Growing Up Hapa in Hawaii: Recipes and Stories from Chef Ippy Aiona

Chef Ippy Aiona was born and raised on Hawai’i Island, where his love of food was shaped byhis roots--his father ran a Hawaiian plate lunch shop, and his mother owned an Italianrestaurant. This culinary duality inspired his unique fusion style and led to the launch of popularBig Island restaurants like Ippy’s Hawaiian BBQ, The Dizzy Pita, and The Three Fat Pigs.A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Ippy gained national attention at just 23 as the youngest finalist onFood Network Star. He went on to appear on BBQ Brawl, Alex vs America, and his own Hawai’ibasedseries, Eating Our Roots, which he wrote, co-produced, and hosted. The show highlightscultural food traditions and local ingredients across communities and won a regional Emmy forediting this year.Named to Forbes’ ＂30 Under 30＂ and winner of Canada’s International Iron Chef, Ippy’saccolades reflect his bold creativity and deep culinary heritage. His 2022 Easy Hawaiian Cookbook became a top 100 Amazon bestseller, celebrating his signature blend of Hawaiian and Italian flavors.