Four 1st Place Winners (by county): 

• 1st place winner: Brayden J. from Hawaii Island

Entry Title: “Malama the ‘Aina and it Will Malama You”

Description: “Around 80% of our food is shipped from the mainland. Food security is a huge problem here in Hawai’i. Especially now with all this panic buying. Whats the problem you ask? Well when food is shipped from the mainland or other places in the world, usually it is done by barges or airplane. Those vehicles cause pollution which adds to the bigger problem global warming. Bad right? Well theres more. Also when in shipping, produce slowly loses its original nutritional content. You also have no control of that food, how its grown, herbicides etc. You could be putting toxins in your mouth for what you know. However, when you grow your own food or buy it from a local farmer you have so much control. Its organic and always fresh. I wanted to see what 250 square feet of ‘aina could give. So I cleaned, weeded, started seeds, and cultivated. So far I have had plentiful harvests of fresh and totally organic food. Recently I harvested 50 lbs of potatoes. Im not telling you this to show off, no, but to show that our aina that we stand on is so fruitful. This is our solution to food security. The very thing underneath us. Malama the ‘aina and it will malama you.”

• 1st place winner: Tenley A., from Maui County

Entry Title: “Dad’s Catch of the Day”

Description: “Living on Molokai during this COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult to go grocery shopping. The winds were down that week and my dad took the opportunity to go on his boat. He was blessed with four mahi-mahi and my mom prepared it two different way that night for dinner. I am so grateful for my dad and his skills and that we were able to share his catch with family and friends."

• 1st place winner:  Lauren L., from Oahu

Entry Title: “A Night in Paris”

Description: “Before Covid-19 my family and I were going to Paris. It would be the trip of a lifetime and my dream would come true. That dream can’t happen now, so why not bring Paris to us? Nothing can match the memories and fun we would’ve had on the trip, but we decided to grasp a little Paris experience. This picture shows how we brought Paris to our home. We made the famous French onion soup, with cheesy bread. For dessert, we had macaroons of all flavors and chocolate-dipped croissants. It was fun to bring Paris to us. Also, my dad is stressed with work and this soup is his favorite. He even helped me make it. It was the most fun he had since Covid-19 took over and it brought back his smile. I would like others to see that doing something small like this can bring happiness back home.”

• 1st place winner: Kai S. from Kauai. 

Entry Title: “Ratatouille” 

Description: “It is a tasty, healthy dish that I cooked myself. The challenge that gave me the idea to make it was to make 2 meals within a $40 budget. I had also recently re-watched the movie “Ratatouille” and thought that this would be a good, cheap meal to make. And it was!”

Honorable Mentions:

• Isabella B. - Entry title: My Love of Cooking

Description: “I love to make food. I love to bake and cook all day, then serve the homemade dishes that I have prepared for my family. When I am in the kitchen cooking all worry leaves me. Recently, I have started to make healthier dishes because with my family it is hard to please all of my family members at the same time. The dish that I made here (coconut chicken curry with jasmine brown rice and garlic naan) is something all my family members love and is made from fresh ingredients from our own garden and coconut trees. I spent hours cooking this dish with my dad trying to make it the best possible one I can. I really do hope I pictured my love of cooking and my experience with the food I make. Thank you.”

• Reed B. - Entry title: Homemade Chocolate Mousse

Description: “I have wanted to make homemade chocolate mousse, but because of the covid 19 I have been unable to get chocolate mousse. So me and my dad have decide to make chocolate mousse.”

• Julia C. - Entry title: Simply Asian

Description: “There have been so many times in my life where I have put off my Chinese roots and ignored the fact that I’m asian. Part of the reason why is because I thought that was the only thing that I could be identified as since I looked best for the part. It took me a while to embrace, “Yes, I am Asian and my mom does drive a Panda Express car.” However, throughout the years I have found a hobby that I enjoy: cooking. I remember the first time I picked up a pan was at home in the sixth grade, and I burned myself but it was totally worth it since I was craving an egg. I uploaded this picture because it showcases what I’m proud of and it brings me back to my special heritage. My grandma taught me this recipe for mapo tofu, and after practicing a lot and modifying the recipe, my family always asks me to cook it for them now which makes me really happy. During this quarantine, I hope to explore more into my newfound passion and expand my abilities. I hope this picture made your mouth water like it did mines :)”

• Nakoa I. - Entry title: The Teenager Can Cook!

