Kauai Poke Fest seeks chef applicants for expanded June competition

Chef applicants have one last shot at a bigger stage in Po‘ipū, where Kaua‘i Poke Fest will expand into a two-day competition at Kōloa Landing Resort and put more than 30 teams in front of judges, diners and tourists.

The 6th Annual Kaua‘i Poke Fest is set for Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, 2026, and organizers say the event will be the festival’s largest yet. By opening 100% of the Grand Ballroom, the competition will nearly double capacity and add a new Friday night Poke Masters’ Table before Saturday’s main festival.

For chefs, the draw goes beyond bragging rights. Competitors receive fresh ahi tuna, inclusion in the 2026 Kōloa Landing Resort Poke Cookbook and a chance to meet James Beard Award-winning Chef Sam Choy. Judges and attendees will vote on taste, originality and presentation, giving local and visiting cooks a public test of both skill and style.

The prize table is also substantial. According to the competitor packet, first place includes a $2,000 Visa gift card, a three-day, two-night stay in a 2-bedroom villa at Kōloa Landing Resort, a guest-chef feature on Sam Choy in the Kitchen TV show, the purple apron and permanent engraving on the Crystal Poke Bowl. Second place is listed as a $1,000 Visa gift card and a three-day, two-night stay in a 1-bedroom villa, while third place includes a $500 Visa gift card. More than $10,000 in prizes will be awarded overall.

The food volume underscores the scale of the event. Organizers expect more than 1,000 pounds of premium ahi tuna to be used, a figure that ties the festival directly to Kaua‘i’s working food economy, from local sourcing to hospitality sales in Po‘ipū. The 2026 festival is also a benefit for Kaua‘i nonprofit organizations and is identified as a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, Hawai‘i Chapter.

The event has already become a tourism marker. Kaua‘i Poke Fest was voted the No. 9 Best Specialty Food Festival in the United States, a ranking that helps sell Kōloa and Po‘ipū as a destination as much as a dining stop. Last year’s festival sold out, drew visitors from around the world and featured more than 1,100 pounds of fresh ahi poke. Chef Mark Oyama of Kauai Shrimp won with Torched Kauai Shrimp, and the county recognized June 13-14, 2025, as Kauai Poke Fest Days with proclamations from Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen.

The Friday night Poke Masters’ Table is scheduled for 6 p.m., with VIP ticket holders getting early access at 3 p.m. Onsite parking will be limited, and organizers are encouraging carpooling. For chefs still hoping to get in, the window is closing on a competition that now sits at the intersection of food, fundraising and island name recognition.