I admit I’m not a “speed-dating” virgin. I first got on the fast friendship track last year when I was invited to try it at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

Although I’m an old married lady, I was smitten, blushing with anticipation even, to be invited back earlier this month to once again “speed date” world-famous chefs attending HFWF events at Ka’anapali Resort. And it wasn’t even considered  to be cheating on my husband.

The brief encounters took place in broad daylight oceanfront at Whalers Village with a carnival atmosphere of stilt walkers in costume, music playing, farmers selling their produce and the intoxicating aromas of freshly baked pastries and tropical fruits adding to the sensory feel.

Journalists were seated facing inward around a U-shaped table, and were given a short time frame to seduce the famous chefs into saying something, well, special.

But before the speed dating began, event emcee and former Oahu TV news anchor Tannya Joaquin herded the chefs into the center, saying she would give us “some foreplay” and heat things up by asking each one a question.

We writers were treated to little teasers the chefs sent our way,  and then we were off to flirt with our own idea of how to make each interview work.

PBS TV personality Ming Tsai

The James Beard Award-winning chef/owner of Blue Ginger and Blue Dragon restaurants in Massachusetts, Ming Tsai is also an Emmy Award-winning host/executive producer of “Simply Ming” broadcast on PBS in 20 major markets and going into its 13th successful season.

Tsai is the author of five cookbooks including the interactive “Simply Ming in Your Kitchen.” When he approached me, he was warm, gracious and complimentary, knowing how to woo a writer. He even handed me his business card, so I could contact him later.

“Was that YOU who put me on the cover of Maui Scene?” he asked. “Why, thank you! That was awesome! Isaac Bancaco of Andaz Maui was in the picture, too. He’s my boy. He was my sous chef at Blue Ginger.”

Just when things were warming up, Shelley Kekuna, executive director of Ka’anapali Beach Resort Association, moved in and lei’d him, right in front of me. I knew I had to act fast in order for us to get more serious.

So I popped the question: “Ming, where will you be filming on Maui?” I asked, hoping to capture his attention once again and get a commitment.

“I will film five shows in Hawaii,” he said, gazing back my way and flashing a sexy smile. As our eyes met, I quickly groped for my pen, but not in a lascivious way.

“I will start tomorrow with my boys, chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi. We’ll film at Walter Hester’s home. He’s the owner of Maui Jim sunglasses and he generously offered his place for us. I’ll make my own version of teppanyaki and Alan will do his signature pineapple martinis. Give people a drink. It settles them down. It always works when filming.”

Hmm. Wonder if it works for interviewers, too? Then Tsai said he will head to Andaz Maui at Wailea to film with Bancaco and drive to an Upcountry lavender farm.

“I’ll fly to Honolulu to shoot with Ed Kenney of Town. He was farm-to-table before it came into vogue. My mom and dad are flying in for the show. We’ll also visit Chef Lee Ann Wong of Koko Head Cafe.”

Stay tuned in Maui Scene for when the episodes will air. It’s Tsai’s favorite section of The Maui News, and I certainly want to make “my boy” happy.

HFWF co-chair Roy Yamaguchi

Roy Yamaguchi is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality. He owns 31 Roy’s Restaurants, and is also with OSI Restaurant Partners LLC — a multibillion-dollar company, which has eight brands, including Roy’s Restaurants. Oh yes, he’s a James Beard Award-winning chef based on Oahu with a restaurant on Maui and co-founder and co-chairman of the HFWF.

But when Yamaguchi sat down across from me, he looked hungry. Not hungry for love, because his wife and HFWF CEO Denise Yamaguchi came over to dote on him and nuture him with a manapua to fill his belly. Geez, all these women hovering about and moving in on my speed dates!

“It’s been really busy,” he said, focusing, exuding charming honesty. “We opened Roy’s Beach House on Aug. 2 at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s north shore, and then on Aug. 24, we opened Eating House 1849 at the International Marketplace in Waikiki. It was just craziness.”

Yamaguchi also has the romantic notion he’ll open Humble Market Kitchin at Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa before the end of the year.

“We’re hoping for Dec. 20,” he said, pleasing me with this bit of news. “Kitchin” is spelled with an “i” instead of an “e” at the end, so I segued into asking him about it.

“I don’t know. ‘Come to my kitchin.’ In Hawaii, you might say it like that. It’s something different.”

Humble Market Kitchin is a partnership with Maui movie star,  celebrity manager and restaurateur Shep Gordon, who ran Mala and Migrant in the same spot.

“It’s going to be a great restaurant,” said Yamaguchi. “The breakfast buffet will be set up in front of the windows of the exhibition kitchen. Inside, the kitchen will look like an antique green grocery store.”

Yamaguchi said he’s going back to his grandparents’ roots for the concept.

