Jonathan Mizukami is the executive chef at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, responsible for overseeing the overall culinary direction of the resort’s signature Hoku’s Restaurant, Plumeria Beach House, The Veranda, Seaside Grill and catering operations.
Chef Mizukami has over 20 years of experience working in renowned restaurants across the U.S. and internationally, including a 10-year stint as sous chef at Thomas Keller’s highly acclaimed Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry. He gained experience training at Spain’s 3-star Michelin restaurant, El Bulli; at Alinea in Chicago; Per Se in New York City; and in Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and The Fat Duck in England.
Upon returning to Hawaii in 2014, Chef Mizukami served as the executive chef of Vintage Cave and chef de cuisine at Chef Mavro’s in Honolulu before joining The Kahala. Born and raised on Maui, Mizukami is a graduate of the University of Hawaii-Maui College, Culinary Academy in Culinary Arts and Baking. He began his culinary career working at the former Roy’s Nicolina on Maui and Alan Wong’s namesake restaurant in Honolulu.
Patrick Okubo is a Master Sommelier, a prestigious title held by only 273 individuals worldwide. He is also a Certified Wine Educator and Specialist in Spirits. Since 2011, he has been the Fine Wine Specialist and Wine Educator for Republic National Distribution Company (RNDC) Hawaii. Okubo founded the Aloha Wine Foundation to support sommeliers in Hawaii through scholarships.
Okubo started his career managing the wine program at Manele Bay, a Four Seasons Lana'i restaurant. In 2008, he opened Formaggio Grill, which won multiple awards for its wine program. Okubo was elected to the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas Board of Directors in 2022.
