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Chairman's Message
Aloha HRA Ohana,
Winter is almost upon us and we are getting some much needed rain as I write this! As we say in Hawaii…… “No rain, no rainbows!”, so I think most of us see it as a blessing to keep our aquifers full, help our local farms thrive, and hopefully keep fire dangers to a minimum.
We recently experienced the longest federal government shutdown in history, and Hawaii is one of, if not the most affected state in the country because of it. With over 70,000 federal jobs and military personnel in Hawaii, the impact is far reaching, with many workers not getting paid as a result. Many local families are also impacted due to SNAP payments being threatened, but the Hawaii community has come together as we always do to support those in need, with many people donating to the Hawaii Food Bank and other organizations to get food to those who need it.
On a positive note, a very successful and well-attended Hawaii Food & Wine Festival just wrapped up. I had the pleasure of attending a couple of the events…The Feast Summit was a professional development conference that brought together leaders & innovators across food, education, agriculture, sustainability, and tourism. This was a day-long event with an array of seminars, one of which I had the honor of speaking at on behalf of the HRA. The other event was the signature Decanted event at the Convention Center. Both events were fantastic with great food, seminars, chefs, and industry leaders in attendance. These events really put a spotlight on Hawaii Regional Cuisine that garners global attention, which is something we should be proud of. Kudos to Denise Yamaguchi and the organizers of these events, which support culinary education, sustainability, cultural preservation, and relief for restaurant and hospitality workers in times of need. Also, this week is Restaurant Week in Hawaii, which is another great event that encourages locals and visitors alike to go out and support local restaurants.
A friendly reminder that tickets are still available for the 2026 HRA Legislative Meet & Greet. This event is hosted by Central Pacific Bank at Tidepools downtown on January 26th , 2026 from 5-7pm and tickets are required for entry. This is a great opportunity to meet our local legislators and talk story in a casual environment while enjoying some pupus and drinks as well.
There are a couple of sponsorship opportunities available for this event as well. Registration is also open for the 2nd Annual Hawaii Restaurant Food Service Expo at Blaisdell Center on February 25th and 26th, 2026. This expo is attended by local and national vendors from all segments of the industry, as well as key decision makers who are looking at ways to improve their restaurants via innovation, efficiency, technology, menu creativity & additions.
The local restaurant community was understandably impacted during the federal government shutdown, and many of you experienced a slowdown as a result. Now that the shutdown has ended, we remain hopeful that the economy will continue moving in a positive direction. In the meantime, stay positive and take care of your teams and customers alike with Aloha. Imua!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
Mike Palmer
Chairman, Hawaii Restaurant Association
Managing Partner, Ho’okipa Partners LLC
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