From someone who once "couldn't even cook rice" to an innovative culinary force transforming Hawaiian ingredients, Chef Mari's story is a delicious journey of passion and perseverance. She reveals how exposure to diverse food cultures in Los Angeles sparked her culinary awakening before returning to Hawaii to study at KCC Culinary. What makes her approach unique is the scientific foundation beneath her creativity – with a master's degree in nutrition and dietetics, she brings deep understanding of food's impact on our bodies to every dish she creates.
Breadfruit (ulu) emerges as the star in Chef Mari's culinary repertoire. "Ulu is literally my most favorite ingredient to work with," she explains, detailing how this versatile fruit functions beautifully in both sweet and savory applications. Her innovations are practical magic – transforming ulu into Alfredo sauce and gravy without traditional thickeners, creating poi churros that had her culinary students raving, and developing egg substitutes from traditional Hawaiian ingredients during the egg shortage. These creations showcase her gift for honoring cultural traditions while pushing culinary boundaries.
The conversation explores Chef Mari's unexpected path to teaching culinary arts at Kaiser High School, where she commanded a classroom of 80+ students despite having no formal teaching certification. This experience crystallized her definition of what makes a chef: "a leader who inspires people in the kitchen." Now working as a chef consultant with the Culinary Institute of America while building her social media presence, her future vision centers on creating a non-profit cooking school accessible to everyone in her community. Throughout it all, she maintains that cooking is fundamentally about connection – whether through television appearances, Instagram videos shot entirely on her phone, or the dream of a community cooking space that celebrates local farmers and ingredients. Follow her continuing culinary adventures @BiteLogic on Instagram and TikTok, where science and flavor merge into something truly special.
