Los Angeles restaurant owners are allocating percentages of their profits, hosting fundraisers and raising awareness for the Maui communities grappling with the tragedy of the recent fires. Hundreds of structures, homes and businesses were reduced to ash in what has become the century’s deadliest wildfire.
As the death toll of the Maui wildfires nears 100, Hawaiians and Angelenos alike are mourning the devastation of the historic town of Lahaina. These L.A. restaurants are doing what they can to rally support behind various relief funds.
In Sherman Oaks on Tuesday starting at 6 p.m., Anajak Thai is adding Tamashiro-style and shoyu pokes and mochiko fried chicken to the Thai Taco Tuesday menu, looking to donate a portion of the profits from these menu items to various Maui relief funds. The problem, owner Justin Pichetrungsi says, is making sure he and his team choose reputable organizations that are sending donations directly to rebuilding efforts rather than generalized, unfocused funds.
“It’s rather troubling,” said Pichetrungsi. “You don’t want the fear to prevent you from helping, but we have to know which funds are actually impactful. That’s what we’re researching and we want to make sure it’s all going to the right place.”
After reaching out to friends and family living in Hawaii for help finding verified funds, Pichetrungsi is so far considering The Maui Strong Fund through the Hawai’i Community Foundation, Maui United Way, or the Kāko’o Maui Fund. He also came across a comprehensive spreadsheet for people to send aid directly to impacted families in Maui. E
After hearing that his friend chef Sheldon Simeon, owner of Tiffany’s and Tin Roof in Maui, was on the island cooking on behalf of the World Central Kitchen for families who have lost their homes and livelihoods there, Pichetrungsi decided that he too could take action. Soon after, Pichetrungsi posted a video on Sunday to the Anajak Thai Instagram account announcing the “emergency TTT,” or Thai Taco Tuesday, to its followers. He also shared a link to the Chef Hui Maui Relief Fund seeking to feed the displaced people of Maui and support damaged restaurants.
ZEF BBQ, a weekend-only Simi Valley pop-up, was born out of pandemic necessity when owner-chef Logan Sandoval and his wife, Ana Lindsay, were struggling to generate income for their family.
“I know what it is to struggle and try to make ends meet, [but] that’s with a full functioning business still,” said Sandoval. “I can’t imagine losing my home and my business in one night.”
In the past, Sandoval’s menus have featured Hawaiian staples like pit-smoked house-made Spam musubi and Peking duck, and now the pair seeks to support other struggling business owners and community organizations affected by the Maui fires.
“Every weekend we have a walk-up-only service called Super Secret Sundays,” said Sandoval. “This is mine and my staff’s favorite day because we all come together and brainstorm menu items that we’ve been wanting to test out or just make better.” This past Sunday, ZEF BBQ dedicated the cherished day to Maui relief efforts by donating a large portion of sales, including 100% of Dole Whip sales, to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.
According the Sandoval, his team celebrated the event as a major success. Their line is usually between 10 to 20 people he said, but at one point on Sunday, they had at least 80 to 90 people in line.
The ZEF BBQ Instagram also linked the Na Wahine Toa Foundation‘s Maui Fires Fundraiser in its Instagram bio, which gives 100% of donations to Lahaina resident and community organizer Tiare Lawrence to disperse as needed toward relief and rebuilding efforts in Maui. In the span of five days, the fundraiser has already exceeded the goal of $1 million in donations, raising more than twice that much.
Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra is planning to launch a kanpachi ginger scallion poke inspired by Off the Hook Poke Market’s ahi ginger scallion poke in Honolulu. This dish will feature dry-aged kanpachi from chef Liwei Liao’s Joint fish market in Sherman Oaks. Yang’s Kitchen will donate a portion of the profits from the kanpachi poke as well the Zumi’s loco moco dish to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park posted on its Instagram asking any followers with the funds to donate to the Go Fund Me linked in its bio to help the staff at Lahaina’s Dirty Monkey restaurant. The Maui restaurant is listed as permanently closed on Google, and is calling for any help it can get to raise money for staff members trying to rebuild their homes and get back on their feet.
Hermosa Beach’s RYLA plans to donate proceeds from its Tiki Thursday event to the Kokua Restaurant Hospitality Fund, which focuses efforts on providing immediate relief to the restaurant, bar and hospitality workers affected by the recent fires. Chef Ray Hayashi feels personally connected to the tragedy as he and close friend chef David LeFevre traveled every year to the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival where Hayashi also got engaged to RYLA chef de cuisine Cynthia Hetlinger. RYLA’s sister restaurant MB Post, owned by LeFevre, also plans to donate a portion of profits earned at this Friday’s lunch service to the Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund.
At Lunetta in Santa Monica, chef Ralph Lunetta also is directing support to the Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund. He is hosting a coursed benefit dinner alongside chef Josiah Citrin of Santa Monica’s Mélisse and chef Suzanne Tracht of West Hollywood’s Jar called Flavors of Aloha: Supporting Hawaii’s Restaurant Community. The team of chefs hope to rally the support of their collective fan bases and pool funds.
Citrin and Lunetta’s connection to Hawaii traces back to days in their youth riding waves at the break wall. Ever since, Lunetta has formed relationships with esteemed Hawaiian culinary figures like Roy Yamaguchi, Allen Wong and Michele and Wade Ueoka, staying tethered to the Hawaiian food scene by annually attending the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.
“My heart is intertwined with Hawaii, and its restaurant community holds a special place within me,” said Lunetta. “This benefit dinner epitomizes our collective celebration of Hawaiian cuisine and serves as an opportunity to give back to the community that has enriched our lives.”
The event will take place on Thursday at Lunetta. For $135, guests can opt for this six-course meal starting with a stone fruit ceviche amuse-bouche and culminating with a pan-roasted New York steak.
Stephanie Breijo contributed to this report.
