Chef Jon Matsubara, culinary executive director for Bloomingdale’s at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, has roots in Hilo.

Coal Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sake Braised Kale Seared Big Island Sirloin Yield: 8 tasting portionsCoal Roasted Sweet Potatoes1 pound sweet potatoes, about 2 medium sweet potatoesBake the sweet potatoes until soft enough to eat, but firm to touch. Place sweet potatoes in the coals to char the outside all over. Wipe off the coal ash. Split the sweet potatoes in half, then cut each half into chunks.Honey Butter

What’s the difference between “hard char” and “burnt”?Burnt is a mistake, while a nicely charred vegetable is the product of a deliberate act that caramelizes the natural sugars to produce a bittersweetness.A vegetable like that can take the center of a $15 plate in a restaurant like Tom Douglas’ new Carlile Room in downtown Seattle.“It’s hard to get the idea of ‘hard char’ across so you don’t feel freaky about it,” Douglas said Monday as he showed off a slice of pineapple bearing a solid charred crust. Read More >>

Whole Chicken Technique Brine and Roast