February2013

Food Science in the Professional Kitchen with Chef Jon Matsubara

A HCEF January class featuring Chef de Cuisine Jon Matsubara of AZURE, the fine dining venue at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel (A Luxury Collection Resort) was attended by 63 Leeward Community College students. Chef Matsubara demonstrated the "antigriddle" which instantly freezes to -30 degrees F creating frozen ice cream sandwiches, grapes, pancakes, and popsicles. He also prepared emulsifiers, thickeners, starch modifiers; enzymes/protein binders demonstrating ways to save food costs.  The visual techniques illustrated practical applications for the professional kitchen focusing on the ultimate guest dining experience. AZURE Sous Chef Shaymus Alwin, who studied Sous Vide under Chef Thomas Keller at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone, showed Sous Vide techniques used on fruits, vegetables and proteins. Chef Matsubara is a graduate with distinction from New York's  French Culinary Institute and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington.  He has worked in prestigious kitchens in New York and Honolulu before assuming the helm of AZURE.