Page 4 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - March 30, 2022

4 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK MARCH 30, 2022
STORY BY
BILL MOSSMAN
PHOTO BY
ANTHONY CONSILLIO
Sysco Hawai‘i president Jason Wong (left)
and Domino’s Hawai‘i franchisee Mike Rompel are two key sponsors of this year’s showcase.
It’s often said that timing is everything in life. The same might also be said of good fortune.
Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show is back after a two-year absence, signaling that the islands’ economic recovery is well on its way.
hibitors from Hawai‘i, the mainland and Japan. It will also feature educational sem- inars by industry experts, live demonstrations, and the latest trends in information technol- ogy and quality operations, according to Jones.
In the case of the orga- nizers of Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show, they appear to have lucked into a little bit of both earlier this year when they committed to bring- ing back the foremost trade showcase in the Pacific. This they did despite not knowing whether they would once again experience a series of false starts and ultimately have to cancel the event just like they were forced to do in 2020 and 2021.
“The timing couldn’t have been better for us,” says a clearly relieved Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA), when asked about the fortu- itous timing of the governor lifting the indoor-masking directive less than a week be- fore the show’s kickoff.
“We’re super excited to be back,” he says. “We feel that this will be a strong message to the rest of the United States and the world, if you will, that we’re back in terms of having large, structured gatherings again.”
Already, the event is ex- pected to draw over 200 ex-
But with Gov. David Ige’s recent decision to end sever- al COVID-related mandates, including Hawai‘i’s Safe Travel program, the early commitment has paid off. Now, it is all systems go for the hospitality and restaurant industries’ signature event.
“We definitely picked good dates. Now you can come and you don’t have to worry about, ‘Do we have to mask? Are they going to ask for our vax card?’”
“Hawai‘i’s restaurants and hospitality industry will emerge from the pandemic crisis stronger than ever,” promises Tom Jones, past chairman of HRA, and pres- ident and co-owner of REI Food Service, LLC (dba Gyotaku Restaurants). “We look forward to the second Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show acting as a key indica- tor of Hawai‘i’s resiliency.”
The much-anticipated showcase is set for 9 a.m.-5
This will be the first showcase since the event — a partnership between organizers HLTA, Ha- wai‘i Restaurant Associa- tion (HRA) and Honolulu Star-Advertiser — was first held in May 2019. Natural- ly, Hannemann is delighted with the return of what he calls “the premier hospitali-
Adds Honolulu Star-Ad- vertiser president and pub- lisher Dennis Francis, “We continue to assist HLTA and HRA with ongoing recovery efforts and the return of this important industry event.
p.m. March 30 and 31 at Ha- wai‘i Convention Center.
ty and restaurant trade show in the Pacific.”
The show is an all-inclusive resource bringing the best of Hawai‘i and the Pacific Rim together. It can’t be missed by those working in the relevant industries.”
But just as important as be- ing a show for professionals and students in the lodging, travel, hospitality and food service industries, the event provides an opportunity for participants to help strength-
SEE PAGE 5
SYSCO HAWAI‘I
If anyone was born to work in the world of food, it’s Jason Wong.
“I have been in the food business since I could walk — no kidding,” he says. “My family had a small Chinese grocery store and restaurant supply business. That business was founded in 1934 by my great-grandfather.”
Small wonder that when Wong grew up, he became a major player for Sysco, the world’s largest broadline food distributor. As regional president for Sysco Hawai‘i, he considers himself fortunate to have been tabbed for the lead role after the company acquired HFM Foodservice in 2017.
“I feel very blessed to work with such wonderful people and in such a resilient in- dustry,” says Wong, who oversees five distribution centers in the islands and Guam.
Now, he eagerly awaits the start of this year’s Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show and Sysco’s participation as the event’s lead sponsor.
“There’s a lot to share about new products and innovation that can help operators’ businesses,” says Wong. “We are going to be demoing some of our best Sysco brand items that help our customers deal with the big challenges of today’s market — tight labor, inflation, supply chain challenges. Our consultants and Sysco chefs will be on-site to talk directly with operators on how best to leverage these items to create more value for their restaurants and kitchen operations.”