Description:  “My parents are both essential workers. My mother is a nurse & father is in Lawn Maintenance. My brothers & I have started to help make more dinners for the family to relieve my parents work load. This night my Mom suggested breakfast for dinner. I made spam & egg burritos . My mom said they tasted better then hers. The secret was lots of butter  when pan frying the burritos.”

• Sabastian L. - Entry title: A Palette of Greens

Description:  “A perfect combination of little gem lettuce, microgreens, and avocado, all fresh, local produce, top this goat cheese, black bean, chicken, brown rice, and brown rice tortilla burrito. Healthy, nutritious, and delicious! I am encouraging the schools to provide healthier and more locally based meals for their students.”

• Megan O. - Entry title: School Kine Home lunch

Description: “Being in quarantine for so long has made me miss the type of lunches I ate at school. Majority of my lunches now consist of sandwiches and leftovers which do taste good but feel plain in comparison to what I used to eat at school. So I decided to recreate a school lunch out of a tray, some paper towels, tape, and foods commonly served during lunch time. I am a senior this year so I have missed out on a lot of final high school moments, but at least now I am able to say that I got to have one last school lunch food experience.”

• Austyn-Lee P. - Entry title: Luau Stew

Description: “This was something my parents, my siblings & I did together. We grew, cut & cleaned the luau together & now my siblings & I learned how to make it this meal.”

• Ayre T. - Entry title: Monkeying Around with Guavas

Description: “I walk out my back door to see a monkey climbing up the tall limbs of a guava tree, reaching in earnest for the ripest fruit. All of a sudden, an alligator arches out of the swampy waters below to chomp the monkey’s tail off. The poor animal shrieks in horror and drops the precious guava. I quickly snatch the guava out of the air and take it in to make some delectable jam. All of this was part of my lively imagination except for the juicy guavas that I’m perfectly content with. They are slightly sweet, with a tiny tang and a tropical bite. My homemade jam is fresh and carries the true spirit of aloha and a sprinkling of imagination.”

• Casylynne Kate V. - Entry title: The Recipe Book Engraved Into My Mind

Description:  “The powerful aromatic scent fills the kitchen and somehow travels, jumping off the bed with excitement to see what is generating the pleasant smell. As a short Filipino lady standing next to the stove, wiping her sweat, I ask her “What’s that mom?” She’d say “Move, you’ll get burnt.” I was curious so a chair was pulled out and stood tall peaking at the pot. “Ginisang Kalabasa, Sitaw at Talong” The dish I admire a lot, for the different textures and vibrant colors. What caught my eye were my mother’s techniques when cooking, unique yet simple. Curiosity didn’t talk but it saw many. Everyone has a digital recipe book while I had my mom, I thought that picturing me and my mother cooking my favorite dish was perfect, but I spoke too soon. Each move precisely observed, but all I have now are steps saved in my memory.”

• Rylie-Ann W. - Entry title: Tonkatsu Time

“‘Tonkatsu Time consists of homemade tonkatsu, tegu salad, gyoza, and of course, a side of steaming hot rice. With the extra time I’ve had since my school changed to distance learning, I’ve been learning how to cook. From making garlic chicken to shrimp tempura, I’ve learned to love the feeling of holding a wooden spoon in my hand. I decided to submit this photo, not only because tonkatsu is a family favorite, but also because it represents my Japanese culture. The crispy golden crunch on the outside and juicy pork on the inside has made this dish so irresistible that my 60 pound cousin went back for fourths! Since I’m not able to dine in and enjoy authentic tonkatsu, I decided to make my own. Despite all that is happening in the world right now, cooking for the people I love has brought me great joy. Mahalo.”