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http://hourmaui.com Event hosted by the Maui County Farm Bureau This year, Maui agriculture, education and hospitality will come together in unprecedented ways to present the edibles that are grown on Maui. Maui's farmers, ranchers and fishermen will pair with chefs and presenters to cook up a series of full-flavored programs, because menus matter. Residents and visitors also want to know exactly why they matter. This will all happen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the fifth annual Maui County Ag Festival scheduled on Saturday, April 7, on the lu'au grounds of Maui Tropical Plantation. While the festival is free, the Grand Taste Education event is a ticket-only affair for an incredible value--$25 for 12 dishes prepared by Maui farmer-and-chef teams. At Grand Taste Education, the Maui community will get to taste food that is grown on Maui. The 12 chef-farmer volunteer teams invite you to capture the flavors of menus that are local and fresh. For example, Jojo Vasquez, chef de cuisine for Banyan Tree at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, will partner with Alika Atay of Maui Sweet Potato Company for ube macapuno ice cream made with purple Okinawan sweet potatoes. It's eggplant parmigiani for Ho'o Pono Farm and Chef Wesley Holder of The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. Private chef Riko Bartolome will work with Ian Cole of the Breadfruit Institute to whip up pan-fried smoked salmon-'ulu cakes. Cole will also talk about breadfruit on stage. The institute--where he serves as curator and collection manager--promotes the conservation and use of breadfruit for food and reforestation, and manages the largest collection of breadfruit in the world, conserving over 120 varieties from throughout the Pacific. Think sustainability is an elusive and overused concept? James Beard Award-winning Chef Alan Wong will explore with his audience what a sustainable Maui really means. The lineup at the Grand Taste Education stage will also include Garrett W. Marrero of the award-winning Maui Brewing Co, who will share how one company can make a difference for Maui ag. Marrero will talk about his experiences concerning the potential for agricultural growth through responsible business practices and collaboration. Grand Taste Education is presented in partnership with Slow Food Maui, a local chapter of Slow Food U.S.A., which envisions a world in which all people can eat food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet. Peter Merriman will serves as chef advisor, Chris Speere and the students of the Maui Culinary Academy will donate their time and talent to assist the farmer-chef teams, and Chefs Ryan Luckey, Isaac Bancaco and Riko Bartolome stepped up this year as chef coordinators. The judges for this year's Grand Taste Education include national and international food and travel writers: Ayngelina Brogan, Carol Cain, Bonnie Friedman, Lesa Griffith, Jennifer Heigl, Carolyn Jung, Derek Paiva, Susan Russo and Jay Terauchi. Joel Katz will provide beautiful, inspiring music throughout the day in the Grand Taste Education tent. (credit: Maui Weekly)