oo, I love beef Wellington.
Look at that.
Okay, I'm saucing.
Kona coffee. A little rum's going on.
Slow down, please.
Island time.
You said it was time to plate.
I know. I know. But you move so fast.
I, pfff.
That's the first time I've heard that, ever.
Boom!
I think we're ready.
Well done. Amazing.
Good job.
- Yes. - That looks incredible.
- What a feast. - I'm so excited.
- Right, you ready? - Yes.
- Let's go. - Let's do it.
Good afternoon, everybody.
- Wow. - Welcome, everybody.
Please, my darling, you go first.
I'm excited to share. This was so much fun.
Thank you.
This is the charcoal brioche with kalua pig, Kona coffee,
Hawaiian rum, barbecue sauce.
This is the e'a, the Menpachi.
Kind of a play on, like, all the yummy things that are from here.
Things that are close to my heart.
What else do we have?
The beautiful wagyu steak.
These are the ali'i mushrooms.
I'm gonna start off with these
beautiful lau lau.
And they've been done with a little macadamia,
like a sort of modern take on a fresh pesto.
Next to that, we've got that Hawaiian wagyu.
We've got some beautiful roasted taro roots next to
some caramelized onions that we slow cooked in a miso gravy.
Wow.
And then, the pièce de résistance,
thank you to Danny, these amazing back ribs that have
been grilled, finished with a lovely barbecue sauce.
And delicious wok fried pineapple rice.
Please enjoy.
Mahalo.
- Love it. - Excellent.
Here we go.
I'm gonna start with this one, man,
and we'll do both the wagyu.
They look like a very serious table, right?
I know. I know.
Well, it doesn't get any more rooted than this.
No. I mean, that is pono at its absolute best.
You think of the generations of talent on that table.
Mm-hmm. To be feeding them is such an honor
and a privilege, and also terrifying.
How is it?
I like it.
They hit it right on the head.
Nice, uh, flavoring.
Yeah, the flavor is good, huh?
Mm-hmm.
They are digging in, aren't they?
They're not holding back.
Well, they're smiling, so that's...
- They're smiling. - That's a good sign.
Wow.
So what do you think of that steak?
I love the marbling.
Of course, wagyu always has that great marbling flavor.
And he knows how local people want to eat steak.
Thick cut. All marble, choke fat.
That's what we want.
Look at all these beautiful people
you called in.
You showed me the way, girl.
Truly.
It's not about the result today.
I'm just...
Yes, it is. I still want to take you down.
You ready to dig into this pork?
I'm ready, dude.
You ready?
Pork for pork right here. Let's see.
Are you passing these ribs?
The ribs are really great.
They've got a real nice spice to them.
Yeah, it's hard to pick one versus
the other, yeah.
But the ribs, man, is on point.
Yeah, the ribs with the pineapple rice.
Well, they're enjoying it, aren't they?
Yes. They're happy.
This is the thing that I'm most skeptical
about because lau lau is my favorite thing to eat and
if you mess it up, it can go really bad.
I usually like a more, um,
softer approach on the leaf.
Yeah.
I been chewing on it a little bit.
I, I prefer the Menpachi.
I don't think you can call this one lau lau.
Oh, they're down to the bones on the ribs.
It looks like they're finished, shall we?
Yes. Let's do it.
Let's find out.
Yes. Fingers crossed.
Well, happy faces. Right?
Right.
- Maika'i opu. - Maika'i opu.
- Happy tummy. - Happy tummy.
- Um... - Yeah.
Chefs, you know, um, much aloha
and love for the both of you.
The, the food was all great.
But I know we're here for a competition,
so we're gonna start off with our beef dishes.
You killed it.
Before we...
Nice work. Nice work.
Okay, though, I see we have a obvious winner
on the beef dish.
I mean, they're both delicious,
both cooked super good.
- But yeah, just a little... - Perfect.
More flavor, yeah with the, with Gordon's one.
Okay.
Now we're going onto our fish dish.
I'm not gonna give you knuckles for that one.
You got to cook the leaves, man.
You know, in, in Hawaiian, Makani means wind.
Yes. Wind.
So Makani really blew you away on that one.
That was good.
And our third one is the final verdict.
Yes, sir.
And we all agreed, the verdict is...
Chef Gordon Ramsay pork ribs.
- But also... - Congratulations.
It was the, that pineapple rice as an
addition was, hit the spot.
Honestly, I've had the most amazing week.
Seriously.
And this has never, ever been about winning.
It was about the understanding, I think.
Makani said understand pono.
Have I captured that essence?
Yes. I'd say you did great on the pono.
Well, thank you. Chef...
- Yes. - Great job, girl.
Well done. Beautiful food.
Well done. And congrats.
- Yeah. - Honestly.
- Yes, you too. - Take care. God bless.
- Congratulations. - Thank you, guys.
- Mahalo. - Take care.
- Mahalo. - Thank you.
Wow.
What an amazing week I've had here on
the Big Island of Hawaii.
And not only are the people magical,
but the ingredients are second to none.
I'm so proud of your shot.
You taught me well.
It's so good. Honestly.
And I truly understand what it means and takes to be pono.
So take what we need.
Take what we need.
The next time I hear the word Hawaii,
I promise you I'll have a newfound appreciation for
this incredible island.
And as they say here, Mahalo.
On to my next adventure.
Captioned by Cotter Media Group.