Dining

Meet The Club at Hokulia’s Executive Head Chef: Chris Damskey

Chris Damskey, Head Executive Chef at The Club at Hokulia, is a one-of-a-kind, special chef de cuisine with over 12 years of Hawaii Regional Cuisine experience. Chef Damskey received his culinary certificate at Scottsdale Culinary Institute before traveling world-wide opening restaurants and working alongside some of the best chefs including Emeril Lagasse, Michael Mina, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. After 25 years of professional culinary experience, Chef Damskey moved to Hawaii to open two properties for Chef Alan Wong, and from this opportunity, he made a lot of connections with professionals and farms across the islands.

chef damskey picks fresh organic vegetables at the club at hokulia

“I feel very privileged to have learned from Chef Wong. It’s one of those things that I hold very dear to my heart, because he showed me the bounty of what these islands have to offer,” said Chef Damskey.

Therefore, over a decade of work on the Hawaiian Islands landed Chef Damskey at The Club at Hokulia beginning September 2020. He now works with a team of four other individuals providing luxurious farm-to-table meals for all members and guests of Hokuli‘a.

vegetables grown at hokulia big island

Chef Damskey has always been food-centric and understands the farm-to-table experience better than most. He grew up on a farm in Wisconsin where he learned from a young age what it meant to grow his own vegetables, raise farm animals, and cook with his Grandma to make dinners for the family. Inspired by these homegrown traditions, Chef Damskey has a heart for locally sourced food from farms.

“I don’t know how else to cook,” explained Chef Damskey. “Freshest and locally-sourced is always the best.”

poached egg with microgreens and berries at the club at hokulia

There are around four items that change each week on Hokuli’a’s menu. Currently, tomatoes and mangoes are Chef Damskey’s favorite fruits to add to his recipes. However, he cares about working with the members’ tastes, and in the future, he hopes to add additional variety with seasonal-based menus.

seared tuna on toast at the club at hokulia

“At the end of the day, it’s not about where you work, it’s about what you provide for the guests,” stated Chef Damskey. “I always want to provide something that is cooked from the heart.”

You can find Chef Damskey daily during lunch hours, otherwise, members and guests can make reservations for weekly Saturday night dinners and Sunday brunches. Make sure to reserve your table today and enjoy some of the best Island cuisine only offered at The Club at Hokuli‘a!

More Information

For additional information about Hokuli‘a and its real estate offerings, please visit www.hokulia.com, email hokulia@hawaiilife.com or call 808-731-4354. Stay up-to-date by following Hokuli’a on Instagram and Facebook!

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