Sam Choy

Sam Choy's years of cooking alongside his parents gave him the skills and inspiration to make Sam a Hawaiian celebrity chef. His exceptional creativity, love of good food, and aloha for guests propelled him to the status of an internationally recognized chef. Choy's colorful personality and welcoming smile have drawn customers to his multiple restaurants over the last 30 years, but it is his award-winning cooking that keeps them coming back! He characterizes his cuisine as "a melting pot of the freshest ingredients from every culture on the Hawaiian islandsi…true Hawaiian heritage cooking".

Sam spent twenty-plus years mastering his craft in the kitchens of noted hotels and resorts on the mainland and Hawai'i. Years of local and international regulars enjoying Choy's cuisine have led to the opening of Sam Choy's Kai Lanai in the summer of 2011. The combination of a million-dollar view and Sam's delicious menu make this a not-to-miss dining experience on the islands.

Sam appears on his weekly cooking show, Sam Choy's Kitchen, on the Hawaiian Islands' NBC affiliate. He has authored 16 cookbooks, has a frozen food line with a major international distributor, and his signature recipe sauces and dressings available in national food store chains and has designed menus for American Airlines' international flights. Choy is a four-time nominee for the James Beard Best Pacific Regional chef award, winning in 2004. He is often credited as the "Godfather of Poke" and the Culinary Ambassador of the Big Island. Sam also enjoys catering for private events and donates his time to support multiple charities.