Calabash at Kukuiʻula, now in its third year, is a week-long celebration of global cuisine, extraordinary libations, and the kind of music that stays with you. August 17th–22nd, Kauaʻi’s South Shore becomes a gathering place for celebrated chefs, world-class winemakers, distillers, and troubadours from near and far. Each evening unfolds into something unexpected: agave spirits and island flavors, an intimate afternoon with an Oregon winemaker, champagne and caviar at The Farm, a chef’s table dinner with one of Hawaiʻi’s most acclaimed culinary minds, and a closing Hoʻohuli Festival alive with international food, drink, and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriters, headlined by Noah Cyrus, under the open sky.
Calabash at Kukuiʻula is a private week of events open only to Club Members and Guests of The Lodge at Kukuiʻula with a confirmed reservation.
Join us for an elevated take on taco night, ʻala kine style, paired with a complimentary agave spirits tasting led by Rachel Parker, spirits specialist, WSET Level II certified, and Kauaʻi's own. Rachel has a gift for making the world of agave feel approachable and exciting all at once, whether you're a seasoned mezcal devotee or just beginning to explore what lies beyond the margarita.
TASTING
4:30 – 7:00 PM
Complimentary for Members & Lodge Guests
A LA KINE TACOS DINNER
4:30 – 8:00 PM
Price Varies
LOCATION
Makai Pools
Pull up a chair and pour a glass. Stephen Hagen, owner and farmer of Antiquum Farm, joins us for an intimate tasting and conversation built around the land, the animals, and the philosophy he calls Grazing Based Viticulture. Taste through his wines while he tells the story behind them.
3:00 – 4:30 PM
$50++
LOCATION
‘Umeke Kitchen + Bar Private Dining Hale
The Hula Member Mixer returns, and this one promises to linger. Kumu Troy and his hālau will be joined by cultural ambassadors brought in by Laʻa, offering members an evening woven through with authentic Hawaiian cultural experiences from start to finish.
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Complimentary for Members & Lodge Guests
LOCATION
The Plantation House
Join us for a luxurious brunch featuring curated caviar pairings, farm-fresh culinary offerings, and an intimate talk story with a guest caviar expert who will walk guests through the artistry and nuance behind every tin. We are also honored to welcome Chris Ramelb, one of a rare few to have passed the Master Sommelier examination not once but twice, and a Kauaʻi boy at heart.
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
$125++
LOCATION
The Farm
We are honored to welcome Chef Chris Kajioka, one of Hawaiʻi's most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs, for an evening of thoughtfully curated multi-course dining paired with wines selected by our House Sommelier. A rare opportunity to experience his craft in an intimate setting, on the island he calls home.
5:30 Welcome
5:45 Dinner Starts
$250++
LOCATION
‘Umeke Kitchen + Bar Private Dining Hale
Join us for an evening with the owners and team behind Hanalei Distillery, Kauaʻi's own, as they share their collection of island-crafted spirits and cocktails. While you taste and talk story, our chefs will lead a live fish demonstration drawing from the sea, kai, that surrounds and sustains this place.
3:30 – 5:00 PM
Complimentary for Members & Lodge Guests
LOCATION
Plantation House Lānai
Our signature closing celebration returns, bringing the entire week full circle. Food stations and wines from around the world fill the evening, poured by Kauaʻi's top sommeliers alongside familiar faces from the week, including Antiquum Farm, Chef Chris Kajioka, and Master Sommelier Michael Jordan, all set to the live sound of Paniolo Sessions singer-songwriters under the open sky, headlined by Noah Cyrus.
And if the night moves him, Michael Jordan might just pick up a mic and join the musicians for an unplugged moment of his own.
Saturday, August 22nd
5:30 PM: Doors Open
6:00 PM: First Set
7:45/8:00 PM: Noah Cyrus
COST
$250++ for Members & Lodge Guests
LOCATION
Plantation House Great Lawn
Mixologist Extraordinaire
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Rachel Parker grew up on Kauaʻi, which means she understands, in the most grounded way possible, what it means to gather around good food and drink. Fifteen years in the island's restaurant industry gave her a feel for hospitality from the inside out before she brought that knowledge to the distribution side of the business at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits.
A WSET Level II certified spirits specialist, Rachel has a particular love for the craft of the cocktail, not just the making of it but the sharing of it. She comes to every conversation with genuine curiosity and the kind of warmth that makes learning feel like a pleasure rather than a lesson.
Having her at the table at Kukuiʻula feels like a homecoming.
