Chef Bert has had a long career creating great food for the people around him. He’s brought that same passion to KING’S HAWAIIAN®, helping us deliver delectable bites to everyone we meet. From partnerships and events to recipe development, Chef Bert has been a part of our ‘ohana. Get to know him and understand the mind behind a few of our mouthwatering melts, explore the intense flavor combinations and get inspired to make one of his irresistible recipes.

What was your journey to become a Chef?

“Excellent food was a huge part of everyday life for the three generations of cooks in my family. My Grandfather was an executive chef for the Navy, traveling the world and cooking for massive ships. He brought all those flavors back home to us in Hawaii. Almost every weekend Tutu, my “Grandma”, hosted parties for my dad and his brothers after every hunting and fishing trip. In my elementary years, my father was the executive chef at the Sheraton Poipu Kauai and later became the chef-proprietor of T&S Restaurant Group.

My first job at a restaurant was at age 14 at Keoki’s Paradise in Kauai. I spent nine years there. At first, I cleaned and maintained the building, then I became a daytime bartender and a nighttime line cook. When I was 18, I started to work with other chefs on the Island, that’s when I got my first sous chef and executive chef positions. My family's love for food and my natural talent brought me through this journey.”

Can you tell us about your time at King’s Hawaiian?

“In 2011, the Taira family and John Linehan came to dinner at Kincaid’s in Redondo Beach, where I was the executive chef at the time. During that dinner, John Linehan gave me his business card and asked if I was interested in helping in a project for KING'S HAWAIIAN® – whose rolls were always on Tutu’s kitchen table with a stick of butter.

At first, I consulted on many projects like the Arby’s sandwich lineup, “Flavors of Hawaii” cooking videos, and many more. I was officially asked to be part of the KING'S HAWAIIAN® team in 2017. Since then we’ve done amazing things together from community events like Hawaii Food and Wine Festival and Food Networks South Beach Food and Wine Festival to national foods shows. With these large social events, we’ve had the privilege of bringing huge amounts of KING'S HAWAIIAN® tastings to our peers. The best part of every trip is the team, the Ohana, having a meal together and talking about the tasting event.”

What inspires you?

“My inspiration is mostly drawn from a love of learning and love of people. I have this never-ending desire to learn and love everything about people, who they are, and the “whys.” I know many Chefs that love to learn, but they always forget about the “why’s” when it comes to why we use the ingredients we do and why we make the dishes we make. When you truly get intimate with the “why’s” behind the people and the food, then a recipe can be changed and elevated to be your own.”

What's your favorite meal to make?

“That’s an impossible question for me, I cook according to guests’ desires. If they want some fish, I’d make a crispy skin pan-seared Pacific Red Snapper with a Frangelico beurre noisette with heirloom cherry tomatoes, creamy manchego risotto and pancetta asparagus. If they want chicken, I’d make a crispy fried chicken breast dipped in a homemade Korean Gochujang pepper sauce and pair it with cool and creamy sriracha pineapple slaw and homemade pickles. If they want beef, I’d make a wine-grape skin, flour-crusted Kobe Wagyu seared steak with olive-oil roasted wild mushrooms and pan-roasted baby potatoes with thyme and Irish butter. My favorite dessert to make would have to be my red velvet souffle with a dollop of zesty lemon cream cheese frosting and dusting of cocoa powder.”

These meals have inspired the flavors and ingredients Chef Bert puts into his KING’S HAWAIIAN ® recipes. From savory and sweet pairings to melt-in-your-mouth melts, he’s shared his passion for food to create epic dishes using KING’S HAWAIIAN ®.

CAJUN SHRIMP & PAPAYA GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
Using two kinds of cheese – pepper jack and provolone – spicy cajun shrimp and sweet papaya, Chef Bert pairs unlikely ingredients to create flavorful melts we can’t get enough of.

HAWAIIAN GRILLED CHEESE
Delicious doesn’t have to be complicated. This Hawaiian Grilled cheese is quick and easy to make. Pile on ham, swiss cheese and a nice slice of pineapple on slides KING’S HAWAIIAN ® bread for a tropical melty grilled cheese.

BOURBON BACON GRILLED CHEESE
Bacon makes everything better and this Bourbon Bacon Grilled Cheese is truly the best. Using peppered bourbon bacon, smoked gouda, tomato slices and arugula this sandwich incorporates fresh ingredients, crunchy textures and flavor for an epic melt experience.