“My grandfather lived on Maui and he worked at the sugar plantation. And then he opened Yamaguchi Grocery Store on Vineyard Street in Wailuku. As a kid, I spent my summers on Maui hanging out in his store and his restaurant. I want to pay tribute to him and utilize as many Maui products as I can because he used to buy from farmers here.”

Where was the restaurant? I asked, wanting to get to know my “speed date” better.

“He had 10 kids and none of them remember exactly. One of them said it was the Vineyard Tavern and he also had a saimin place in Kihei, too.”

What’s cooking in the future? “I’m opening another Eating House 1849 in Kapolei,” he concluded, standing up and giving me a kiss on the cheek goodbye.

Chicago TV star Graham Elliot

Chicago-based Graham Elliot is a critically acclaimed chef, restaurateur and “Master Chef” co-host and new “Top Chef” judge — and easily one of the most recognized faces cooking in America today.

He was alluring with his signature white glasses and peach colored shirt with cartoonish Guy Fieri images all over it. He looked bold and adventurous and was, even showing me some skin — i.e., arms coated with tats.

“I grew up a Navy brat and lived in all 50 states and traveled the world,” he said. “We spent five years in Ewa on Oahu and I feel like Hawaii is where I’m from — so that’s why I have these tats. I love Hawaii, adore the ocean. I’m going to grab my spear gun soon and go poke for some tako.”

Elliot is also passionate about his eponymous Chicago restaurant, Graham Elliot, one of only 15 restaurants in the U.S. that can boast two, count ’em, Michelin stars.

He entices and serenades Windy City diners so much with it that Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proclaimed Sept. 19 as “Graham Elliot Day” in Chicago.

Philadelphia phenom Jose Garces

Philadelphia-based Jose Garces is one of the top Latin-American chefs in the country and he has 15 restaurants in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Illinois and the District of Columbia  along with being featured on the Norwegian Cruise Line.

His Garces Foundation is a philanthropic organization that is dedicated to Philadelphia’s underserved immigrant community; and his Luna Farm is 40 acres of blooming produce in Bucks County, Pa.

“This is my third or fourth year attending Hawaii Food & Wine Festival,” he said, his bushy eyebrows moving expressively. “I love the islands. Love the feel of it here. Roy and his wife, Denise, and Alan are all such welcoming people. It’s such a pleasure to return here and be a part of the festival.”

Garces then sparked a flame of interest in me when he described his sensuous octopus dish he would make the next evening.

“Pulpo a la marinara is char-grilled octopus with chorizo-squid-ink agnolotti with charred lemon, saffron emulsion, nasturtium and espelette potato crumbs. I will use local octopus but it’s inspired by Spain.”

Garces cooks the octopus in a red-wine brine with pickling spices and a secret ingredient of wine corks. “It’s a proud tradition in Spain. The wine corks break down the tannins in the wine and make the octopus tender.”

Rory Hermann of Sprout Restaurants L.A.

A big teddy bear of an accomplished chef, bon vivant and director of culinary operations for Sprout Restaurant Group in Los Angeles, Rory Hermann was all smiles when talking about his passion.

“I’m a big golfer and so I love to come to Maui and golf,” he said.

Prior to Sprout, Hermann was chef de cuisine of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Beverly Hills and has worked for notable culinarians from world-famous three-star Michelin Chef Alain Ducasse at Essex House and Mix to Dan Barber at Blue Hill Restaurant.

“After working for my chef-mentor Thomas Keller for 11 years, it was really hard to leave Bouchon,” he fondly recalls. “To be able to work with so many chefs of Thomas’ caliber was truly amazing.”

Are there other relationships on the horizon for Hermann?

“I’m in charge of developing several new Los Angeles restaurants, including the Rose Cafe in Venice, Calif., and I raise funds for Meals on Wheels, among others.”

Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose in Anaheim

My last engagement of the day was with Chef and sommelier Andrew Sutton, who doesn’t Mickey Mouse around with his stellar cuisine at Napa Rose and Carthay Circle, both located at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

“Carthay Circle was where Walt Disney screened ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ back in 1937 and the restaurant occupies the second story of a detailed reproduction of the movie theater.”

It was the Golden Age of Hollywood, when romance and allure and passion and seduction were all the rage.

Working in such an environment, it’s no wonder that Sutton would be flattering . . . about the island of Maui.

“I love it here,” he said. “I’ve been coming with Michael Jordan to Kapalua Wine & Food Festival and now five times at Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. We have 42 sommeliers at Napa Rose who have a love of wine and I’m one of them as well as being a chef.”

Whew! What a whirlwind of fast and furious relationships. Now, I can get back to fantasizing . . . about lunch!

* Dining Editor Carla Tracy can be reached at carlatracy@mauinews.com.