Royal Kona Mai Tai Festival Winners Announced

A record 2,500 attendees enjoyed the Fourth Annual Don the Beachcomber’s Mai Tai Festival on Hawaii’s Big Island at the Royal Kona Resort August 18. The popular event saw Justin Park from Manifest Hawaii take home the $10,000 first place award and title in making “The World’s Best Mai Tai.” Chef Robin Ganir of Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering won both the People’s Choice and Judge’s prizes for the best barbeque dish.

In addition to the friendly, but hotly contested competitions, the Royal Kona Resort event served as a fundraiser for the current Food Basket campaign on Hawaii’s Big Island. Event title sponsor, rocker Sammy Hagar (Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum), contributed $5,000 to the Food Basket via the Hagar Family Foundation to kick things off and the on-site efforts raised additional funds.

Liz Bell, event coordinator and marketing and business development director for Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts, parent company of the Royal Kona Resort and Royal Lahaina Resort, said

“This year’s Don the Beachcomber’s Mai Tai Festival was our largest turnout to date. The event couldn’t help but be a huge success with amazing BBQ prepared by top Hawaii chefs, outstanding performance by Henry Kapono and his band, the Mai Tai Marketplace that showcased local arts, crafts, and foods, and, of course, the wonderfully creative and delicious mai tai concoctions made by some of the world’s best mixologists. Top all of this off with funds raised for the Hawaii Food Bank and we couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate the Islands and the mai tai.”

The Festival’s top 30 bartenders were selected from the original 100 mai tai mixology applicants to compete for the title as the “World’s Best Mai Tai” and $10,000 grand prize. Park’s “Hele Ao Mai Tai” offered a unique blend of several rums, including the newly released Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, and other ingredients that complimented one another in a unique manner.

The Battle of the BBQ winner Chef Ganir, who opened his own restaurant in June of this year, cooked up his tantalizing “Beauty and the Beast,” which saw a rich combination of grilled short ribs and garlic shrimp. For winning the competition’s Judge’s and People’s Choice awards he earned 10 nights at the Royal Lahaina Resort on Maui, luau for two, and $1,000 food and beverage credit at the property.

The Mix-Off emcee and mixologist Joey Gottesman entertained the large, enthusiastic crowd of mai tai fans throughout the afternoon of the competition. Judges were Chris Teves, publisher of Hawaii Beverage Guide; Mark Nigbur, master distiller of Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum; Philip “Ippy” Aiona, executive chef and Food Network star contestant; Paul Bergemen, brewery manager for Kona Brewing Company; and Michael Prasad, co-founder MXLGY and Kickstarter and launched Hawaii Bitters Company.

Event sponsors were Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts, Don the Beachcomber’s Restaurant at the Royal Kona Resort, Young’s Market Company, Expedia Activities, Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, Coruba Rum, and Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum.

Plans are already underway for the Fifth Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival tentatively scheduled for August 18, 2013. For additional information and hotel stay reservations, call toll-free 800-22-ALOHA (222-5642) or visit online at www.royalkona.com.