Kona Coffee Cultural Festival brews up winning recipes

During Sunday’s KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest, amateurs, professionals and students from Hawaii Community College Palamanui Culinary Arts program polished up their culinary and presentation skills to deliver tasty entries at this year’s recipe contest.

Sweet and savory recipe entries were judged on presentation, harmony of ingredients, craftsmanship and design, providing an opportunity for each contestant to present a recipe to the judges that sparks creativity and an appropriate 100% Kona coffee theme.

This year, the KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest and Big Island Showcase returned to the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa’s Convention Center. Recipe contestants worked their magic while local vendors at the Big Island Showcase gave festival goers an opportunity to shop while waiting to taste the recipe contest entries.

Winners captured cash prizes, gift certificates and bragging rights as the winning recipes of the 2022 KTA Super Stores Recipe Contest.

In the Professional Savory category, first place was awarded to Greg Anderson for his Kona Beef Brisket with Bourbon Coffee BBQ Sauce. In the Professional Sweet category, first place went to Lori Collins for her Kona Coffee Mousse.

In the Amateur Savory category, first place was awarded to Lezleigh Bignami for her Kona Coffee Vanilla Posole. Taking the Amateur Sweet category was Victoria Lynn Morse for her Kona Coffee Crunch sourdough Granola

In the College Culinary Student Sweet category, first place was awarded to Kai Kale for his Kona Coffee Éclair. In the Keiki Snack Age 14 to 18 category, first place was awarded to Sophia Mastroleo of Konawaena High School for her Kona Coffee Cream Puffs with Cream Cheese Filling.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival continues through Sunday, Nov. 13. A full schedule of events can be found online at www.konacoffeefest.com.