Graze Tables… Charcuterie Boards Gone Wild!
by Chef Coco of Oahu
The Graze Table is one of the latest and hottest trends in the food industry. They’re bold, bright, impressive, and create a total mood that people are bound to remember. These visually stunning spreads create a casual but classy vibe at every event, and after months of social distancing, a great Graze Table is the perfect way to bring people together this summer.
During Covid, I tasked myself with refinishing a 6 foot Monkeypod slab of wood into a beautifully polished graze board. Placing giant local greenery like Elephant Ear and Banana leaves over the board helps elevate the presentation and also provides sustainable plating options.
When styling a board, there are several things to consider and highlight. I love working with seasonal fruits and vegetables from our local farmers, along with baked bread, jams, & honey from local makers. What REALLY makes the presentation pop though are local flowers. Generally, I harvest flowers and palms from my house, or from around the community (with permission of course).
They say we eat first with our eyes, then our sense of smell, and then finally with our mouths, and this couldn’t be more true with graze boards. It’s the perfect way to showcase our local foods, flowers and the endless beauty of this island. Plus, they always leave everyone’s bellies (and Instagram stories) happy!
Whether it’s a small board or a ten foot spread, pupas or a dessert board, the customizable options are endless. I’d love to connect with you and see how I can support your upcoming event. I’m now booking for end of summer and fall events including parties, weddings, retreats, and private dinners. Aloha!
Would you like to book Chef Coco for your next event? Click Below!
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEF COCO OF OAHU
I believe that food heals people and brings them together. These are two of the biggest reasons why I love cooking.
My experience with cooking started long ago as a little girl. Somewhere along the line, the hustle and bustle of life slowly began wedging itself between me and my culinary passions. Many years later as an adult, after leaving my grueling profession in corporate America, I reconnected with my love for cooking on the Big Island of Hawai’i, where I lived and worked as a Chef at a yoga retreat center, feeding 200+ staff and guests. My time there was rejuvenating for my mind, body and soul, and I was able to find deep healing in those Big Island jungles. I regularly ate organic and local foods, many of which were grown right there on the property. As I got more connected to where my food came from, I started to reconnect with my body as well as my deep rooted passion for cooking, creating, and eating delicious things; something I had lost long ago to the craziness of life and a demanding schedule in the conventional world. Working as a Chef at the retreat center allowed me to work closely with local farmers and our in-house permaculture team, cooking and showcasing seasonal produce within every dish. More importantly, my time there taught me the importance of incorporating love and aloha into the foods we cook. I truly believe that you can taste the difference when food is made with care and positive intentions. I saw everyday how the meals we created brought the entire campus together to connect and talk story, which is more and more of a rarity these days. The dining space was the heart and hearth of the retreat center, and as one of the Chefs on staff, it was a great source of pride for me to contribute to that.
In 2018, following the Kilauea volcanic eruption, I moved to Oahu and embarked on an exploration of the island. Cooking was a big part of this journey and I applied the same values I learned on the Big Island- local, farm-to-table, fresh, nourishing. With my cooking style today, I emphasize bright, local flavors and vivid colors in my food, usually incorporating locally foraged leaves and flowers into salads, entrees and desserts. I strive to prepare a variety of dishes that are creative, well balanced, and beautifully presented. You can find me cooking on island for small intimate dinners, weekly meal preps, or catering for weddings, retreats, and other private events or parties. While I love utilizing local fish and meats, I also cook to a variety of different styles including vegetarianism, gluten-free, paleo/whole 30, and keto diets.
Interested in joining our Yoga Chef Community? Join our Yoga Chefs Facebook Group to learn more about yogic food, connect with other chefs, and share recipes!
Meet Chef Coco:
- Areas Served: Oahu & Big Island
- Styles of Cuisine Offered: Local, farm to table bright, fresh, & vibrant. Flexible around cuisines & dietary restrictions!
Client Testimonial:
Chef Coco is amazing! We had Chef Coco cater our wedding and her culinary skills are unreal. She incredibly brought the garden onto the plate. The food was so beautifully crafted, it was tough to eat. Man oh man, the taste is beyond delicious! Everything was cooked to perfection, ingredients are so fresh, and everything works so well together to create a balanced dish. Chef Coco was such a pleasure to work with. She made it simple and painless. The only hard part is picking the dishes from the menu she built. Everything just sounds so delicious. If you have a big enough stomach, you can choose everything. There is no wrong choice, everything is delicious! We highly recommend Chef Coco, 10000%
– Sandy & Yung
