In Hawaii, food isn’t just part of the party—it is the party. We never ask, “How was the wedding?” We ask, “What did they have to eat?”
If someone says they went to a baby luau, the next question’s automatic: “Did they have lomi tomato or lomi salmon?”
The real dish calls for tomatoes, onions, and salmon—but if the budget’s tight, it’s just tomatoes and onions. Hence the name lomi tomato.
Food as Currency
That’s how we are. In Hawaii, food isn’t small talk—it’s currency. It tells you everything: how generous the host was, who catered, who still does things the old-school way, who cheaped out on the lomi, and who mortgaged the house to serve fresh ‘opihi.
It’s the language of our island life and the heart of our Hawaiian food culture.
The Melting Pot on a Plate
Because Hawaii’s one big melting pot, we have cultures, languages, traditions, and flavors all stirred into one pot.
I grew up eating things that shouldn’t have worked together but somehow did. That’s why the plate lunch is our official dish: two scoops of rice, a mound of mac salad, and whatever culture made your mouth water that day—teriyaki chicken, kalbi ribs, katsu, adobo.
Local Pride in Every Bite
I’m proud of our ability to mix different cuisines. Spam musubi—born right here in Hawaii. Not Japanese, not American—but local. A square of rice, a strip of nori, a slab of Spam, and a thousand aunties perfecting their own ratio of soy sauce and sugar.
That’s what Hawaii does—it takes pieces from everywhere and somehow makes them fit.
Why It Shows Up in My Stories
That’s why food is a huge part of my books. It’s not just background—it’s the heartbeat. It’s so important to me, I even built an entire series around a chef.
If you love popcorn thrillers, check out The Little Sushi Chef Betrayed, book two in the Knives & Flames Trilogy. It’s a dark, twisty thriller series that takes place in Japan.
Coming December 16. Preorder now and get a taste of what happens when passion, tradition, and survival share the same kitchen.