Who We Are

What Is Kau Kau Box?

We all kau kau, so why not do it in a way that’s healthy, convenient, and delicious? Kau Kau Box originated in response to the community’s immense needs during an unprecedented time. Kau Kau Box serves as a lifeline—providing fresh, wholesome, flavorful food for our kupuna, essential workers, parents, military personnel, and other community members who don’t have access to transportation and are working to make ends meet. In this time of social distancing, we’re bringing chef-prepared meals paired with fresh, local ingredients straight to your doorstep at an affordable price. Simply create the meals, use hashtags #KauKauBoxChallenge #KauKauBox, and get ready to grind.

Kau Kau Boxes feature a variety of produce, meats and fish that are locally sourced in an effort to support Hawaii-owned businesses. The boxes are handled and delivered with care by Hawaii’s seasoned hospitality professionals, all of whom are equipped with and required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves and face masks. They’re also required to use sanitizer spray to wipe down the boxes and delivery vehicles.

Our Mission

The Kau Kau Box is the creative brainchild of Gourmet Events Hawaii, designed to serve the people of Hawaii in this time of need. We aim to bring fresh produce and prepared foods to families, support local businesses, keep hospitality professionals working, and help the local community stay healthy.

Our Chefs

Kau Kau Box is proud to collaborate with the talented Chef Thomas Naylor, founder of Ke Nui Kitchen, to produce our weekly boxes. Raised in the restaurant business, Chef Thomas has over 15 years of experience in the food and special events industry. He’s cultivated an exceptional group of chefs who have collectively over 100 years of shared experience working with local fare, New American, farm-to-table, Pan Pacific, Latin, Peruvian, Mediterranean, and more. He has garnered a reputation for excellence in culinary services, and most notably a commitment to his clientele.

“Ke Nui Kitchen is proud to be the chef-partner for Kau Kau Box. We believe it's the perfect platform for customers to experience locally sourced gourmet ingredients and chef-driven cuisine in a new and exciting way. The variety of options at our customers' fingertips allows them to be creative with the combination of raw and prepared, heat, and serve products at an affordable price in the time of need. Kau Kau Box is an essential platform for the family's on-the-go and answers the age old question of “what's for dinner?” – Chef Thomas Naylor.

Executive Chef Shaymus Alwin brings more than 20 years of extensive knowledge and experience in the restaurant and culinary industry. He is passionate about bringing to the table a sense of where food comes from and how to maintain its sustainability. After holding an executive chef position at Bistro Catering where he often served over 1,000 guests at events, Alwin joined the culinary team at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki. During his time there, Alwin received the “Best overall TASTE” Award in 2016 and the “Best Use of Ingredients” Award in 2017 at the Hawaii Food Manufacturer Association Cook Off.

Chef Alwin is a 10-time award winner of Honolulu Magazine Hale Aina Award in Best Farm to Table and Best Seafood categories. Currently, Alwin is the Executive Chef of all G.Lion Hawaii culinary concepts at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach. With his culinary team at G.Lion Hawaii, Alwin is leading a team of young, talented, passionate culinarians who create hundreds of tables of delicious food each day at the world-class resort.