Biography: George Mavrothalassitis
George Mavrothalassitis is chef/proprietor of Honolulu’s top-rated Chef Mavro restaurant. He is a founding member of Hawaii Regional Cuisine and holds the prestigious James Beard Foundation award, the highest culinary honor in the U.S. The restaurant achieved the American Automobile Association (AAA) Five Diamond status in 2009 and 2010. Mavro’s Chef de Cuisine Kevin Chong is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of American and is recognized as one of America’s top young chefs. He shares Mavro’s approach to cooking, recipe development, and a commitment to local farmers. They cook from the philosophy: Always buy the best and freshest, buy local, treat all products with great respect, and start afresh every season with new ideas and creative recipes.
In addition to the AAA Five Diamond Award, the restaurant is ranked one of the “Top 10 Restaurants in the World” based on a vote of the editors and writers of Fodor’s guidebooks. Also it holds the “Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.” by the prestigious Gayot restaurant critics who gave the restaurant 18/20, the highest rating in Hawaii.
Chef Mavro was born on the port in Marseilles, the capital of sunny Provence, surrounded by the passionate calls of fishmongers and the farm-fresh flavors of southern France. His award-winning contemporary Hawaii regional cuisine is also rooted in training with numerous masters of contemporary French cuisine and his experience as owner of a gourmet restaurant in Marseilles and the Restaurant La Presqu'ile in the seaside village of Cassis.
Current influences are from his life in Hawaii and he loves to tell the story of his first morning in Honolulu. “At sunrise I looked out over Waikiki Beach to Diamond Head and I said to myself - That’s it! I’m home!” Ever since that day in 1988, Chef Mavro has embraced the multi-ethnic people and foods of Hawaii and become close friends with dozens of boutique farmers and specialty fisherman.
One example among so many is Mavro’s partnership with Island-born vanilla farmer Jim Reddekopp and their media launch of the Hawaiian vanilla industry in Honolulu and again in New York. His dedication to quality is legendary. As his fresh fish buyer comments “Chef Mavro is picky, picky, picky!”
“Sometimes buying local means the cost is higher and sometimes it takes more time but the reward is huge. Local farmers succeed and my guests enjoy fresh, regional ingredients and a dining experience they could have only in Hawaii,” explains Mavrothalassitis.
Chef Mavro restaurant is completely dedicated to food and wine pairing. Menus change four times a year with the seasons. Instead of a wine list, each menu selection is presented with a wine pairing. Wines are preselected by top sommelier Todd Ashline, who then conducts a food & wine pairing committee of 25 staff members and invited guests in a blind tasting of 5-6 wines with each new recipe. A democratic vote of the committee determines the food & wine pairings for the next seasonal menu.
Chef Mavro offers private “Food Network-style” cooking classes in his kitchen themed “Cooking for the Love of It!” which provide hands-on experiences with the chef followed by a three-course gourmet lunch.
Mavro continues as an advisor to Hawaii culinary programs, a board member of the non-profit Hale ‘Aina ‘Ohana, and always finds time to meet with young chefs seeking his guidance. In 2009 he launched Restaurant Reality, a new advanced in-kitchen training and farm tour experience for Hawaii culinary students. His charitable activities are focused on the arts with a special dedication to Hawaii Public Radio (HPR).
