Emeril Lagasse joins Sam Choy for Kauai Poke Fest lineup

Kōloa Landing Resort at Po‘ipū has locked in June 19 and 20 for the Sixth Annual Kaua‘i Poke Fest, and the biggest name on the lineup is Emeril Lagasse. The celebrity judges listed for 2026 also include Sam Choy, Sheldon Simeon and Ronnie Rainwater, a mix that gives the event both local credibility and enough outside star power to push it well beyond a standard tasting.

For Kōloa and the South Shore, the draw is not just the headliners. Organizers say Saturday’s competition will bring 25 teams to the resort to prepare more than 1,000 pounds of fresh, Hawaiian line-caught ahi from Kaua‘i Fresh Fish, a direct boost for local seafood suppliers and the restaurants tied to them. The festival has been described as a community-centered event that brings together local flavors, visiting chefs, kama‘āina and visitors, which makes it as much a tourism play as a culinary contest. A strong turnout would send more foot traffic through Po‘ipū’s hotels, shops and dining rooms while giving island chefs a bigger stage.

Kōloa Landing Resort said the 2026 festival will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Hawai‘i Chapter, in recognition of June as Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. General manager Aaron Bambling said, “What started as a celebration of Hawai‘i’s most iconic dish has become a premier culinary event,” underscoring how the festival has grown from a niche gathering into a higher-profile fundraiser with wider visibility. The resort says all proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The schedule shows how seriously the event is being built out. Friday’s Masters’ Table dinner is set for 6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, while Saturday’s tasting and competition will open with VIP entry at 3 p.m. and general admission at 4 p.m. Ticket prices listed for 2026 are $150 for general admission, $200 for VIP Early Access and $375 for a Poke Masters’ Table plus VIP bundle. The event also includes a hosted bar and live entertainment.

The momentum follows a bigger 2025 jump, when Kaua‘i Poke Fest expanded to two days for the first time and Friday’s Poke Masters’ Table sold out while Saturday tickets moved quickly. The festival website says the event was voted the No. 9 Best Specialty Food Festival in the United States, a ranking that helps explain why Kōloa Landing Resort is leaning into a lineup that can pull both mainland attention and island spending into one June weekend.