Five days a week, foodies and wine connoisseurs may visit the Ka’ana Kitchen for a unique culinary journey as part of the resort’s ongoing Chef’s Table series.

Located in the Andaz Maui, a Hyatt Resort, in an open-air setting, guests receive a view of the ocean along the South Maui shores, and can watch as their cuisine is prepared right in front of them.

Complete with a six-course menu of locally sourced and fresh ingredients, attendees may choose to add a wine pairing with each course and indulge their senses to the fullest.

Overseeing the daily operations are two chefs including executive Chef Ritchard Cariaga and Chef de Cuisine Chance Savell.

Cariaga, born in the Philippines and raised on Kauai, said together they mix their unique culinary backgrounds and experiences with a hyperfocus on what goes into the food.

“We definitely focus on ingredients first,” Cariaga said.

Cariaga started at the Grand Hyatt Kauai before joining the Andaz team in 2013 as a banquet chef. He then rose to chef de cuisine, and later traveled and became the executive sous chef at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in 2017, as well as the executive chef at Miraval Arizona in 2018. By 2020, Cariaga was the executive chef at Carmel Valley Ranch until returning to Maui again in 2022.

Savell is originally from Arkansas. He started his career in Orlando, Florida, as a chef de partie, before moving to Sag Harbor in New York to take on the role of sous chef. He’s worked with Chef Cariaga before on Kauai, and he’s also worked in Denver, as a garde manger chef. In 2019, Chance joined the Andaz Maui team, first as a banquet chef and then rising to the role of chef de cuisine.

Together, the two lead their team in creativity and innovation, pulling inspiration from childhood recipes and favorite family dishes.

Savell said he likes to cook food that takes a long time, is warm and hearty and brings the friends and family together, whereas Cariaga draws on his island upbringing.

“There’s always some memory that’s associated with mussels,” Cariaga recalled. “I’m from the Philippines, so a lot of the food we made fresh.”

For Savell, it’s a pork shoulder roast and ragu with fresh pasta that stirs up some emotions.

“Put it in the oven, braise it, let it do its thing,” he said.

Many of the dishes on the Chef’s Table menu have been inspired by current and past chef’s over the years.

“A lot of this is the brainchild of the people who have worked here over the years,” Cariaga said.

One such dish left behind is the fan favorite watermelon salad with Big Island feta, li hing mui, and candied walnuts, left behind by acclaimed Maui-born Chef Isaac Bancaco.

Throughout the journey of the Chef’s Table experience, visitors can engage in an intimate exploration into these creations that not only taste good, but tell the story of who and what Ka’ana Kitchen is made of.

Some creative yet telling dishes include the hamachi sashimi with shiso, edamame wasabi and ginger vinaigrette, as well as the wagyu hanger, combined with green papaya, nuoc cham and peanuts. Both speak to the diversity of the island culture and its cuisine.

Cariaga said that’s part of the joy of the Ka’ana Kitchen, as it’s a place for aspiring chefs and cooks to engage in the process, be creative, provide input and express their authenticity.

“We really try to bring out the best in our team,” he said.

The Chef’s Table at the Ka’ana Kitchen in the Andaz Resort on Maui is open Tuesday through Saturday with different times available. Seating is limited and seating times include 6 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The Chef’s Table is priced at $195 plus tax and gratuity, as well as the choice for $125 additional wine pairing per person. Price may increase for different pairing options.

The Ka’ana Kitchen has received various accolades over the years, including a Gold for Best Pacific Rim Cuisine in the 2019 ‘Aipono Awards, a Silver for Best Chef’s Table and Gold for Most Innovative Menu in 2020, and another Silver for Best Chef’s Table in 2022.

Most recently, Ka’ana Kitchen was awarded Gold for Best Chef’s Table at the 2023 ‘Aipono Awards.

For more information, visit hyatt.com/andaz/oggaw-andaz-maui-at-wailea-resort/dining.