Owner & Farmer
Antiquum Farm
Stephen Hagen is the owner and farmer behind Antiquum Farm in Oregon, widely recognized as the birthplace of Grazing Based Viticulture. A globally respected voice in the regenerative agriculture movement, Hagen has built a vineyard that sustains itself entirely from within, using no fertilizers or outside inputs. Instead, he relies on year-round rotational grazing by a multi-species livestock community and a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between fungi, plants, and soil.
The result is a farm and a collection of wines that defy easy categorization. Expressive, individualistic, and rooted in a genuine commitment to the land, Antiquum Farm is one family's hopeful vision for what winegrowing can look like when it works in harmony with nature rather than against it.
Master Sommelier
Chris Ramelb is a Kauaʻi native and one of the most accomplished sommeliers in the world. He earned a Computer Science degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa before beginning his career as a business analyst at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, where a natural affinity for wine set him on a different path.
Ramelb twice represented Hawaiʻi at the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs National Young Sommelier competition and earned the Johnston Medal in 2016 for achieving the highest score on the Advanced Sommelier examination worldwide. He went on to serve as opening Wine Director at Senia in Honolulu, where he helped the restaurant earn a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant and a place on Wine Enthusiast's 2017 America's Top 100 Wine Restaurants list. In 2018, the same year he passed the Master Sommelier examination, he returned to Southern Glazer's as Restaurant Sales Manager and Director of Wine Education.
Executive Chef/Owner
Senia
Chef Chris Kajioka is a Hawaiʻi-based chef known for his refined yet approachable style of Japanese-French cooking and is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2005. He trained at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton under Ron Siegel and at Per Se in New York before serving as Chef de Cuisine for Chef Mourad Lahlou. He returned home to open Senia in 2017, Miro Kaimuki in 2020, and Miro Counter in 2025. Chef Kajioka is a six-time James Beard Award nominee and was named a finalist in 2020.
Director of Global Key Accounts
Jackson Family Wines
For more than four decades, Michael Jordan has moved through the hospitality world with the ease of someone who truly belongs there, having served as chef, sommelier, general manager, and the person behind eighteen restaurant openings. Today, as Director of Global Key Accounts for Jackson Family Fine Wines, he travels the world working alongside sommeliers and service teams, bringing the same warmth and curiosity to a vineyard in Sonoma as to a dining room in Tokyo.
Michael believes wine shouldn't intimidate. It should invite. That philosophy shapes everything he does, from training the next generation of hospitality professionals to hosting The Word on Wine, his weekly radio show and podcast on CRN Digital Talk Radio. He calls himself an Ambassador of Flavor. His guests tend to call him the best kind of teacher: one who makes you feel like you already knew this.
Executive Chef
The Club at Kukuiʻula
Born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Chef Ben Takahashi brings over 40 years of culinary experience to Kukuiʻula, with more than 20 of those years spent in prestigious executive chef roles. His career includes leadership positions at some of Hawaiʻi’s most renowned resorts, such as the Sheraton Kauaʻi Resort, Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, and Mauna Lani Bay & Bungalows.
Chef Ben’s expertise and passion for culinary excellence have earned him numerous accolades, including the coveted Best in Class by Starvoice, the Five Diamond Award by AAA, and the AAA Five Diamond Award. Known for his specialization in "elevated Kauaʻi" cuisine, Chef Ben masterfully creates dishes that are not only innovative but also nostalgic, often inspired by the flavors and memories of his childhood.
A dedicated advocate for the localvore movement, Chef Ben prioritizes sourcing fresh ingredients from The Farm and other local producers within the Hawaiian islands. His commitment to using local ingredients ensures that his dishes are as sustainable as they are delicious, celebrating the rich culinary heritage of Kauaʻi and the broader Hawaiian Islands.
An evening beneath stars and palm trees with Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Noah Cyrus at Kukuiʻula. Experience the rare opportunity to experience one of today's most distinctive artists and voices in an extraordinary setting.
At just 26, Noah has entered a defining new chapter with the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me. Featuring collaborations with Blake Shelton and Ella Langley, the album showcases her fearless evolution into one of music's most compelling storytellers—blending folk, country, and Americana with the unmistakable voice that first captivated audiences around the world.
Following the success of hits like "July," "Lonely," and "Make Me (Cry)," Noah's music has amassed 5 billion plus streams. Her live performances are intimate, vulnerable, and deeply moving.
Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer and publisher Jimmy Robbins is one of Nashville's most accomplished hitmakers. A CMA Triple Play Award winner, he has written or co-written ten No. 1 singles, including Maren Morris and Hozier’s "The Bones" Thomas Rhett's "It Goes Like This," Blake Shelton's "Sure Be Cool If You Did," Keith Urban & Miranda Lambert's "We Were Us,"Jason Aldean's "Lights Come On," Kelsea Ballerini & Kenny Chesney's "Half of My Hometown" and many more. Beyond his number ones, Robbins has written or produced chart-topping records for artists including Morgan Wallen, Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, Billy Currington and others.
