Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival – Oʻahu 2025

The Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival’s Oʻahu slate returns in November 2025 with multi‑day marquee tastings, chef collaborations, culinary workshops, and philanthropic dinners staged across Honolulu’s most storied venues, led by co‑founders and James Beard Award–winning chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong. Official festival pages confirm the 2025 season dates spanning October–November statewide, with the culminating Oʻahu events concentrated in early to mid‑November and featuring international guest chefs cooking alongside Hawaiʻi’s top culinary talent, winemakers, and mixologists to champion local agriculture and sustainability. Tourism and partner listings reinforce the fall window and presenting partnerships, noting that Oʻahu typically hosts the festival’s showpiece galas after Maui and Hawaiʻi Island kick off the statewide program.

Dates, venues, and scope

• Season window: The festival’s 2025 edition runs across October and November, with Oʻahu events traditionally scheduled in early to mid‑November following Neighbor Island kickoffs; presenting partner pages and the festival hub point guests toward Oʻahu as the culminating stop on the statewide circuit.
• Venues: Past and partner listings highlight premiere Oʻahu sites such as Halekulani (presenting partner), Consolidated Theatres Ward/Kakaʻako precinct for select film‑adjacent culinary crossovers, and luxury resorts and cultural institutions that host tastings, chef collabs, and wine seminars; final 2025 venue lineup will publish on the festival site with ticket links as programming is announced in late summer and early fall.
• Scale: Expect dozens of visiting chefs, winemakers, and bar teams from across the U.S. and Asia Pacific cooking with Hawaiʻi chefs, with each headline event spotlighting local farms, fisheries, and producers under the festival’s mission of sustainability and agricultural support.

What to expect on Oʻahu in 2025

• Grand tastings and signature galas: The Oʻahu arc traditionally features the largest walk‑around tasting of the season and black‑tie or cocktail‑attire galas that pair chef stations with curated wine lists and premium spirits; expect thematic through‑lines tied to Hawaiʻi produce, reef‑safe seafood, and mindful sourcing.
• Collaboration dinners and demos: Multi‑course, ticketed dinners match visiting stars with Honolulu’s acclaimed kitchens for one‑night menus and chef table experiences, while daytime seminars and demos dig into technique, beverage pairing, and product storytelling.
• Philanthropy first: Proceeds support culinary education, local agriculture, and sustainability initiatives; the festival’s founding purpose remains to grow Hawaiʻi’s food system resilience and develop the next generation of culinary talent in the Islands.

Leadership and legacy

• Founders: Chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong launched the festival to connect global culinary voices with Hawaiʻi’s farmers and fishers, leveraging chef star power to create lasting economic and educational impact at home.
• Impact: Over the years, HFWF has raised millions for local nonprofits and scholarship funds while elevating Hawaiʻi’s culinary brand internationally; Oʻahu, as the state’s largest market, consistently draws the biggest crowds and most ambitious productions.

Tickets, passes, and on‑sale timing

• On‑sale cadence: The festival typically unveils the full chef roster and event lineup in late summer, with Oʻahu tickets going on sale shortly after; early purchase is recommended for headline tastings and intimate chef collabs that sell out quickly.
• How to buy: All tickets and packages are sold through the festival’s official website; presenting partner pages such as Halekulani also surface select events and exclusive experiences tied to hosted venues.
• Seating notes: Seated dinners are assigned by host; walk‑around tastings are open‑flow with VIP early entry available on select events; dietary accommodations vary by event and must be requested in advance through official channels.

Signature themes and experiences

• Hawaiʻi on the plate: Expect menus that feature taro, breadfruit, local beef and pork, reef‑safe fish, tropical fruits, Upcountry greens, and value‑added products from local makers, with chefs asked to source locally and tell the provenance stories on the plate.
• Wine and spirits: International wineries, sake brewers, and craft distillers pour side by side with local producers; Oʻahu events often spotlight premium pairings and reserve pours during VIP hours.
• Zero‑waste ethos: Many events incorporate waste‑reduction strategies and composting, highlighting Hawaiʻi‑grown innovation around sustainability in both agriculture and hospitality.

Practical planning for visitors

• Where to stay: Waikīkī and Kakaʻako place attendees near signature venues and dining; Halekulani, as presenting partner, often anchors marquee Oʻahu events and can be a convenient luxury base with walkability to beachfront and dining.
• Getting around: Use rideshare between venues in Waikīkī, Kakaʻako, and downtown; parking fills quickly at hotel venues and urban lots during peak event windows.
• What to wear: Cocktail attire for galas and smart casual for tastings; Oʻahu’s evenings in November are warm but breezy — bring a light layer for outdoor beachfront events.
• Extend the trip: Tie in HIFF45 screenings at Consolidated Ward or Kahala if dates overlap, or pair with Aloha Festivals early September if planning a longer fall stay; Honolulu’s cultural calendar is rich across September–November.

For locals and industry

• Support local: The festival is as much about community as it is about culinary spectacle; buying tickets direct and sharing feedback with organizers helps fine‑tune programming for Hawaiʻi’s audiences and producers.
• Producer showcases: Farmers, fishers, and makers gain exposure through on‑site activations and chef shout‑outs; Oʻahu events often include market‑style elements or chef‑led introductions to producers.
• Talent pipeline: HFWF’s educational components, from student stages to mentorship events, connect local culinary students with visiting chefs and hospitality leaders.

How Oʻahu’s arc typically unfolds

• Opening tasting: A high‑energy walk‑around with dozens of stations, live entertainment, and dedicated wine and cocktail zones.
• Chef collab series: Several nights of prix‑fixe dinners in Honolulu’s top dining rooms, pairing visiting chefs with resident stars for one‑time menus.
• Closing gala or signature dinner: A philanthropic capstone with auctions or special announcements that underscore the festival’s mission and community investments.

Watch for 2025 announcements

• Chef roster: Expect a blend of returning icons and first‑time Oʻahu guests from Asia, North America, and Oceania; the festival’s social feeds reveal participating chefs as contracts finalize.
• Themed events: Look for menu focuses such as “From Mauka to Makai,” “Plant‑Forward Hawaiʻi,” or “Sake & Pacific Seafood,” which have framed past tastings and dinners; 2025 titles and themes will publish with tickets.
• Community days: Family‑friendly demos, markets, or keiki cooking activities often punctuate the Oʻahu schedule to broaden access and inspire future chefs.

Verified details at a glance

• Festival: Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, Oʻahu 2025 slate within the statewide fall program.
• Timing: Oʻahu events in early–mid November 2025, following October/early‑November Neighbor Island engagements; final dates and venues published by the festival.
• Presenting partner: Halekulani; partner pages reference Oʻahu as a centerpiece host for the 2025 season.
• Program style: Grand tastings, chef collaboration dinners, beverage seminars, and philanthropic galas with a strong sustainability and local agriculture focus.
• Tickets: Sold exclusively via the festival’s official website; on‑sale announcements roll out late summer into early fall; popular Oʻahu events sell quickly.

Reserve November for a culinary week that tastes like Hawaiʻi now. Watch the festival’s lineup drop, lock in Oʻahu tickets early, and set a table for chef collaborations that pair island ingredients with global technique. Then arrive hungry for stories as much as for courses — and be part of a fall tradition that feeds community, honors producers, and sends guests home inspired to support Hawaiʻi’s food future.