Peter Merriman
Encyclopedia
Peter Merriman is a chef, restaurateur and one of the original 12 founding chefs of Hawaii regional cuisine
. In 2011, he and the other Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs were inducted to the Hawaii Restaurant Association Hall of Fame.
Merriman then attended the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining a degree in Political Science. After that, he enrolled in a three-year Chefs Apprentice Program under the American Culinary Federation. The apprenticeship program brought him to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he worked as a butcher. At the Woodstock Inn in Vermont, Peter completed his ACF cooks apprenticeship under the supervision of Chef Hans Schadler. He then went on to various stints in resort areas across the United States and Europe, including a summer working amongst the vineyards of France's Champagne region and a year at the Frankfurt Intercontinental Hotel.
After accepting a position with the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, he arrived on the Island of Hawaii in early 1983, and was promoted to the position of Executive Chef of the resort's Gallery Restaurant. It was at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel that Peter began to develop a novel relationship between what he refers to as “handcrafted” dishes and the farmers and ranchers who provided for them.
In 1988, Merriman and wife Vicki opened Merriman's in Waimea. Reviewers from the The New York Times "Everything at Merriman's features the freshest local ingredients paired in exciting ways," and San Francisco Magazine stated that "His Wok-charred Ahi is to die for." It was at Merriman's Waimea that he attracted the attention of the James Beard Foundation
, where he was noted as one of the finalists in the organization's "Best Chef Northwest & Hawaii" category three times. The restaurant is nationally recognized as the "home" of Hawaiian regional cuisine, and has been called "A gourmet in cowboy country" by Hana Hou, the Hawaiian Airlines' Magazine.
In November 2003, he launched a casual dining concept when he opened Merriman's Market Café in the Waikoloa King's Shops on Hawaii Island.
Merriman’s expanded his operations with the opening of several locations on across Hawaii. 2008 saw the opening of Merriman's Kapalua at the Kapalua resort on Maui's west side, and in 2009, the Merriman's Poipu Fish House and Downstairs Cafe in Kauai. In 2011 he opened Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman in Wailea, Maui; MonkeyPod Kitchen is expected to become a chain of restaurants.
Hawaii regional cuisine
Hawaii regional cuisine, abbreviated to HRC, is two concepts; It's the moniker for a style of cooking, and secondly, it’s the name a group of twelve chefs gave their organization which began as a drinking club....
. In 2011, he and the other Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs were inducted to the Hawaii Restaurant Association Hall of Fame.
Biography
Merriman was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His mother was a food writer for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. At the age of 16, he began working for Master Chef Ferdinand Metz at the H. J. Heinz Co.Merriman then attended the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining a degree in Political Science. After that, he enrolled in a three-year Chefs Apprentice Program under the American Culinary Federation. The apprenticeship program brought him to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he worked as a butcher. At the Woodstock Inn in Vermont, Peter completed his ACF cooks apprenticeship under the supervision of Chef Hans Schadler. He then went on to various stints in resort areas across the United States and Europe, including a summer working amongst the vineyards of France's Champagne region and a year at the Frankfurt Intercontinental Hotel.
After accepting a position with the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, he arrived on the Island of Hawaii in early 1983, and was promoted to the position of Executive Chef of the resort's Gallery Restaurant. It was at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel that Peter began to develop a novel relationship between what he refers to as “handcrafted” dishes and the farmers and ranchers who provided for them.
Restaurants
When he began the planning of his restaurant in the late 1980s, a typical restaurant's fresh ingredients were sourced mainly from large, corporate distributors while local producers were forced to sell at the same price points as their imported counterparts, he sought to challenge the practice by going directly to local farmers and ranchers to source his menu.In 1988, Merriman and wife Vicki opened Merriman's in Waimea. Reviewers from the The New York Times "Everything at Merriman's features the freshest local ingredients paired in exciting ways," and San Francisco Magazine stated that "His Wok-charred Ahi is to die for." It was at Merriman's Waimea that he attracted the attention of the James Beard Foundation
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and...
, where he was noted as one of the finalists in the organization's "Best Chef Northwest & Hawaii" category three times. The restaurant is nationally recognized as the "home" of Hawaiian regional cuisine, and has been called "A gourmet in cowboy country" by Hana Hou, the Hawaiian Airlines' Magazine.
In November 2003, he launched a casual dining concept when he opened Merriman's Market Café in the Waikoloa King's Shops on Hawaii Island.
Merriman’s expanded his operations with the opening of several locations on across Hawaii. 2008 saw the opening of Merriman's Kapalua at the Kapalua resort on Maui's west side, and in 2009, the Merriman's Poipu Fish House and Downstairs Cafe in Kauai. In 2011 he opened Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman in Wailea, Maui; MonkeyPod Kitchen is expected to become a chain of restaurants.