Ben Goldsmith is an award-winning Nashville songwriter whose songs have been recorded by some of country music's biggest names, including Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Jake Owen, Bailey Zimmerman, Jordan Davis, Parker McCollum, Gabby Barrett, Nate Smith and others. His writing blends traditional country roots with contemporary production, earning him a reputation as one of the genre's most versatile and in-demand writers on Music Row.
Fraser Churchill has become one of Nashville's most respected collaborators and artist, writing songs recorded by Morgan Wallen, Charlie Puth, Michael Buble, Dustin Lynch, Flo-rida and many more. Known for pairing memorable hooks with authentic country storytelling, Churchill has a powerful voice and has built a reputation as one of Music Row's dependable hitmakers whose songs continue to resonate with both artists and fans.
One of Nashville's fastest-rising young songwriters. Her songs have been recorded by artists such as Keith Urban, Carly Pearce, Max McNown, Flatland Cavalry, Avery Anna and many others. She co-wrote Max McNown's breakout number one hit "Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)," which has amassed hundreds of millions of streams and spent months on the Billboard Hot 100, while Ryan Griffin's "Salt, Lime & Tequila" became a SiriusXM The Highway No. 1 favorite. Named one of Nashville's top young songwriters to watch, Suppelsa pairs modern storytelling with timeless melodies.
As one half of the Australian country duo Seaforth, Tom Jordan has built an international following with his signature blend of country, pop and coastal storytelling. Since relocating to Nashville, Seaforth has earned an RIAA Gold-certified hit with "Anything She Says" featuring Mitchell Tenpenny, accumulated millions of streams worldwide, and was named an Artist to Watch by Taste of Country. Jordan also received APRA's Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year award, cementing his reputation as both an engaging performer and accomplished songwriter.
Paniolo Sessions /pah-nee-oh-loh/ – meaning “Cowboy” in Hawaiian – delivers ultra-luxury music and culinary experiences to private communities and prestigious hotels around the world. ‘A Tasting Menu of The Arts’ that weaves music, stories, and haute cuisine into a one-of-a-kind event, where each element amplifies the other.
For the third year, Paniolo Sessions sets the stage at Hoʻohuli Festival, filling the Kukuiʻula air with sounds from some of the most celebrated songwriters in the world.
This year Paniolo Sessions welcomes an extraordinary roster of talent to Kauaʻi’s South Shore, including Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer-songwriter, headliner Noah Cyrus. Alongside Noah, other Grammy-nominated, award-winning singer-songwriters include: Jimmy Robbins – co-writer of Maren Morris and Hozier’s “The Bones” – Ben Goldsmith, Fraser Churchill, Ava Suppelsa, and Tom Jordan.
Hanalei Spirits Distillery is a family-owned and operated craft distillery located on Kauaʻi’s North Shore in Kīlauea. It’s run by local kamaʻaina Grant and Vindi Wells on their family farm. Dedicated to a true farm-to-bottle approach, they craft premium small-batch spirits including rum, vodka, gin, traditional okolehao, and seasonal expressions. They use as many Kauaʻi-sourced ingredients as possible—from their own plantings of ti leaf, lilikoi, taro, and ginger, to produce from local farmers. Inspired by the pure waters of Mount Waiʻaleʻale and Hawaiʻi’s rich agricultural heritage, Hanalei Spirits released their first products in 2018, to share the flavors, aloha, and spirit of the Garden Island in every bottle. They have crafted unique island spirits such as Lilikoicello, Sugarloaf Pineapple Rum and the culturally significant drink of the Kings, the Okolehao. Gathered from the land, crafted by hand—proudly Kauaʻi Made
Calabash at Kukuiʻula is an exclusive experience available to Kukuiʻula homeowners and guests of The Lodge at Kukuiʻula. In celebration of this year’s event, enjoy a complimentary seventh night for stays during the month of August to guests planning to attend Calabash.
To redeem, use promotional code P-CALABASH26 when booking.
Ho‘okipa, Hawaiian hospitality, is at the heart of Kukui‘ula. We invite you to stay connected, whether your interest is community, membership, or the Lodge.
While parts of Kauaʻi continue to recover from Hurricane Lowell, Kukuiʻula has reopened and is welcoming visitors. We invite you to explore with kindness and patience as our community rebuilds. To see the current status of other attractions and businesses, please visit openkauai.org.
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