The James Beard Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the chefs-in-residence program at Platform by James Beard Foundation (Platform by JBF) in New York’s Pier 57 beginning this May. Themed “Road to the Red Carpet,” and presented by Capital One, the inaugural lineup of May programming will feature an all-star selection of 2022 James Beard Award winning chefs including: Robynne Maii, 2022 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (Fête, Honolulu); Sean Sherman, 2022 James Beard Award Winner on behalf of Outstanding Restaurant (Owamni, Minneapolis); Brandon Jew, 2022 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: California (Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco); and Cristina Martinez, 2022 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: Mid Atlantic (South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia).
May 2-May 6, 2023
Robynne Maii
2022 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (Fête, Honolulu)
Born and raised in Honolulu, Robynne Maii is the chef and owner of award-winning restaurant Fête in Honolulu’s Chinatown along with Heyday at the historic White Sands Hotel in Waikīkī. Robynne is a proud alumna of Punahou and ‘Iolani School, and then pursued modern dance and English at Middlebury College before obtaining culinary and pastry arts degrees at Kapi’olani Community College. She began her culinary adventure at Kaimuki’s 3660 on the Rise, cooking under Chef Russell Siu and Padovani’s Bistro and Wine Bar, in Waikīkī, where she transitioned to a full-time pastry cook under Chef Pierre Padovani before leaving to New York for graduate school. After earning her master’s degree in food studies from New York University, Chef Robynne went on to work at Union Pacific and the Waldorf- Astoria Hotel in New York. Robynne has also worked for Gourmet Magazine, Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore, and played an integral role in developing and teaching the culinary program at The Art Institute of New York City and CUNY’s Kingsborough Community College. Robynne is also a member of the 2023 U.S. State Department’s American Culinary Corps and a former James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change alumni.
Featured Events:
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 – 6:00 to 7:00 P.M.
Building Our House: Dismantling the Kitchen Brigade System
A conversation with Robynne Maii, moderated by journalist Sofia Perez
Thursday, May 4, 2023 – 7:00 to 10:00 P.M. Honolulu to the Hudson: A Dinner with Fête
Friday, May 5, 2023 – 7:00 to 10:00 P.M.
An Urban Lū‘au with Chefs Robynne Maii, Nick Anderer, and Tony Liu
Saturday, May 6, 2023 – 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Hawaiian Kanpachi Class: Raw. Grilled. Salt-Cured.
