Derek Watanabe has joined Travaasa Hana as executive chef. Watanabe will oversee the culinary team and all banquet and catering services for the AAA Four Diamond resort located at the end of Maui’s iconic road to Hana.

“[Derek’s] passion for sustainability and cooking with a sense of place aligns perfectly with Travaasa’s commitment to providing authentic experiences for our guests,” said Chris Manning, co-founder and president, Travaasa Experiential Resorts.

A Honolulu native, Watanabe joins Travaasa Hana with an extensive culinary and catering background. Most recently he was chef/partner of Café Julia and Laniakea Catering and chef de cuisine of Watanabe Weddings by Alan Wong in Honolulu. Prior to that, he was chef de cuisine for Alan Wong’s Restaurant, regarded as one of the finest Hawaii regional cuisine restaurants in the Hawaiian Islands. Before that, Watanabe was chef de cuisine at The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong in Honolulu.

“I’m lucky to have the opportunity to teach and learn from an incredible staff,” said Watanabe. “I hope guests take home a true Hawaii experience through our cuisine. The natural beauty of Hana provides the ideal setting to showcase fresh ingredients and support the work of our local farmers, ranchers and fishermen.”

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